Causes and solutions of crosstalk on PCB

PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a very important component of electronic products. It connects various electronic components and provides electrical connections and mechanical support. Crosstalk is a common problem during PCB design and manufacturing that can negatively impact circuit performance. This article will detail the causes of crosstalk on PCBs and provide some solutions.

1. Causes of crosstalk

1. Electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Electronic equipment generates electromagnetic radiation during operation. Changes in current and voltage on signal lines will generate magnetic fields, causing changes in charge and current on nearby lines, thus causing crosstalk. Electromagnetic interference mainly originates from high-frequency signals, ground return flow and power supply return flow.

2. Signal Integrity (SI)

Signal integrity refers to the ability of a signal to maintain stability and accuracy while traveling through a circuit. When signals are transmitted in PCBs, they are affected by factors such as impedance mismatch, signal coupling, and backflow, which can lead to signal distortion and crosstalk.

3. Power supply noise

Power supply noise refers to changes in voltage and current caused by power supply voltage fluctuations, power line impedance mismatches, and other electrical factors. Power supply noise can couple to other lines through the power lines, causing crosstalk.

4. Asynchronous clock system

When there are multiple clock sources on the PCB, since the frequency and phase of each clock source may be different, mutual interference between signals will occur, resulting in crosstalk.

2. Solution

1. Electromagnetic shielding

In order to reduce electromagnetic radiation and electromagnetic interference, electromagnetic shielding measures can be used on the PCB. For example, add ground wires, power wires, or electromagnetic shields next to high-frequency lines to reduce the level of interference.

2. Reasonable wiring and layout

Proper wiring and layout can reduce signal coupling and crosstalk. First, the length and area of signal lines should be minimized to avoid intersection and overlap of signal lines. Secondly, avoid placing high-frequency and low-frequency lines on the same level, as well as placing signal lines and power lines in adjacent locations.

3. Impedance matching

To ensure signal integrity, impedance matching should be implemented in the PCB design. Add an impedance matching resistor at the end of the signal line to ensure normal signal transmission. In addition, PCB software simulation tools can be used to optimize impedance matching.

4. Optimize power supply design

Optimizing the power supply design can reduce the impact of power supply noise on other lines. First, the length and impedance of the power cord should be minimized. Secondly, components such as power filter capacitors, power regulators, and power isolators should be added to the PCB to reduce power supply noise.

5. Synchronized clock system

In order to avoid the crosstalk problem of asynchronous clock systems, synchronous clock systems can be used. The synchronous clock system can ensure the consistency of the frequency and phase of each clock source and reduce crosstalk through synchronous control of clock signals.

The above is a detailed introduction to the causes and solutions of crosstalk on PCB. Through reasonable design and optimization measures, crosstalk problems can be effectively reduced and the performance and reliability of PCB can be improved. However, in practical applications, different electronic equipment and circuit systems may have different crosstalk problems, and the solutions will also be different. Therefore, in the PCB design and manufacturing process, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the specific situation and apply various measures flexibly to solve the crosstalk problem in the best way.

Protect your health! Medical electronic PCBA protects the medical industry!

As an important part of the medical industry, medical electronics PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) plays an escort role. This article will elaborate on the role of medical electronic PCBA from the following four aspects: improving the performance of medical equipment, ensuring medical safety, improving medical efficiency, and promoting medical technology innovation.

1. Improving the performance of medical equipment
The use of medical electronic PCBA can effectively improve the performance of medical equipment. Through professional design and manufacturing, medical electronic PCBA can achieve high stability and high precision signal transmission and data processing, improving the accuracy and reliability of medical equipment. For example, in medical monitors, medical electronic PCBA can accurately detect and transmit vital sign-related data, ensuring that doctors can obtain accurate information in a timely manner and improve treatment effects.

2. Ensure medical safety
Medical electronic PCBA plays an important role in ensuring medical safety. Medical electronic PCBA uses advanced materials and processes, has high anti-interference ability and waterproof performance, can resist the influence of the external environment, and ensure the normal operation of medical equipment. Secondly, medical electronic PCBA has multiple protection functions, such as over-current protection, over-heat protection, etc., which can effectively prevent equipment failures and safety hazards. In addition, medical electronic PCBA also supports remote monitoring and management, which can detect faults and repair them in time, improving the safety and stability of medical equipment.

