Development

Solder mask plays a critical role in PCB assembly yield, electrical reliability, and long-term performance. This article explains what solder mask does, the different types available, how it is applied, and the key design rules engineers need to consider.

Discover the role of a schematic in PCB design, troubleshooting, and product development at AdvancedPCB.com.

AdvancedPCB’s PCB Artist™ is the best free PCB design software in the industry. Available as a free software download on our website (www.4pcb.com), it has become a favorite not only with engineering students but also advanced engineers due to its easy schematic to PCB layout, Gerber format, controlled autorouter, and extensive library of over 500,000 thousand parts.

As you continue on your collegiate career, it may seem difficult to choose one field that you want to specialize in. If you’ve spent a lot of time growing up building robots and computers or even designing new products that you want, electrical engineering may be your calling.

In addition to developing the latest and greatest tech products for both consumer and business use, engineers continue to work on new ways to assist with emergency response and safety applications. Printed circuit boards are not only helping first responders locate people during an emergency, they are also helping those affected by natural disasters have as much assistance as possible in the immediate aftermath.

It is no secret that the market for wearable technology continues to grow at a fast rate. Smartwatches, fitness trackers, biometric readers and more are all sought after for their ability to connect consumers with their existing devices.

The ability for a printed circuit board designer to collaborate with the rest of his or her team is essential for on-time product delivery and quality. As electronic products hitting the market need to be faster and smaller than their predecessors in order to gain adoption, engineers must continue to find new ways to pack in necessary components while adhering to new product casing and size requirements.

With the amount of mobile devices in the world growing faster than the global population, a serious question must be addressed. What do we do with all of the consumer electronics and other products when they are no longer in use?

Even if you are an engineer and know the inner workings inside and out, even your computer at home will fail from time to time. Whether it is from overheating or programming errors computer troubles can cause headaches and significant negative effects, especially when talking about the computer in your car.