Working with small circuit board areas can increase the risk of various PCB defects, tombstoning in particular. 

The electronics sector is one of the most dynamic industries, with virtually unlimited applications. This is why its growth is expected to remain steady in the coming years. 

Electronic component shortages have been a hindrance on a booming electronics marketplace throughout 2018, 2019, and into 2020. While new orders roll in and production remains steady, there simply haven’t been enough capacitors, resistors and other parts to go around.

With the addition of tariffs on imported Chinese goods and mandatory factory shutdowns due to COVID-19, most contract manufacturers are racing to understand what’s ahead for their already-constrained supply chain. And with a resurgence of COVID-19, 2021 is shaping up to be another difficult year. 

Rigid-flex PCBs (printed circuit boards) combine the best traits of both rigid PCBs and flexible PCBs, making it easier for manufacturers to install PCBs in small spaces. The added flexibility enables manufacturers to maneuver boards precisely and with ease during installation.

Printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are essentially the lifeblood of the devices we use every day. Cellphones, TVs, cars, street lights and so many other devices rely on PCBs, which is why it can be extremely disruptive when one fails.

As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), your success greatly depends on your products' functionality and durability. In this regard, the printed circuit boards (PCBs) you use are arguably the most important aspect. Serving as the heart of electronic components, PCBs have a wide range of applications, such as connecting various components via a series of related circuits.

If there's one thing that takes center stage in the aerospace industry, it's safety. This, of course, comes hand in hand with high-quality components.

So, you’ve made the choice to design a custom PCB for your design. Instead of buying off the shelf electronics.. but what’s next? 

While there are many common printed circuit board defects, one of the most notorious is burnt components. It's also, unfortunately, one of the most damaging defects, as it can be difficult to repair and challenging to diagnose where the issue stemmed from. 

As electronics have become increasingly embedded in our day-to-day, the manufacturing process for printed circuit boards (PCBs) has adapted. Electronics have become smaller and smaller, and the PCBs that go in those products have had to shrink to keep up. The demand for tiny PCBs has led to a drastic increase in the use of surface mount technology (SMT) -- which has taken over the traditional through-hole manufacturing process that dominated electronics into the 1980s.