England 12/09/2012 – The world of PCB design has always been challenging, but never as demanding as now
PCB design has been important since the 1950s when printed circuit boards began to be used in electrical products and machinery. Without well-designed printed circuit boards, nothing would work properly. Many of today’s electrical products would simply not be possible without printed circuit boards. Obvious examples of this are computers and mobile phones. Less obvious examples are the complex suspension and braking systems many modern cars have.
PCBs are now widely used and many are now extremely complex. They require an amazing level of design acumen and have to be manufactured to a high standard. In the past decade, the design of printed circuit boards has become extremely challenging. Customers want far more than they once did and they need 100% performance from their PCBs.
The industry has had to respond and adapt to their customers needs quickly. Using CAD software they have been able to put together designs for circuit boards far more quickly than they could using pen and paper. This software has been continuously improved over the years. Basic CAD systems evolved into ECAD and recently CADSTAR. These new design software systems can cope with 1000 or more BGA devices; it is possible to build multilayer designs.
Firms want a full range of services; some only want the design itself in the form of diagrams. Whilst others want the boards designed and physically produced.
PCB design has to be collaborative to work
The complexity of modern PCBs means that designers have to be prepared to work collaboratively with their clients. It is difficult for clients to explain everything in detail from the start. There are bound to be questions later on in the design process and the client is bound to need to adjust the design slightly. Firms like Quadrasol, who have been involved in PCB design for over a decade, are the people firms are turning to. They also train people to use the design software themselves. This gives them a unique perspective and an insight into how customers work and think. They use that information to provide a more tailored service and to work out what clients really need.
Contact:
Quadra Solutions Ltd
Ewbank House
Cannon Street
Accrington
Lancashire, UK
Zip: BB5 1NJ
Tel: +44 (0)1254 301 888
Email: info@quadrasol.co.uk
Web: http://www.quadrasol.co.uk
