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12
votes
5answers
2k views

Plated Through Hole at home?

Is it possible to make PTH (Plated Thorugh Hole) at home? Can somebody explain the procedure?
-3
votes
0answers
51 views

Programming Language for Manfuacturing Jig? [closed]

I need to build a custom desktop app to interface with a USB-interfaced test jig on the manufacturing floor. It will test and record the results of each PCBA unit. It will be run on a netbook either ...
4
votes
1answer
82 views

How to Reel parts from Cut-Tape?

How does Digi-Key make Digi-Reels (or Mouser make Mouser-Reels, or whatever)? That is to say, given parts in Cut-Tape form, what tools and additional materials are needed to add a leader to support ...
10
votes
1answer
406 views

Solder Mask and Cream in Eagle

I've got this part specification for the Paste Mask excerpted from the datasheet: There's a lot of lingo in this short paragraph that I would like to better understand conceptually. Specifically I ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views

How does E-Test at a PCB Fab work?

I always see the option for E-testing when sending PCB's off to a fab house. I gather it is an electrical test to test all the connections. But how do they do it? They don't have my schematic! Only ...
3
votes
3answers
167 views

Do any SMT components require hand soldering due to heat limitations?

It has been claimed on another board that some SMT components cannot be used in an automated production line (i.e. reflow or wave soldering) because they cannot withstand the heat/temperature. Hand ...
10
votes
6answers
369 views

How can I evaluate or speculate on a part's production lifetime for long term part sourcing?

Suppose I have an idea for a product, where if it were successful, would be in production for 5-10 years. How can I make decisions on what parts to use now such that they will still be available to ...
-1
votes
1answer
71 views

how are chips and ics build [closed]

I want to know what is the process and how are chips and ics manufactured which are used on motherboards of computer systems is there some good tutorial available for same so that i can try building ...
-2
votes
2answers
161 views

I have sketched my integrated circuit for an RFID tag. How do I make it to a real physical product?

I'm in a situation where I want to create a real prototype of an RFID tag. I have sketched all the IC in a paper. I got a problem, I want to build this to a real size RFID tag and we want to create ...
-4
votes
1answer
108 views

Sensory Chess Board [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Detecting object placement on a grid How could a checkered chess board be built so that it knows the location of the pieces? What options are available? Probably RFID ...
0
votes
1answer
126 views

Testing plan for flat flexible cable (FFC) connector

I'm taking an assembly of three boards to a small production run. There's a main board (n=25) and a satellite sensor board (n=100). The sensor board connects to an adapter board, which simply ...
0
votes
2answers
449 views

What type of silkscreen ink is used in PCB manufacturing?

Let's say I'm looking to start my own PCB manufacturing company* and I have everything figured out except how to silkscreen the boards. Where do I get silkscreen ink from? Is there a special type ...
2
votes
1answer
263 views

No silkscreen on board? How common is that? What are the advantages?

I'm a young engineer and I just started at my second job. I was surprised to see that the PCBs have no silkscreen. I'm currently working on the redesign of a PCB currently on the field and I'm ...
24
votes
1answer
760 views

What's the purpose of this checkerboard pattern?

This gigabit Ethernet NIC has a checkerboard pattern out of copper etched on the PCB: Each square is electrically isolated. What's the point of adding these? I guess that the PCB isn't filled with ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views

Manage Software Installs of your Semi Mass Manufactured Product

After you get an assembly house to put together your product: what are the typical approaches to install your software on every one those product? Is this something the assembly house typically do? ...
-10
votes
2answers
197 views

Know any manufacturer of beeswax capacitors? [closed]

Other than Jupiter. I need to replace a vintage beewax capacitor. I don't want other types of waxes.
5
votes
3answers
163 views

how to purchase simple custom devices with low quantities?

We have need for a few simple devices, mostly as adapters and connectors between other devices. One example is: 6-pin Molex connector with 20-30V between two pins 24V to 12V DC-DC voltage converter ...
8
votes
5answers
755 views

Why are we still using resistors with %5 tolerance while they can even manufacture a 14.318182MHz crystal?

Year is 2012 and I can only find %5-tol resistors in the local market. They can make transistors at molecular scale, they can manufacture 14.318182MHz crystals, they can place trillions of flip-flops ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views

Rounded corners in Cadsoft Eagle

I am sending off a pcb for manufactering, but it would be nice to round off the corners for them to mill off. How can I make nice rounded corners? I have used the three point arc thing before but I ...
4
votes
2answers
205 views

The manufacturing and grading of families of microprocessors

Intel produces families of seemingly similar microprocessors. For example, the Core i5-3320M (2.6 GHz, 3 MB cache), the Core i5-3360M (2.8 GHz, 3 MB cache), and the Core i7-3520M (2.9 GHz, 4 MB ...
10
votes
4answers
519 views

What is the protective layer around microchips made out of?

