PCB manufacturing - how to improve your electronic audio/video recording/reproduction systems...

Copper Tracks being gold plated

2010-09-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

Most people would use nickel/gold plated on top of the copper tracks on the PCBs, by doing so, resistance may get higher. As you know copper is already the second best metal for transmission of electrons besides silver. Gold is even having higher resistance than copper, the only merit for plating gold is to shield up the copper from getting oxidized.

That's why I would suggest applying hot air tin solder leveling on top of the copper pad to the PCBs which will further prevent copper from being oxidized and ensure secure connection of components on all pads while you can save up some cost as well.

a true story of Bronze

2010-01-25T22:43:00.000-08:00

I called a new customer who is very nice. We gave him a quotation as per the Gerber file he provided. After that I asked his idea about our quote. He said our quote seemed too high when compared with another manufacturer in China who's been working with him for quite a while. Then he finally placed an order with the one who could offer him the lowest price. When the bulk goods sample was sent for his approval by the manufacturer who offered him a better price, then he found all the tracks with bronze other than copper.

The true story is when someone offers you a real low price, he must find a way out.

Advantages of Aluminum based Printed Circuit Boards

2009-12-18T19:31:00.000-08:00

1) dissipation of heat - without using additional heat sinks. Of course, the more heat sinks you would apply to your system, the more stability your system can get.
2) mechanically rigid - increasing the physical strength of the assembly.
3) redusing the effect of thermal stress on all parts and components, increasing life and durability and improving reliability.
4) reducing the impact of EMI and providing shielding to electric field to any electronic components and systems.

Furthermore, aluminum has a few good natures of its own:

1) Light weight - its specific weight is 2.7 g/cubic cm. about a third of steel
2) Corrosion resistance - it generates a protective oxide coating and is highly corrosion resistant
3) Electrical and Thermal conductivity - it's an excellent heat and electricity conductor and in relation to its weight is almost twice as good a conductor as copper.
4) Reflectivity - it's a good reflector of visible light as well as heat.
5) Ductility - it's ductile and has a low melting point and density and it can be processed in a number of ways.
6) Impermeability and odorlessness - foil made of aluminum can be applied to ideal packaging materials which neither lets light, aroma nor taste substances out.
7) Recyclability - it's 100% recyclable and re-melting of it takes as little energy as it has a low melting point and density.

You may also visit at the link below for the info of advantages of aluminum:

http://aluminium.matter.org.uk/content/html/eng/default.asp?catid=10&pageid=2144417076

Or you may get to our website for understanding info of ordering aluminum based pcbs:

http://www.standardpcb.com/spcbadvantage.php

electronic systems in 4 main categories interfered by EMF

2009-12-18T02:01:00.000-08:00

category I) Glass tubes with simpler hard wire circuit
moderate distortion - most old systems of the 60s' are simpler hard wire circuits with low power output about 4 to 8 watt thru the output transformer. That's why this sounds better than the other 3 kinds of systems as stated below though it's not as good as live but it's still good enough, at least it sounds sweet.

category II) Glass tube with printed circuit board
high distortion - we call this modern tube systems as they applied PCB with bare tracks instead of hard wire circuit, though they don't sound as good as the category I, it's still sound better than any solid state systems.

category III) Solid state with complex circuit on PCBs
severe distortion - being too complex with the circuit on PCBs with bare tracks and getting interfered by EMF more easier. At least there shall be 2 or 3 times higher distortion than category I & II . The higher power output of these systems tends to have higher distortion.

category IV) Solid state - Vacuum tube hybrid
seriously distorted and unclassified - I can say any sytems made this way with PCBs sound annoying and even worse than any systems as stated above and never pleases anyone's ears. Some D/A converters, CD players, pre-amplifiers, power amplifiers also made this way sound real bad or inferior. What I can say is 'Sorry'.

Don't forget that most branded manufacturers stress that the systems they produced are gone thru perfect squared wave test.

There are so many people or audiophiles who are asking why they have spent lots of money in their components and systems, why their systems still don't sound as real. Here you can find out one of the answers...

If you're also interested in audio/video enhancement, you may also download a Word file at the link below:

http://cid-d48d1ea0d5766c81.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Documents/Sharing%20my%20tweaks%20and%20endeavors%20in%20hi-fi%20stuff.doc?lc=3076

Those systems with PCBs shall apply aluminum based PCBs, then the sound quality will be improved to a certain extent because such kind of metal based PCBs shall have a few properties that can shield up electric field and reduce heat of the systems to a certain degree. Then you would fine output quality of audio and video improved a lot.

You may also visit the site below for info in understanding advantages of Aluminum base PCBs.

http://www.standardpcb.com/

how to improve your electronic systems

2009-12-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

Electric field & Electromagnetic force on Printed Circuit Boards with bare tracks
Printed Circuit Boards usually made of paper and glass fiber with bare tracks all over, are largely employed for building solid state systems and they're real compact with parts indeed, that's why any electronic systems built with this method tend to have higher interference impact to all bare tracks caused by electric field, electromagnetic force which badly distorts the sound or video quality of any systems as flow of electrons occurs whenever you're turning them on.

You may also refer to the article posted at the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_interference

Lately, there's a new kind of PCB with aluminum base, which is a real good board which can shield up electric field and reduce certain heat of electronic system. PCB made this way is much better than any traditional PCBs of paper or synthetic glass fiber. Any systems made with this kind of board would have highly reliable performance and better output quality and it does real good for any electronic components.

Actually aluminum is a good material for shielding and thermal conductivity, you may take a look at the link below.

http://www.alufuture.org/affg/pop/propretie.htm

And also you can get to the mill below for further info in aluminum based PCB manufacturing:

http://www.standardpcb.com/