AstroPCB
PCB Engineering Blog
Technical articles on PCB design, materials and manufacturing.
Technical articles on PCB design, materials, manufacturing processes and industry comparisons. Written by engineers for engineers — practical guidance based on manufacturing experience, not marketing copy. Each article addresses a specific design decision, material selection question, or manufacturing trade-off that PCB designers encounter in real projects.
Materials & Laminates
PCB Copper Thickness Guide — How copper weight affects current capacity, impedance, fabrication and cost.
PCB Surface Finish Comparison — HASL, ENIG, ENEPIG, immersion silver, OSP: properties, cost and application fit.
Design Guides
High Speed PCB Design — Impedance matching, length matching, via optimization and laminate selection for multi-gigabit interfaces.
Rigid-Flex PCB Design — Bend radius, flex zone stackup, transition design and material selection for rigid-flex boards.
RF PCB Design Guide — Layout techniques for RF circuits: ground continuity, via transitions, impedance control and material selection.
Manufacturing & Process
PCB Panelization Guide — V-score vs tab routing, panel utilization, rails and fiducials for efficient fabrication and assembly.
AI Accelerator HDI PCB — BGA escape routing, sequential lamination, laminate selection and power delivery for AI boards.
Industry Comparisons
PCBWay vs JLCPCB — Comparing popular PCB prototype services: capabilities, quality and when to look beyond self-service platforms.
JLCPCB Alternatives — When your project outgrows self-service: what to look for in a manufacturer for complex boards.
Buying Guides
How to Choose the Best PCB Manufacturer — Evaluation criteria: capabilities, engineering support, quality, lead time and total cost.
Polyimide PCB Guide — When to specify polyimide over FR-4: flex circuits, rigid-flex, high-temperature applications.