I am just curious, what is the dark, almost black material that seems like all microchips are made out of? I did some searching on Google to try and find out, but I can only seem to find the material ...
2
votes
1answer
146 views

Package on package and Flip chip what is the difference?

I am confuse with Package on package and Flip chip. Are they classified as multi-chip modules (MCM)?
10
votes
1answer
292 views

Why aren't log taper pots smooth?

B taper pots are linear, A taper pots are "log", and used for volume controls and such. But the actual specified taper, and what I've measured, is piece-wise linear, not a smooth curve. Any idea ...
4
votes
3answers
592 views

What back-end and front-end are in hardware design?

I saw these two terms in context of chip-design. what are Back-end and Front-end? what are the differences between them?
4
votes
1answer
699 views

Does using only NAND/NOR gates increase circuit delay?

I remember learning in school that one can construct any logical circuit from solely NAND or NOR gates. First of all, I am ...
0
votes
3answers
141 views

calculation of adsr from envelope

In audio synthesis, we have ADSR envelope; Now, let us say I wanted to detect A,D,S and R given a signal. We can determine the beginning and end of relevant signal with a simple gate, and find the ...
0
votes
1answer
368 views

Microprocessors production processes - step by step. How microchips are made? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Could You recommend books, that describes in most comprehensive ways topics about microprocessors design and manufacturing? I'd like to know, how the microprocessors are ...
2
votes
1answer
286 views

How do PCB fabrication houses make PCBs?

I know the different ways of making PCBs at home, but I can't seem to find a lot of information on how board houses professionally make their PCBs. Is this how they do it?: ...
14
votes
8answers
1k views

How can I successfully make a PCB at home?

I have tried several times, unsuccessfully, to manufacture a PCB at home. A lot of the other questions are about improving PCB performance and such, but I can rarely, if ever, even get the ink to ...
2
votes
1answer
140 views

Custom Boards With Custom Programmed Microcontroller

I have built a prototype for a project that I'm trying to manufacture. The prototype uses an arduino, but I'm unsure how to get that produced on a larger scale. If anyone has any suggestions, please ...
23
votes
12answers
3k views

How to go from newbie to manufactured?

I'm a software guy who wants to get into the hardware side of things so I can enjoy the same creativity from software design in the physical world. I've found plenty of posts here regarding how to ...
13
votes
4answers
410 views

How can I go from prototype to commercial product?

I have made many designs that I would consider "professional grade", but in reality they are still just prototypes. I have used professional board fabs and professional population, but what I haven't ...
12
votes
5answers
630 views

Why are rare earth metals important for electronics?

I've been hearing a lot in the media about how important rare earth metals are (from the economic standpoint of China limiting their export), but what do some of them actually do that makes them so ...
15
votes
7answers
550 views

How do you find high-quantity prices for ICs?

I know of findchips.com, oemstrade.com, octopart.com, and the like. But even the lowest prices on these sites are still higher than the prices on BOMs I get from China. How do you realistically ...
8
votes
4answers
295 views

When Does Lead-Free Matter?

When shopping for components it's common to find a lead-free or RoHS-compliant version of the part along side one that is not. Under what circumstances does it matter that I chose exclusively ...
5
votes
3answers
294 views

Custom LED Assembly manufacturing?

I would like to fab some custom LEDs Assemblies. Embed a resistor in the plastic, is there a smart way to go about doing this? I know Alibaba other than that nothing really.
5
votes
3answers
328 views

Copying evaluation board PCB layouts

On the one hand, PCB layouts are considered copyrighted information, and copying them verbatim is a bad idea for legal reasons. On the other hand, the PCB layout of an evaluation board is pretty much ...
0
votes
1answer
135 views

how to find NTE part numbers

Can you please tell me how to find part number of the particular chip. I was trying to find max232 chip locally, and I have been told that I need to provide NTE part number. I searched google, but ...
8
votes
2answers
183 views

Manufacturing, qualification and sale

I'm thinking about selling a small batch of a simple gadget that would have some electronics inside. If I want to use an online shop and sell it worldwide, what are the certifications and licenses to ...