traces and spaces are standard as you say, there are guidelines for various circuits, and some prototype houses will give guidance or minimum requirements ... later we can talk about good layout, design for manufacturing / design for assembly type issues -- I hope you will touch on that later as well
I think it's wonderful that MIT has Open CourseWare LINK -->> http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm and that we have an instructor from MIT here online too ... I loved the work done there by Winston and Horn ...
Thanks so much for your great presentation today, Carol. I look forward to seeing everyone for the third presentation tomorrow -- Using PCB Layout Software: Custom Component Libraries.
To the question about using CFD to do thermal model. I've done some and have used consultants who specialize in it. Here's my take on the subject. If it's a straight forward application, just measure the temperatures with a thermocouple and extrapolate. If it's complex geometry you might want to model it. But what you get out of it depends on what you put in. You still have to prototype it and get some anchor points and verification for your thermal model. Sometimes the answers are about what you expect. Sometimes experience helps you know what to expect. There are some rules of thumbs for power supplies: efficiency, power/square inch, should guide you on whether and how big a heat sink you need. I believe Ron goes over these in his book Practical Design of Power Supplies.
DesignSpark has an autorouter. Under Tools menu, Autorout Nets.
I don't generally use it for power supplies. EMI considerations for component placement and packing it into a small space are usually my two biggest drivers.
Looks like you'd make it work just like Carol made it work for Digikey by adding the info when creating your parts. The included libraries appear to be built with RS components. I believe that is a UK distributor. Perhaps Carol can clear this up.
Can you comment on the use of CFD/FE on thermal desing? Many people are using it, but many companies have deep pockets. Is it necessary or even useful?
Carol, do you have suggestions for ensuring the schematic pins match up correctly with the PCB pads? I have seen a lot of boards messed up because things like the transistor pins don't match, especially with SOT and similar packages.
Carol, do you have suggestions for ensuring the schematic pins match up correctly with the PCB pads? I have seen a lot of boards messed up because things like the transistor pins don't match, especially with SOT and similar packages.
@stagners: Looks like you'd make it work just like Carol made it work for Digikey by adding the info when creating your parts. The included libraries appear to be built with RS components. I believe that is a UK distributor. Perhaps Carol can clear this up.
@cmeadows6959, I downloaded and activated DesignSpark yesterday. The latest version, 3 has an interface to common simulators. the website describes it better.
For some reason, it's the updated Flash that is having problems with audio. The IT folks are working on it. Using the Chrome browser seems to solve the problem.
If you have trouble hearing the audio, one of our attendees noted that it's not a browser problem, per se, it's an Adobe Flash version problem. -- If you've upgraded to Flash 11.4, you'll have problems. Right click on the Flash player to check its version number. Browsers still using Flash 11.3 are working for this webinar; those at 11.4 are not working.
-The streaming audio player will appear on this web page when the show starts at 2pm eastern today. Note however that some companies block live audio streams. If when the show starts you don't hear any audio, try refreshing your browser.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
Andrew Morris designed a circuit that could detect a stroke victim's groan and convert the sound into a signal so caregivers would know when help was needed.
New disc magnet motors fit into the design trend of stepping up to closed loop performance while maintaining the cost advantage of stepper motor technology.
At the Design News webinar on June 27, learn all about aluminum extrusion: designing the right shape so it costs the least, is simplest to manufacture, and best fits the application's structural requirements.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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