3. Improve medical efficiency
The application of medical electronic PCBA improves the efficiency of medical work. On the one hand, the high-speed data transmission capabilities and powerful processing capabilities of medical electronic PCBA speed up the response speed and data processing speed of medical equipment, saving doctors and nurses time. On the other hand, the automation and intelligent functions of medical electronic PCBA enable medical equipment to automatically perform some repetitive tasks, such as automatic drug administration, automatic monitoring, etc., reducing the workload of medical personnel and improving medical efficiency.

4. Promote medical technology innovation
The continuous innovation of medical electronic PCBA promotes the development of medical technology. The new generation of medical electronic PCBA adopts advanced chips, sensors and algorithms, which can better adapt to the needs of the medical industry and promote the intelligence, personalization and mobility of medical equipment. For example, as the application of medical electronic PCBA continues to expand in fields such as wearable devices and telemedicine, medical technology is not limited to hospitals, but can also be extended to communities and families to achieve more convenient and life-friendly medical services.

Medical electronic PCBA plays an important role in improving the performance of medical equipment, ensuring medical safety, improving medical efficiency and promoting medical technology innovation. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the application of medical electronic PCBA will bring more opportunities and challenges to the medical industry. We have reason to believe that medical electronic PCBA will continue to protect our health.

Medical circuit board classification revealed! You must know this knowledge!

Medical circuit boards play an important role in the modern medical field. Understanding the classification of medical circuit boards helps us better understand their applications and development.

1. Sensor circuit board
One type of circuit board widely used in the medical field is sensor circuit board. These circuit boards are mainly used to collect patients’ physiological data, such as heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, etc. The sensor circuit board uses various sensors and signal processing circuits to accurately sense the patient’s physiological state and transmit the data to the monitoring circuit board for analysis.

2. Monitoring circuit board
Monitoring circuit boards are mainly used to monitor changes in patients’ conditions, including electrocardiogram, respiratory monitoring, blood oxygen saturation, etc. This type of circuit board usually integrates multiple sensors and data processing modules to comprehensively monitor and record the patient’s physical condition. The main function of the monitoring circuit board is to provide real-time condition data to help medical staff judge the patient’s health status in a timely manner.

3. Therapeutic circuit boards
Therapeutic circuit boards are mainly used to provide medical treatments, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, etc. This type of circuit board usually includes a control part and an output part. The control part is used to perform corresponding control according to the patient’s condition, and the output part is used to output treatment signals or current. The application of therapeutic circuit boards can effectively help patients restore health or improve their quality of life.

4. Auxiliary circuit boards
Auxiliary circuit boards provide support for medical equipment, including power supply management circuit boards, communication control circuit boards, etc. These circuit boards do not come into direct contact with the patient and are primarily used to provide power management and data transmission functions. The reliability and stability of auxiliary circuit boards are crucial to the normal operation of medical equipment and the accurate transmission of information.

Different types of circuit boards play an important role in medical equipment and are of great significance to improving medical standards and improving patients’ quality of life. Having a certain understanding of the classification and application of these circuit boards will help us better understand the development and application prospects of medical circuit boards. It is believed that with the continuous advancement of technology, medical circuit boards will play a more important and extensive role in the medical industry.

Irreplaceable choice! Why has fr4 substrate become the first choice for the electronics industry?

As one of the preferred materials in the electronics industry, fr4 substrate plays an important role in the manufacturing of electronic products. This article will elaborate on the fr4 substrate becoming the first choice for the electronics industry in terms of material characteristics, cost-effectiveness, reliability and wide application to demonstrate its unique advantages and value.

1. Material properties
The fr4 substrate is composited of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin and has the following excellent material properties. The fr4 substrate has excellent insulation properties and can effectively isolate mutual interference between circuits and ensure the normal operation of electronic products. The fr4 substrate has high mechanical strength and heat resistance, and can maintain stable performance under complex environmental conditions. In addition, the fr4 substrate also has good chemical resistance and flame retardancy, which can effectively prevent safety issues in electronic products caused by material aging.

2. Cost-effectiveness
The fr4 substrate has a high level of maturity in manufacturing technology, the production process is relatively simple, and it is suitable for mass production. Compared with other materials, the cost of fr4 substrate is low and easy to obtain in the market. This makes fr4 substrate one of the preferred materials for many electronic product manufacturers. Whether it is large communication equipment or consumer electronics, fr4 substrates can provide good performance and have competitive advantages in cost.

