PCB stuff...

[Lizzrd]

Is there a good web site or book that explains the PCB design and manufacturing process?

I need to learn some of the industry jargon as well as design processes of multilayer boards.

Thanks!
Live To Ride

[randychase]

We are going to add a large group of pages to this site to go over in general and in some detail exactly that.

In the meantime, we do have some files here that will help, including the design flow.

There are some good books, depending on how detailed you want to get. One is Printed Circuit Technology. Another detailed book us Coomb's Printed Circuit Handbook. You can get that at half.com or Amazon. You want the fifth edition which includes a CD.

My best suggestion though is this. Find a board fabricator and ask them to give you a tour. Explain you are a pcb designer and you want to understand the process so you can design better boards. Most board shops would love to hear that.

[Tom]

I found that one of the most comprehensive books available today is the IPC Advanced Study Guide. It explains a little about engineering and a lot about PCB design, Fabrication and Assembly. There are over 2,000 facts of knowledge, plus industry terms and definitions. Plus it comes with a CD-ROM of the entire book. If you want a drink from the book of PCB knowledge, this book will drench you.

The big bonus is that there is an exam you can also take to test your memorization skills. It's called the CID+ exam. Look at http://dc.ipc.org/education/examdates.htm.

I also recommend the 2002 COOMBS' PCB Handbook & CD-ROM. This is a 5 pound book with hundreds of pages of text and educational pictures.