Selecting the right base material for a printed circuit board affects more than the initial laminate price. The material influences mechanical strength, thermal reliability, dimensional stability, manufacturability, and the environments in which the finished PCB can operate. FR-4 remains the most widely used rigid PCB material, but...
Printed circuit board tolerances define how much a manufactured feature may vary from its specified dimensions. Every PCB requires tolerances for features such as conductor width, spacing, hole diameter, board outline, copper thickness, layer registration, and overall thickness. However, specifying tighter tolerances than the application requires can...
Core and prepreg materials both provide dielectric insulation within a printed circuit board, but they serve different roles. A core is a fully cured laminate that provides a stable base for copper circuitry. Prepreg is a partially cured resin system that flows during lamination,...
PCB sourcing teams are facing a more complicated material environment than they were a few years ago. Availability pressure is no longer limited to electronic components. Base materials, copper-clad laminates, copper foil, glass fiber, resin systems, surface finishes, and long-lead components can all affect whether a flex,...
In high-reliability electronics, a flexible circuit or printed circuit board cannot simply function when it leaves the factory. It must continue performing through temperature cycling, vibration, bending, humidity, current load, installation stress, and years of field use.IPC Class 3 provides a recognized framework for flex,
Medical devices are becoming smaller, smarter, and more connected, creating greater demand for compact electronics that can perform reliably in tight spaces. Flexible printed circuits help support this shift by enabling lightweight, space-saving designs for wearables, diagnostic equipment, surgical tools, and...
Point‑of‑care (POC) medical devices are designed to deliver diagnostics and monitoring directly at the patient’s location rather than in centralized laboratories. These systems must be compact, portable, energy‑efficient, and highly reliable. Flexible printed circuits (flex PCBs) are frequently used in these devices because they...
Space Tech Expo USA 2026 brought together a wide range of companies working across satellites, launch systems, defense space programs, lunar infrastructure, in-space manufacturing, robotics, power systems, optical communications, RF technology, testing, interconnect, software, and advanced components. Held June 2-4 in Anaheim, California, the event offered a strong look...
As electronic devices become more powerful and compact, managing heat has become one of the most important challenges in product design. Excessive heat can reduce performance, shorten component lifespan, and increase the risk of failure. This is especially true in applications that rely on high-power LEDs, power semiconductors, and densely...
When engineers need a circuit that can bend, fit into tight spaces, or replace bulky wire harnesses, flexible circuitry is often the right direction. But once a design also requires component support, connector stability, or selective stiffness, the decision becomes more specific: should the...
The future of intelligent electronics is becoming smaller, faster, smarter, and more connected — and few events showcase that transformation better than Sensors Converge 2026.Held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Sensors Converge brings together engineers, innovators, semiconductor leaders, embedded system developers, AI companies, automotive technology firms,...
Dynamic flex PCBs are where flexible circuit design stops being “just about fitting in tight spaces” and starts being about surviving motion—hundreds of thousands or even millions of bend cycles without cracking, drifting out of spec, or failing at the worst possible time.If you design wearables, medical...
SATELLITE 2026 brought the global satellite, space, defense, and communications industries to Washington, D.C. from March 23-26, 2026. The show highlighted where the market is moving next: multi-orbit connectivity, tactical communications, phased-array systems, direct-to-device services, and more compact, rugged electronics platforms.For PICA Manufacturing Solutions,...
As electronic assemblies become more compact and mechanically complex, manufacturers must ensure that electrical connections remain secure under vibration, handling, and long-term operational stress. One technique used to strengthen these connections is hole riveting.Hole riveting is a mechanical fastening method that uses small metal rivets inserted through pre-drilled or punched...
Electronics manufacturing is heading into 2026 under pressure from several directions at once. Rising metals costs, laminate and prepreg repricing, labor shifts in key manufacturing regions, foreign exchange movement, and tighter capacity tied to AI and data-center demand are all contributing to higher PCB,
