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A consumer who cracks open an electronic device will typically recognize the PCB (printed circuit board). This leads many to believe that all PCBs are the same and that there is no need for them to be redesigned or innovated in any way. Experts in electronics know differently.

Those involved in the design and use of printed circuit boards (PCBs) know the pain of creating a design, having it produced, and then finding one or more design flaws that make a batch of printed circuit boards useless. Not only is it a waste of money and time, but it also creates costly production delays and lost revenue.

Those who want to have custom PCBs (printed circuit boards) may approach the process well aware of the challenges and costs ahead. Very few modern consumers know of the complexity of designing and creating these essential components found within most contemporary electronics.

PC board design ranks as one of the most important parts of the modern electronics production process. The process itself has changed rather rapidly, and though it was once commonplace for those designing and using them to visit a PCB manufacturer’s facility and work directly with those hired to handle fabrication, such one-on-one relationships are now rare.

Whether you call it Gerber or IX274X that you use for designing your PCBs, they are often the first crucial step in your PCB manufacturing process. Demanding a lot of design ahead of production, most PCBs lean hard into their Gerber files.

PCBs are the foundation of electrical devices all around us – from children’s toys to kitchen appliances to the smartphone you’re probably using to read this article. To function, these items all rely on a functioning PCB or printed circuit board.

It wasn’t that long ago that PCBs were made out of cardboard with only one-sided capabilities. Nowadays, though, PCB manufacturers are innovating ways to make PCBs smaller, more durable, and able to pack in more electrical power.

You’ve put in the time to research, plan, and design your new electrical gizmo or product. Now, you’re ready to put it into action with a printed circuit board (PCB).

If you’ve ever been curious about circuit boards, but unsure of how to get started, you’re not alone. The green PCBs (printed circuit boards) you see with countless traces and symbols can be intimidating when you first get started.