3. Reliability
In the electronics industry, reliability is a vital factor. The fr4 substrate has excellent electrical properties and mechanical strength, and can maintain stable performance under long-term use and harsh environments. Due to its good insulation properties, it can effectively prevent short circuits and leakage between circuits. In addition, the fr4 substrate also has good moisture resistance and corrosion resistance, which can better resist the effects of humidity and chemical substances on electronic products, ensuring the reliability and stability of the product.

4. Wide application
Due to the excellent performance and cost-effectiveness of fr4 substrate, it has been widely used in the electronics industry. In the field of communications, fr4 substrate is the preferred material for manufacturing high-speed data transmission equipment and network equipment, such as optical modules, routers, etc. In the computer field, fr4 substrates are widely used in the manufacturing of important circuit boards such as motherboards and graphics cards. In addition, fr4 substrates are also used in consumer electronics products, such as mobile phones, tablets and smart home devices. Its reliability and durability enable electronic products to operate stably in various usage environments, providing users with an excellent experience.

As one of the preferred materials in the electronics industry, fr4 substrate has become the choice of many electronic product manufacturers and engineers due to its excellent material properties, cost-effectiveness, reliability and wide application. With the continuous advancement of technology and the increase in market demand, fr4 substrates will continue to play an important role, playing a key supporting and promoting role in the development of the electronics industry.

Explore the key parameters of FR4 substrate materials!

FR4 substrate material is a substrate material widely used in electronic products. This article will delve into the key parameters of FR4 substrate materials, including dielectric constant, coefficient of thermal expansion, glass transition temperature and electrical breakdown strength. Through the detailed elaboration of these parameters, it helps readers understand the performance of FR4 substrate materials and its important role in electronic products.

1. Dielectric constant
Dielectric constant is one of the important parameters to measure the electrical insulation properties of materials. For FR4 substrate materials, their dielectric constant determines the propagation speed and wavelength of electromagnetic waves in the material. The smaller the dielectric constant, the faster and higher the frequency of electromagnetic waves propagating in the material. When the dielectric constant of the FR4 substrate material approaches 1, the impedance matching performance of the material is better, which can improve the speed and quality of signal transmission.

2. Thermal expansion coefficient
The coefficient of thermal expansion is one of the key parameters that measures the change in length of a material under temperature changes. For FR4 substrate materials, their thermal expansion coefficient determines whether deformation occurs under temperature changes, which affects the stability and reliability of electronic products. Reasonable control of the thermal expansion coefficient of the FR4 substrate material can avoid stress concentration and mismatch between components caused by temperature changes.

3. Glass transition temperature
Glass transition temperature refers to the critical temperature at which a material changes from a glassy state to a solid state. For FR4 substrate materials, their glass transition temperature determines the material’s mechanical properties and insulation properties under high temperature conditions. The higher glass transition temperature can ensure that the FR4 substrate material can still maintain good physical and electrical properties in high temperature environments, improving the reliability and stability of electronic products.

4. Electrical breakdown strength
Electrical breakdown strength refers to the maximum voltage that a material can withstand under the action of an electric field. For FR4 substrate materials, their electrical breakdown strength determines the material’s insulation capabilities and reliability. Higher electrical breakdown strength means that the material can withstand higher operating voltages and can effectively prevent equipment damage or failure caused by electrical breakdown.

FR4 substrate material is a commonly used substrate material in electronic products, and its key parameters have an important impact on product performance. Dielectric constant, thermal expansion coefficient, glass transition temperature and electrical breakdown strength are important indicators to measure the performance of FR4 substrate materials. By reasonably controlling these parameters, the signal transmission speed, stability and reliability of electronic products can be improved. In future applications, research and further optimization of key parameters of FR4 substrate materials will be an important direction to provide better support and guarantee for the development of electronic products.

Explore the mysteries of vehicle PCB boards and make your vehicle smarter and more efficient!

Vehicle PCB board is one of the core components in modern vehicles. It carries various electronic devices and systems to enable vehicles to have intelligent and efficient functions. This article will elaborate on the vehicle PCB board from four aspects and explore how it can make the vehicle smarter and more efficient.

1. Design and layout of vehicle PCB board
The design and layout of the vehicle PCB board are important factors to ensure the normal operation of the vehicle system. Reasonable circuit layout can reduce electromagnetic interference, reduce crosstalk and improve the stability of signal transmission. At the same time, considering the limited space in the car, the design of the vehicle PCB board needs to be compact and efficient. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to make full use of various locations on the board during design, and rationally arrange various components and connection lines to avoid conflicts and interference.

