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PCB Layout Tips and Tricks: Use a Ground Plane Whenever Possible

PCB Layout Tips and Tricks: Use a Ground Plane Whenever Possible

This article discusses the importance of proper grounding techniques in PCB design.


I2C Design Mathematics: Capacitance and Resistance

I2C Design Mathematics: Capacitance and Resistance

This article looks at the mathematical calculations used to size the pull-up resistors and determine the maximum length of circuit traces.


Engineer Spotlight: MacroFab Co-Founder Parker Dillmann Explains PCB Design Trends

Engineer Spotlight: MacroFab Co-Founder Parker Dillmann Explains PCB Design Trends

AAC recently spoke with Parker Dillmann, lead EE and co-founder of MacroFab, a PCB manufacturing company that aims to take some of the old-school pain out of the product development and scaling processes.


News Jun 12, 2018 by Justin Kirkham
PCB Layout for a Charge-Pump Bipolar Power Supply

PCB Layout for a Charge-Pump Bipolar Power Supply

In this article we’ll look at the PCB design for a low-noise ±5 V inductorless power supply.


Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation and Power System Design: An Interview with Dr. Sudipta Chakraborty

Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation and Power System Design: An Interview with Dr. Sudipta Chakraborty

Sudipta Chakraborty is the Director of Energy Systems at OPAL-RT. In this Engineer Spotlight, he speaks about challenges facing power system design, how hardware-in-the-loop simulations are important for problem-solving with grid integration, and his work on the IEEE-1547 standard for power grid test procedures.


News Apr 18, 2018 by Chantelle Dubois
Tales of Project Troubleshooting: Solutions from a Problem-Magnet

Tales of Project Troubleshooting: Solutions from a Problem-Magnet

This article covers the various roadblocks encountered in a new design and how they were troubleshot and overcome.


Tamper Detection with Differential Inductive Sensing Coils

Tamper Detection with Differential Inductive Sensing Coils

This article demonstrates the creation of an inductive switch cabinet lock that can detect the movement of a conductive target. The purpose is to create a door that cannot be opened without triggering an alarm.


Projects Nov 06, 2017 by Mark Hughes
DARPA Adds Six Programs to Electronic Resurgence Initiative for Circuit Design and Microelectronics

DARPA Adds Six Programs to Electronic Resurgence Initiative for Circuit Design and Microelectronics

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently announced six additions to its Electronic Resurgence Initiative (ERI), using the talents (and funding) of the US military to solve issues that practicing designers see coming in the industry.


News Sep 25, 2017 by Chantelle Dubois
Multi-Layer Sprayable SoC Microprocessor Demonstrates Advances in AJP

Multi-Layer Sprayable SoC Microprocessor Demonstrates Advances in AJP

AJP promises to revolutionize 3D printing in the IoT era.


Developing Smarter, Safer Cars with ADAS (Automotive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) IP

Developing Smarter, Safer Cars with ADAS (Automotive Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) IP

Optimizing performance, safety, and reliability in ADAS applications via design, verification, and processor IP and a holistic design approach.


C-BISCUIT: Layout and Assembly for the Robot Control Board

C-BISCUIT: Layout and Assembly for the Robot Control Board

We’ll discuss some important layout and manufacturing concepts as we look at the PCB for the Robot Control Board.


Projects Oct 25, 2016 by Robert Keim
Reflow Soldering? It’s So Much Easier with a Solder Paste Stencil

Reflow Soldering? It’s So Much Easier with a Solder Paste Stencil

In spite of their convenience, the cost of solder paste stencils has prevented many hobbyists from using them. But the use of polyimide film has brought the prices within reach... if you know how and where to get them.


PCB Layout Style Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Design

PCB Layout Style Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Design

This article discusses style mistakes in PCB layout that can make assembly and debugging PCBs difficult. This is vital for designers!


Everything You Need to Know About Direct Digital Synthesis

Everything You Need to Know About Direct Digital Synthesis

Direct Digital Synthesis is used to generate precise analog waveforms that can quickly change frequencies. It's used in test equipment, spread spectrum techniques and to enable frequency sweeps.


Practical PCB Layout Tips Every Designer Needs to Know

Practical PCB Layout Tips Every Designer Needs to Know

This article contains practical PCB layout tips that can help your PCB projects work correctly and reliably.


How to Build a Robot - PCB Design

How to Build a Robot - PCB Design

Part two of a series of articles on building a robot that can follow lines or walls and avoid obstacles! This time we'll be covering PCB design.


Your Guide to Home PCB Fabrication

Your Guide to Home PCB Fabrication

Use a program like Kicad and a few cheap or common supplies to fabricate your own PCBs at home. Breadboarding is fine for testing a circuit, but it never looks good to have fifty wires coming out of a circuit.


Build a Thermocouple Amplifier and Custom KiCad Libraries

Build a Thermocouple Amplifier and Custom KiCad Libraries

Building on skills developed in the introductory KiCad tutorial, this article will focus on creating custom parts and adding them to a local library, expanding the default libraries to include community repositories, and contributing parts back into the open source ecosystem. The end product will be a MAX31855 K-type thermocouple amplifier which can be used for a huge array of temperature sensing projects.


Projects Aug 10, 2015 by Patrick Lloyd
Basic Circuit Simulation with LTspice

Basic Circuit Simulation with LTspice

LTSpice is a versatile, accurate, and free circuit simulator available for Windows and Mac. This is an overview of AC and DC simulation, as well as how to analyze output signals.


Introduction to KiCad on Ubuntu

Introduction to KiCad on Ubuntu

Learn how to install the new and improved KiCad on Ubuntu 15.04 and then build a simple microcontroller board to blink an RGB LED.