Traces on a PCB can be spaced closer together than in conventional layouts, which previously required the pair-to-pair spacing for the high-speed differential stripline signals to be at least 5H if the signals are originating from the same source and 7H when the signals on two pairs of transmission lines in the traces originate from different sources. Traces may be spaced closer together when, for example, a ratio of the core height to the prepreg height of the printed circuit board is approximately equal to one. Traces may be spaced closer together when, for example, a ratio of the trace spacing distance to the core height distance is less than approximately one. By implementing one or both of these design rules, printed circuit board layouts can be designed, and printed circuit boards manufactured from those designs, that have an intra-group spacing between the first pair and the second pair measured at a point at which the first pair is closest to the second pair of less than approximately five times the prepreg height (the limit for previous printed circuit board designs).

In one embodiment, a method generally comprises importing a layout identifying routing information for a plurality of differential pair traces on a printed circuit board at a skew assessment module, receiving values for a plurality of skew parameters associated with fiber weave skew, receiving variation parameters from a database comprising data collected on fiber weave variation for one or more of the skew parameters, calculating a skew estimate for the printed circuit board based on the skew parameters and the variation parameters at the skew assessment module, and determining if the skew estimate is within a specified skew allowance for the printed circuit board.

A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board assembly includes providing a circuit board, positioning a plurality of components including at least one thermally-sensitive component having a maximum temperature threshold on the circuit board, positioning a customized protective heat shield on the thermally-sensitive component, exposing the circuit board (having the thermally-sensitive component disposed thereon and the customized protective heat shield disposed on the thermally-sensitive component) to a high-temperature environment wherein temperatures exceed the maximum temperature threshold of the thermally-sensitive component, and removing the customized protective heat shield from the thermally-sensitive component. Customized protective heat shields are also provided.

For printed circuit board (PCB) design, methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed. One apparatus includes a component ID module that identifies a PCB component to be placed on a current board design; a search module that displays one or more instances of previous board designs containing the identified PCB component, wherein displaying the one or more instances of previous board designs containing the identified PCB component comprises displaying a region surrounding the identified PCB component; and an import module that imports a selected portion of a board design into the current board design from a selected one of the instances of previous board designs containing the identified PCB component.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for binding and annotating an electronic design with a schematic driven extracted view. These techniques identify a schematic design and an extracted view of an electronic design and bind the schematic design with the extracted view. The resulting binding information concerning binding the schematic design with the extracted view is stored in a data structure. The schematic design may be annotated with extracted view information pertaining to the extracted view based at least in part upon the binding information. A response to a user action may be automatically generated based in part or in whole upon the extracted view information or the binding information.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a printed circuit board, a via-stub resonator formed in the printed circuit board, a plurality of vias surrounding the via-stub resonator, and a microstrip connected to the via-stub resonator for use in measuring an insertion loss to provide a resonance frequency. The via-stub resonator is designed to reproduce a dielectric constant value of a known material in a simulation. A via dielectric constant in an x and y plane is calculated based on the resonance frequency. A method for measuring the via dielectric constant using the via-stub resonator is also disclosed herein.

A stretchable electronics generating apparatus and layout method thereof are provided. The layout method includes: establishing a layout database, wherein the layout database recodes a plurality of layout selection information respectively corresponding to a plurality of strain/stress information; detecting a layout target area to obtain a strain/stress distribution status of the layout target area; generating a wire routing information according to the strain/stress distribution status based on the layout database; and transporting the wire routing information to a manufacture device of the conductive wires for disposing a plurality of physical conductive wires on the layout target area by the manufacture device.

Methods for applying fluid materials to a substrate, such as circuit board, while continuously moving the fluid dispenser are disclosed. Initially, a dispenser is continuously moved through a constant motion trajectory connecting the plurality of dispense locations on the substrate. The electrical output signals generated by one or more of encoders of the dispenser are monitored as the dispenser is continuously moved through the constant motion trajectory. The dispenser is triggered at each of the plurality of dispense locations and droplets of the fluid material are jetted while continuously moving the dispenser. The spatial coordinates of each droplet of the fluid material on the substrate are measured and compared to expected landing coordinates for each droplet of the fluid material to generate a spatial error for each droplet of the fluid material. At least one dispense location is corrected and an updated constant motion trajectory is generated.

A microcapsule includes a shell including a conducting component; and a thermally expandable component contained in the shell and having a property of expanding by heating, the shell deforming due to expansion of the thermally expandable component to come in contact with another capsule and have a conducting state with the other capsule.

An induction coil assembly includes an annular member extending from a first end to a second end, and extending about a longitudinal axis; a first leg extending from the first end of the annular member, and including a first electrical connection portion and a first axial portion; and a second leg extending from the second end of the annular member, and including a second electrical connection portion and a second axial portion. An internal surface of the annular member defines a first fluid passage through the annular member. An internal surface of the first leg defines a second fluid passage through the first leg. An internal surface of the second leg defines a third fluid passage through the second leg. The second fluid passage is in fluid communication with the third fluid passage via the first fluid passage.