Modern PCB Design Practices: Part 2 — Tips and Techniques

The first article from audio expert Ethan Winer about Modern PCB Design Practices, gave a general overview of board design using surface-mounted devices (SMDs). The article examines current practices and methods for designing four-layer printed circuit boards using surface mounted components (SMDs), and this second part explains specific strategies and related issues to deal with the design and production of great quality PCBs. This article was originally published in audioXpress, March 2023.

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has developed the GRM011R60J104M multi-layer ceramic capacitor, which the company claims is the world’s first to feature a maximum capacitance of 0.1µF in 008004 inch size (0.25×0.125mm). Mass production of this new product is scheduled to begin in 2020. Applications can be valuable in wearables devices and compact audio players, among many other products that require large numbers of more compact capacitors.