2. Materials and manufacturing processes of vehicle PCB boards
The materials and manufacturing processes of automotive PCB boards have a decisive impact on their performance and reliability. High-performance materials can provide better electrical performance, thermal performance and mechanical strength. Optimization of manufacturing processes can reduce errors and defective products during the production process, and improve production efficiency and product quality. In recent years, with the continuous development of materials and manufacturing processes, the performance of automotive PCB boards has been significantly improved, better adapting to the needs of vehicle systems.

3. Circuit protection and fault diagnosis of vehicle PCB boards
Vehicle PCB boards need to have certain fault diagnosis and protection functions to cope with unexpected situations and system failures. By integrating fault detection circuits and protection circuits on the PCB board, real-time monitoring and protection of the vehicle system can be achieved. When a system failure or abnormality occurs, the PCB board can promptly send out an alarm and take corresponding measures to avoid further damage. This provides an important guarantee for vehicle safety and reliability.

4. The future development direction of automotive PCB boards
With the rapid development of vehicle intelligence and electrification, vehicle PCB boards will face more challenges and opportunities in the future. More and more sensors, communication equipment and control systems will be integrated into vehicle PCB boards to achieve comprehensive vehicle perception and automatic control. In addition, the application of new materials and advanced manufacturing processes will further improve the performance and reliability of automotive PCB boards. It is expected that future vehicle PCB boards will be smaller, more efficient, and more reliable, providing better support for the intelligent and efficient operation of vehicles.

As a vital component of the vehicle electronic system, the vehicle PCB board has important functions and roles. Through reasonable design and layout, high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing processes, vehicle-mounted PCB boards can achieve stable operation of vehicle systems and provide fault diagnosis and protection functions. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology, vehicle PCB boards will continue to develop, making vehicles more intelligent and efficient.

Efficient energy management leads new trends, full analysis of new energy vehicle PCB applications!

With the increasing global emphasis on environmental protection, new energy vehicles are gradually becoming the mainstream of the automotive industry. In the development of new energy vehicles, efficient energy management is a key link. In new energy vehicles, the application of PCB (Printed Circuit Board) plays a vital role. This article will provide a detailed analysis of new energy vehicle PCB applications from four aspects.

1. Development of new energy vehicle PCB technology
The development of new energy vehicle PCB technology is the basis for achieving efficient energy management. With the promotion of new energy vehicles and the increase in demand, traditional PCB technology can no longer meet the demand for efficient energy management. Therefore, new energy vehicle PCB technology continues to develop to achieve higher energy efficiency and reliability. For example, the application of high-density, multi-layer, and multi-function PCBs can make the wiring of vehicle electronic systems more compact, improve energy conversion efficiency, and provide more possibilities for function expansion.

2. Application of new energy vehicle PCB in battery management system
The battery is one of the core components of new energy vehicles, and the battery management system (BMS) is the key to its effective management. The application of new energy vehicle PCB in BMS can realize battery monitoring, charge and discharge control, temperature management and other functions. Through reasonable design and layout of PCB, the accuracy and stability of BMS can be improved, thereby extending the service life of the battery and improving energy utilization.

3. Application of new energy vehicle PCB in power system
The power system of new energy vehicles is the core component for energy conversion and transmission. In the power system, the application of new energy vehicle PCB can realize functions such as motor drive control, energy conversion between the battery and the motor, and linkage with other systems. Because new energy vehicle PCBs have reliability and stability in special environments such as high temperature and high current, they can improve the efficiency and safety of the power system.

4. Application of new energy vehicle PCB in intelligent systems
Intelligent systems are another important component of new energy vehicles, including car networking, autonomous driving and other functions. The application of new energy vehicle PCB in intelligent systems can realize the collection, processing and transmission of sensor data, and realize intelligent control and optimization of vehicles. Through the high integration and reliability of PCB, it is possible to realize the collaborative work of multiple systems and provide a safer, more efficient and intelligent driving experience.

The application of new energy vehicle PCBs is leading a new trend in efficient energy management. Through the technological development of PCB, the battery management system, power system and intelligent system of new energy vehicles have been greatly improved and optimized. The application of new energy vehicle PCB not only improves energy utilization and vehicle performance, but also enhances vehicle safety and reliability. With the further development of the new energy vehicle market, new energy vehicle PCB technology will continue to innovate and make greater contributions to the efficient energy management of new energy vehicles.

