Before designing a multilayer printed circuit board, the designer determines its structure. He needs to decide how many layers the PCB will have, and how they will be arranged.

After that, it's necessary to distribute the electrical components over the internal electrical layers.

Incorrect design of the layer structure will cause problems at all subsequent stages of manufacturing and during operation, such excessive heat generation, signal interference, impedance inconsistency.

To avoid such problems, it is worth taking a responsible approach to creating the structure of layers.

Designing multilayer PCBs is usually carried out by the designer and it is very convenient when you can order a ready-to-operate PCB. This can be done in Saifon Technologies.

Not so long ago, printed circuit boards were mainly single-layer and double-layer. Multi-layer designs could only be found in complex military or space technology.

Why do I need to design PCB layers?

Times are changing, and now many electronic devices that ordinary people use every day are based on a multilayer PCB. Such constructions can have from 4 to 50 layers.

Of course, for such complex structures, it is necessary to think over the design in advance in order to determine the order layers with different purposes and from different materials will "lie" in the "cake" of boards.

At first glance, it may seem that stacking layers is simple. After all, it’s just a basic construction with a set of layers and their sequence.

But in fact, the correct structure of layers is very important because the correct design will reduce the level of interference, make PCBs with a high-speed radio wave signal more accurate and allow to eliminate excessive heat generation.

What is a PCB stacking?

According to the classics, two-layer PCBs consist of several elements

— a substrate of fiberglass, which is covered on both sides with foil, a layer of dielectric solder mask that protects the board from external physical impact and short circuits.

These components, plus the electrical components soldered on top, make up the thickness of PCB. To put it simply. it’s one plane and everything that’s on it.

The development of Stackup

The development of Stackup (layer structure) of PCB consists precisely in deciding how each layer will be located and how the components will be located on it.

An interesting fact is that there is no correct shape of layers and their stacking, as in the above example with a sandwich, and it all comes down to finding the best solution for the specific task of the project. Of course, manufacturers and designers have their own developments and solutions on how to arrange all the layers in the best way.

While multilayer PCBs resemble a cake or sandwich with a variety of fillings in structure. And, just as a sandwich has assembly rules – do not put wet sauce after bread, make a layer of salad, etc. – so a PCB has similar rules that make the whole device "tasty" and usable.

It is also important to complete the documentation in a clear and accessible language for everyone, so that when it comes from the designer to the manufacturer of PCBs, there are no difficulties. The easiest way to solve this problem is to find one company that can both design and manufacture PCBs.

Saifon Technologies manufactures printed circuit boards from start to finish. We design, test, make prototypes and we are ready to become your reliable supplier of serial production of electrical equipment.