Jul27
The Myth of PCB Baking: Can Pre-Baking PCBs Improve Solderability?

post on July 27, 2023

WorkingBear has noticed that many engineers or managers involved in Surface Mount Technology (SMT) have a strong passion for “PCB baking,” but their understanding of the concept might not be very clear. If you browse through discussions on PCB and SMT related forums, you’ll often find people treating “PCB baking” as a magical solution to struggle the soldering and quality issues. They believe that pre-baking PCBs before SMT can improve solderability, wetting performance, and the height of solder fillet. But is that really the case?

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Moisture Sensitive, PCB/FPC/PTF, Process, Quality, SMT, Soldering     WorkingBear    Views (4,499)     comment (0)
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Jul18
Why are there holes on the PCB? What is PTH, NPTH and vias?

post on July 18, 2023

Why are there holes on the PCB? What is PTH, NPTH and vias?

If you ever get the chance to hold a printed circuit board (PCB) in your hands and take a closer look, you’ll notice there are many different-sized holes. When you hold it up to the light, you’ll even see lots of tiny holes that let the light shine through. These holes aren’t just there for looks – each one serves a specific purpose. Generally, the more holes locate on the PCB, the more expensive it is to make the PCB.

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Design, PCB/FPC/PTF     WorkingBear    Views (5,841)     comment (0)
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Jul13
What is blind hole, buried hole and plating hole for PCB?

post on July 13, 2023

What is blind hole, buried hole and plating hole for PCB?

In the early response to a user’s question, WorkingBear mistakenly mixed up the terms “blind hole” and “buried hole” when talking about PCBs. To prevent similar errors in the future, WorkingBear took the initiative to study some books about PCBs and clarify the concept of “vias” on PCBs.

As you may know, PCBs are made up of layers of copper foils stacked together. These “vias” are what connect different layers of circuits on the PCB. It’s similar to an underground system with interconnected tunnels. If you’ve played the video game “Super Mario,” you can think of it like the pipes that allow Mario to travel between different areas.

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Design, PCB/FPC/PTF     WorkingBear    Views (3,809)     comment (0)
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Jul11
Preventing Solder Cracks in BGA Designs: Strengthening Tips from the Design End

post on July 11, 2023

Lately, many colleagues have been asking WorkingBear for advice on designing BGA (Ball Grid Array) packages to prevent solder joint cracking and improve overall durability. This sudden interest came after a senior manager raised concerns during a new product development meeting, warning that if customers continue reporting BGA cracking issues, someone will be held accountable.

The real problem, however, stems from unrealistic expectations at the executive level. Leadership wants products to be thinner, lighter, and completed faster—shrinking the development timeline from 12 months to 9, and now just 6. At the same time, they expect flawless design execution with zero delays. Under this pressure, engineers are pushing themselves to the limit, often at the cost of their health. It’s worth asking: how did our company culture end up like this?

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Design, Glue/adhesive/epoxy/underfill,, Quality, SMT, Soldering     WorkingBear    Views (3,128)     comment (0)
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Jul04
Exploring EVT/DVT/PVT: Explaining the Three Crucial Validation Stages in New Product Development

post on July 4, 2023

When developing a new product, it is common to conduct a “trial run” to obtain a prototype sample. This serves two purposes: firstly, it allows developers to further test and validate the prototype’s functionality, and secondly, it helps the manufacturing factory understand the production process and prepare for mass production. Feedback and suggestions based on the prototype’s test results are provided by various departments involved.

In general, the manufacturing side contributes insights regarding DFM (Design For Manufacturing) and production-related aspects to ensure that the product’s design, while impressive in functionality and appearance, can be efficiently manufactured. Other departments, such as Design Quality (DQ), provide feedback on the results of functionality verification tests, and the market maintenance team may offer suggestions regarding areas that could pose challenges for maintenance purposes.

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Design, Management, Process     WorkingBear    Views (7,533)     comment (0)
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