Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

What is a void in the printed circuit board (PCB) world? A void is an un-plated area within the hole wall of the PCB drilled plated hole. Voids in hole barrels can be equally problematic in all types of PCBs. The number of layers contained within the PCB plays a part in the cost of the completed circuit board. The more layers within the card the more cost is added for manufacturing. However, a two-layer part can also be expensive to scrap.

When talking about custom battery packs for portable devices, the most common type mentioned has been lithium-based chemistries. Lithium-based batteries provide high-energy density and a light weight for applications, making them suitable for portable electronics that require long battery life to perform high-speed functions.

The process of extruding metals, plastics, and other molten materials is common and necessary to produce many of the products used in the world today. Items such as drinking straws, PVC pipes, and even coat hangers also rely on extruded raw materials for processing. No different than a child’s playdough set or making homemade pasta, material is forced through an extruder die creating the long uninterrupted shape of whatever material is being made.

Although there are best practices when it comes to 3D modeling, every designer ends up developing their own style of modeling. This can cause challenges when you are tasked with working with someone else’s model. It can become frustrating when you go to make an edit that causes other parts of the model to change or fail entirely.

One of the most critical design requirements for military and aerospace user interface devices is the ability to withstand high temperatures. Everything is relative, especially when it comes to what it means to be high-temperature resilient.

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.

Custom cable assemblies use various types of plugs, connector housing, and gasketing to mate and properly seal within a system. These connectors provide a way to mechanically attach to the other system components by means of a latch or a polarized connector body.

At the conclusion of our webinar, How to Properly Select LEDs for Your Keypad, we had several questions submitted to our presenter, Steven J. Goodman, User Interface and Cable Assembly Product Manager at Epec. We have compiled these questions into a readable format on our blog.

Flexible heaters are essential devices to provide heat to specific areas of an application. They are used in a wide range of industries including aerospace, medical, food service, and military. When applying heat to a surface, the right types of materials must be used for the heater. The heater must be flexible enough to bend and wrap around curved surfaces while avoiding working parts. They also have to be able to provide optimal heat transfer without damaging either the application or the heater’s elements and circuitry.

There are several reasons to choose silicone or PolyTetraFluoroEthylene (PTFE) jacketed cable when designing a custom wire harness. Both jacket constructions are known for their high-temperature resilience and extreme flexibility. The main difficulty of selecting a PTFE is the fact that they can be a bit hard to come by.