Printed Circuit Design & Fab - October 2008 - (Page 2)

OCTOBER 2008 • VOL. 25 • NO. 10 FEATURES Building a comprehensive PCB library can save time in the design process, improve quality and increase project margins. Cover artwork ©iStockPhoto/Alex Nikada Schematics courtesy of Intercept Technology. 22 SIGNAL INTEGRITY The New Wave in High-Speed Modeling Unlocking the electrical performance of an interconnect may be as simple as mastering the S-parameter. by DR. ERIC BOGATIN 26 DESIGN TOOLS POINT OF VIEW 4 THE PCB DESIGN LIBRARY Building and managing a library can translate into long-term timesavings and improved margins. by ABBY MONACO 29 DESIGN BASICS OUR LINE The people’s choice. Kathy Nargi-Toth 14 Mixed Signal Design Considerations Designs with analog, digital and RF features challenge the PCB designer to reduce noise, improve EMI performance and lower distortion. by SYED W. ALI 32 MODELING TEST AND INSPECTION A novel soldered bump could improve access at ICT, but must be designed in. Stacy Kalisz Johnson 16 Modeling Conductor Surface Roughness Stripline models can be used to determine the impact of copper surface roughness on transmission properties. by ANTONIO CICCOMANCINI SCOGNA 35 PLATING ROI Identifying critical requirements can help a business achieve measurable results. Peter Bigelow 17 Copper Erosion: The Influence of Metallurgy on Copper Dissolution The rate of copper dissolution in lead-free soldering may be linked to the physical characteristics of the electroplated copper. by CHRYS SHEA, JIM KENNY, JEAN RASMUSSEN, GIRISH WABLE, QUYEN CHU, SHIANG TENG, KEITH SWEATMAN and KAZUHIRO NOGITA, PH.D. 38 OUTSOURCING TIP JAR Designers crave rules, but few rules apply in every situation. Susy Webb 18 INTERCONNECT STRATEGIES Small, higher-density PCBs cost less to fabricate than high layer count boards, but closely spaced traces can result in crosstalk issues. The Wave of the Future Increasing offshore costs give rise to changing global outsourcing strategies. by GREG PAPANDREW 40 FRONT END ENGINEERING Dr. Abe (Abbas) Riazi 20 Building a Profitable Niche Engineering systems capture detailed customer specifications and transfer design and quote information to fabrication. by MEHUL DAVE FINAL FINISH FORUM Scratching the surface of surface finishes. Don Cullen 48 DEPARTMENTS 6 8 BGA BULLETIN Microvias can reduce the signal layer requirement. MARKET WATCH AROUND THE WORLD 12 39 HAPPENINGS AD INDEX 43 44 OFF THE SHELF MARKETPLACE Charles Pfeil Circuits Assembly Online MEDICAL ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY TALKING HEADS circuitsassembly.com REACH Costs ‘Horrifically Expensive’ The legislation known as REACH (Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) has been in effect since June 1, 2007, yet that particular date lacked impact, says Michael Kirschner. But the president of Design Chain Associates says all that will change on Dec. 1. by CHELSEY DRYSDALE ‘Checking Up’ on Medical Electronics Medical electronics assembly demands a different set of criteria than do commercial PCBs. The US FDA requires specific documentation, especially for verification of certain processes. Today’s medical electronics assembly also requires special testing, avoiding obsolete components and a detailed evaluation of a Pb-free product. by ZULKI KHAN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB, PO Box 35621 Tulsa, OK 74153-0621 http://www.circuitsassembly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Printed Circuit Design & Fab - October 2008

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - October 2008 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings Test and Inspection ROI Tip Jar Interconnect Strategies Final Finish Forum The New Wave in High-Speed Modeling The PCB Design Library Mixed Signal Design Considerations Modeling Conductor Surface Roughness Copper Erosion: The Influence of Metallurgy on Copper Dissolution The Wave of the Future Ad Index Building a Profitable Niche Marketplace Off the Shelf BGA Bulletin

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - October 2008

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