A must-read for engineers! What factors affect PCB stackup design?

When designing a PCB (printed circuit board), one of the most basic issues to consider is how many wiring layers, ground planes and power planes are needed to achieve the functions required by the circuit. The wiring layers, ground planes and power planes of the printed circuit board The determination of the number of plane layers is related to requirements such as circuit function, signal integrity, EMI, EMC, and manufacturing costs. For most designs, there are many conflicting requirements in factors such as PCB performance requirements, target cost, manufacturing technology, and system complexity. The stack-up design of the PCB is usually determined by a compromise after considering various factors. High-speed digital circuits and whisker circuits usually adopt multi-layer board designs. What factors affect PCB stackup design?

1. Layering

In a multi-layer PCB, it usually contains a signal layer (S), a power (P) plane and a ground (GND) plane. Power planes and ground planes are usually solid planes without separation, and they will provide a good low-impedance current return path for current from adjacent signal traces. The signal layer is mostly located between these power or ground reference plane layers, forming a symmetrical stripline or an asymmetrical stripline. The top and bottom layers of multi-layer PCBs are usually used to place components and a small number of traces. These signal traces must not be too long to reduce direct radiation generated by the traces.

2. Determine the single power supply reference plane (power plane)

The use of decoupling capacitors is an important measure to solve power supply integrity. Decoupling capacitors can only be placed on the top and bottom layers of the PCB. The traces, pads, and vias of the decoupling capacitor will seriously affect the effect of the decoupling capacitor. This requires that the traces connected to the decoupling capacitors should be as short and wide as possible during design, and the wires connected to the vias should also be considered. Keep it as short as possible. For example, in a high-speed digital circuit, you can place decoupling capacitors on the top layer of the PCB, assign layer 2 to the high-speed digital circuit (such as a processor) as the power layer, layer 3 as the signal layer, and layer 4 Set to high-speed digital circuit ground.

In addition, try to ensure that the signal traces driven by the same high-speed digital device use the same power layer as the reference plane, and this power layer is the power supply layer of the high-speed digital device.

3. Determine the multi-power reference plane

The multi-supply reference plane will be divided into several physical areas with different voltages. If there is a signal layer next to the multi-power layer, the signal current on the nearby signal layer will encounter an unideal return path, causing gaps in the return path. For high-speed digital signals, this unreasonable return path design may cause serious problems, so it is required that high-speed digital signal wiring should be kept away from multi-power reference planes.

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4. Determine multiple ground reference planes (ground planes)

Multiple ground reference planes (ground layers) can provide a good low-impedance current return path, which can reduce common-mode EMl. Ground planes and power planes should be tightly coupled, and signal layers should be tightly coupled to adjacent reference planes. This can be achieved by reducing the thickness of the media between layers.

5. Reasonable design of wiring combinations

The two layers spanned by a signal path are called a “routing combination.” The best routing combination design avoids return current flow from one reference plane to another, but flows from one point (plane) of a reference plane to another point (plane). In order to complete complex wiring, interlayer conversion of wiring is inevitable. When converting between signal layers, it is necessary to ensure that the return current can flow smoothly from one reference plane to another. In a design, it makes sense to treat adjacent layers as a routing group. If a signal path needs to span multiple layers, it is usually not a reasonable design to use it as a routing group, because a path through multiple layers is not clear for return current. Although the ground bounce can be reduced by placing decoupling capacitors near the vias or reducing the dielectric thickness between the reference planes, it is not a good design.

6. Set the wiring direction

On the same signal layer, the direction of most wiring should be consistent and orthogonal to the wiring direction of adjacent signal layers. For example, you can set the wiring direction of one signal layer to the “Y-axis” direction, and set the wiring direction of another adjacent signal layer to the “X-axis” direction.

7. Adopt an even-numbered layer structure

From the designed PCB stackup, it can be found that the classic stackup design is almost all even-numbered layers, not odd-numbered layers. This emergency is caused by a variety of factors, as shown below.

It can be understood from the manufacturing process of printed circuit boards that all conductive layers in the circuit board are stored on the core layer. The material of the core layer is generally a double-sided cladding board. When the core layer is fully utilized, the conductive layer of the printed circuit board The number is even.

