Epec's Blog | Jeff Forbus

Jeff Forbus

Jeff has been involved in the PCB industry for over 30 years. He started in sales with Circuitronics, a manufacturer of PCBs back in the early 90s. He then became President of Circuitronics in 2001. Jeff was also involved with the acquisitions of Network Circuits in 2009 and W-Tek in 2010 allowing him to reorganize these circuit board shops into NetVia Group in 2010. Over the last decade, and under Jeff’s leadership, he made substantial investments in capital equipment and personnel to position the organization to become a leader in time-critical, high reliability, and complex rigid, flex and rigid-flex circuit board solutions for various military and defense applications before NetVia was acquired by Epec in 2020.

Via-in-Pad Plugging or Plated Process and the Effect on PCB Hole Sizes

Written by Jeff Forbus
Posted on June 1, 2022 at 9:13 AM

Cross Section Example of a PCB Filled Via

There are several reasons for the need to plug printed circuit board (PCB) holes. Some of the most commonly seen reasons include: properly tenting or covering the via with soldermask (isolation), to prevent entrapment (solder, chemistry, flux), to prevent solder starvation (wicking of solder in the hole/surface mount technology (SMT) placement directly on via), and for thermal or electrical purposes.

Top 7 PCB Data Discrepancies and Issues for DFM and How to Avoid Them

Written by Jeff Forbus
Posted on May 16, 2022 at 9:13 AM

When it comes to manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCB), providing your PCB supplier with a clean data package can decrease cycle time and ensure requirements are clearly understood.

PCB Vias: Understanding the Design of Microvias

Written by Jeff Forbus
Posted on December 7, 2021 at 10:41 AM

Copper Plated Shut Mechanical Depth Drilled Microvia

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the heart of electronic products as they provide the conductive pathway for all the electronic components to connect and function together. As electronics become more advanced and complex, PCBs are having multiple layers sandwiched together to establish all the necessary connections.

IPC Class III vs. MIL Spec for Printed Circuit Boards

Written by Jeff Forbus
Posted on April 20, 2021 at 9:40 AM

Printed circuit board manufactured to MIL-spec standards

When manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs), the boards will be classified into specific groups based on the level of quality. Any circuit board developed for IPC Class III has met the strictest requirements levels based on tight minimum tolerances and very high precision standards for mission-critical PCBs that can be used in industries such as aerospace, military, and medical applications. Reaching these specific standards ensures that the PCB will endure a long lifecycle, can withstand up to harsh environments, and will perform at an exceptional level without failure.