Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

You may be asking: what is an HDI printed circuit board and what makes it different than standard PCBs? Let’s break it down for better understanding from a design and from a supplier point of view. As Epec continues to grow our design business, it has become very apparent that many designers are very good at what they do and have no manufacturing knowledge to proof designs against.

D-subminiature connectors, commonly referred to as D-subs, are a class of interconnects that are widely used in the electronics industry for both commercial and industrial applications. The name "D-sub" comes from the shape of the connector shell which looks similar to the letter "D” when viewed from the front face.

Determining the manufacturing process of your design is a key decision that should be addressed at the start of the design stage. The impact of how your design is manufactured will either limit or open up new options for how your idea can be explored.

Hazardous environments consist of work areas that may experience elevated levels of corrosion, extreme temperature variations, high pressure, flammable substances, or explosive conditions. Devices operating on battery power need special design requirements to prevent the battery pack from becoming damaged due to these hazardous materials.

Legacy design is a term used to describe technology, systems, and products that were developed in the past and are still being manufactured and supported. A main concern with legacy designs is dealing with hardware and software components that are no longer actively supported or improved by the original vendor and may no longer be compatible with newer technologies.

New technologies, raw materials, and battery manufacturing have paved the way for new trends in custom battery pack designs. Many of these trends focus on making improvements to the battery's capacity and safety, while others redefine the testing standards implemented to ensure battery packs and chargers function optimally for consumers.

Devices are becoming smaller and thinner, requiring circuit boards that can fit into the equipment without adding any additional weight while being flexible enough to route around components. Flexible printed circuit boards offer high-density electrical connections while also reducing space.

Battery chemistries that are lithium-based must undergo UN38.3 testing requirements before being transported. This testing certifies that the batteries are safe and will not pose a safety risk during shipping over air, water, rail, or road transportation methods.

In printed circuit board (PCB) designs, through holes are used to connect components and conductors on different layers of the board and can be divided into two types: plated and non-plated through holes.

From a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing supplier’s point of view, often we are consulted about design and layout at the concept phase. Over the past many years, we have seen an increase in customers asking to assist with design, layout, and modifications to the circuit board. From this repeat request, we developed an engineering team to make it happen.