Even-layer printed circuit boards have cost advantages. Due to the lack of one layer of dielectric and copper coating, the cost of raw materials for odd-numbered printed circuit boards is slightly lower than the cost of even-numbered printed circuit boards. However, because odd-numbered layer printed circuit boards require a non-standard laminated core layer bonding process based on the core layer structure process, the processing cost of odd-numbered layer printed circuit boards is significantly higher than that of even-numbered layer printed circuit boards. Compared with the ordinary core structure, adding copper cladding outside the core structure will lead to a decrease in production efficiency and a prolongation of the production cycle. The outer core layer also requires additional processing before lamination and bonding, which increases the risk of scratches and incorrect etching of the outer layer. The added outer layer treatment will significantly increase manufacturing costs.

When the inner and outer layers of the printed circuit board are cooled after the multi-layer circuit bonding process, different lamination tensions will cause the printed circuit board to bend to varying degrees. And as the thickness of the board increases, the risk of bending of a composite printed circuit board with two different structures increases. Odd-numbered circuit boards are prone to bending, while even-numbered layers of printed circuit boards can prevent the circuit board from bending.

During design, if there are an odd number of layers, you can use the following method to increase the number of layers.

If you design a printed circuit board with an even number of power layers and an odd number of signal layers, you can use the method of adding signal layers. The added signal layer will not lead to an increase in cost, but can shorten the processing time and improve the quality of the printed circuit board.

If you design a printed circuit board with an odd number of power layers and an even number of signal layers, you can use the method of adding power layers. Another simple method is to add a ground layer in the middle of the stack without changing other settings, that is, first lay out the odd-numbered printed circuit board layers, and then copy a ground layer in the middle.

In microwave circuits and mixed media (media with different dielectric constants) circuits, a blank signal layer can be added near the center of the PCB stackup to minimize stackup imbalance.

8. Cost considerations

In terms of manufacturing cost, with the same PCB area, the cost of multi-layer circuit boards is definitely higher than single-layer and double-layer circuit boards, and the more layers, the higher the cost. However, when considering factors such as circuit function and circuit board miniaturization, and ensuring signal integrity, EMl, EMC and other performance indicators, multi-layer circuit boards should be used as much as possible. Comprehensive evaluation shows that the cost difference between multi-layer circuit boards and single- and double-layer circuit boards is not much higher than expected.

What impact does the stencil have on the processing quality of SMT patches?

1. How to make stencil

At present, the main methods of making stencil are: chemical etching, laser cutting, and electroform.

Chemical etching has large errors and is not environmentally friendly; the data production accuracy is high and the influence of objective factors is small; the trapezoidal opening is conducive to demoulding; precision cutting can be done; the price is moderate; the hole wall is smooth, especially suitable for ultra-fine pitch steel mesh production method, and the price is high .

At present, most SMT chip processing factories use laser stencil, which is cost-effective and of good quality.

2. Stencil material

Generally, the steel mesh is made of stainless steel, which has high printing accuracy and long service life.

3. Stencil thickness

The thickness and size of the stencil directly determine the amount of tin on the pad, directly affecting whether problems such as virtual soldering and tin connection will occur.

Usually there are both components with a spacing of 1.27mm or more and components with a narrow spacing on a PCB. Components with a spacing of 1.27mm or more require a stainless steel plate 0.2mm thick, and components with a narrow spacing require a stainless steel plate 0.15-0.10mm thick. The thickness of the stainless steel plate can be determined based on the condition of most components on the PCB, and then the amount of solder paste leakage can be adjusted by expanding or reducing the size of the pad opening of individual components.

If there is a large difference in the amount of solder paste required for components on the same PCB, the template at the narrow-pitch components can be partially thinned, but the processing cost of the thinning process is higher. Therefore, a compromise method can be adopted. The thickness of the stainless steel plate can be an intermediate value. For example: some components on the same PCB require 0.20mm thickness, and other components require 0.15-0.12mm thickness. In this case, the thickness of the stainless steel plate can be 0.18 mm.

4. Stencil  size

The opening size can be 1:1 for general components. For large Chip components and PLCC that require a large amount of solder paste, the opening area should be expanded by 10%. For devices such as QFP with pin spacing of 0.5mm and 0.65mm, the opening area should be reduced by 10%.

5. Stencil  shape

Appropriate opening shape can improve the placement effect. For example: when the size of the chip component is smaller than 1005 and 0603, due to the small distance between the two pads, the solder paste on the pads at both ends can easily flow to the bottom of the component during placement. Adhesion, bridges and solder beads at the bottom of components can easily occur after reflow soldering. Therefore, when processing the template, the inside of the opening of a pair of rectangular pads (Figure 1) can be modified into a sharp angle or an arc shape (Figure, Chip component opening shape) to reduce the amount of solder paste at the bottom of the component, which can improve the component placement The solder paste on the bottom is sticking.

6. Stencil performance requirements

The frame is not deformable. The tension should be average and high, preferably 30 N/㎜? or above. The metal should be flat. The metal plate thickness error is less than ±10%. The opening should be aligned with the PCB (high accuracy). The opening section of the steel plate should be vertical, and the protruding part in the middle should not be greater than 15% of the thickness of the metal plate.

The dimensional accuracy of the opening of the steel plate for SMT patch processing must be within the tolerance ±0.01㎜ and shall not exceed 0.02㎜. The thickness and opening size of the stencil directly affect the amount of solder paste printed. During production, parameters such as the thickness and opening size of the stencil need to be confirmed to ensure the quality of solder paste printing.

What does the thermal expansion coefficient of PCB board mean? How was it measured?

The thermal expansion coefficient of the PCB board refers to the change in the length of the material per unit length under unit temperature change when the temperature of the material changes. Simply put, it is the proportion of length change caused by temperature changes when a material is heated or cooled.

The thermal expansion coefficient is a material physical property parameter used to describe the behavior of materials during thermal expansion and contraction. It can affect the dimensional accuracy and performance stability of materials. Especially for electronic devices, accurate understanding and control of the thermal expansion coefficient is crucial to ensure product quality and reliability.

The coefficient of thermal expansion is usually expressed in ppm/°C (parts per million per degree Celsius). For example, assuming a material has a thermal expansion coefficient of 20 ppm/°C, the length of the material will increase by 0.002% of the original length for every 1°C increase in temperature.

PCB board is a common electronic component substrate and is widely used in the fields of electronics and communications. Electronic devices generate heat during operation, and thermal expansion and contraction are very common. Therefore, it is very important to select the appropriate PCB board material and accurately measure its thermal expansion coefficient.

There are many methods to measure the thermal expansion coefficient of PCB boards. Two common measurement methods will be introduced below.

1. Expanded cantilever beam method

The expansion cantilever beam method is an indirect method of measuring the thermal expansion coefficient and is often used for small sample testing of PCB board materials. The principle is to calculate the thermal expansion coefficient by measuring the deflection of the material under temperature changes.

The specific experimental steps are as follows:

(1) Prepare a thin slice sample of appropriate size and fix it on the support beam to form a cantilever.
(2) Place the cantilever in a constant temperature environment and record the baseline deflection.
(3) Gradually heat or cool the cantilever and record the deflection at different temperatures.
(4) Use Hooks’ law to calculate the thermal expansion coefficient based on the deflection changes at different temperatures.

The advantage of this method is that the testing process is relatively simple and the equipment requirements are low. However, measurement accuracy may be limited because of the small sample size.

2. Thermal expansion coefficient meter method

The thermal expansion coefficient meter method is a method of directly measuring the thermal expansion coefficient and is suitable for testing large-size PCB board materials. This method calculates the thermal expansion coefficient by accurately measuring the linear expansion of materials at different temperatures.

The specific experimental steps are as follows:

(1) Prepare PCB board samples of suitable size.
(2) Fix the sample in the thermal expansion coefficient meter and establish the zero position of the measuring instrument.
(3) Adjust the temperature and record the sample length at different temperatures.
(4) Calculate the thermal expansion coefficient based on the recorded length changes.

The advantage of this method is that the test accuracy is relatively high and the thermal expansion coefficient of large-size samples can be accurately measured. However, the instruments and equipment are relatively expensive, and the testing process requires operators to have a certain technical level.

In addition to the above common measurement methods, there are other methods such as cantilever beam method, thermal difference method and expansion volume method. Each method has its applicable scope and advantages, and the choice should be based on actual needs.

To sum up, the thermal expansion coefficient of PCB board refers to the proportion of material length change per unit length under unit temperature change. Accurate measurement of thermal expansion coefficient is very important to ensure the quality and reliability of electronic devices. Common measurement methods include the expansion cantilever beam method and the thermal expansion coefficient meter method. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages and needs to be selected according to the actual situation.