The circuit-board handbook.
Plain-English explanations of how printed circuit boards (PCBs) — the boards inside almost every electronic device — get designed, checked, and built. Start with the basics or go deep. Every glossary term opens with a simple explanation before the engineering detail, so nobody gets left behind.
Start here
The foundational chapters — read these first to build a working mental model.
- 01
Getting Started with CAM
How to prepare and submit a clean PCB data package for CAM processing, from Gerber and ODB++ exports to fabrication notes and netlists.
1 min read - 02
Gerber vs ODB++
A practical comparison of Gerber RS-274X and ODB++ as PCB manufacturing data formats, and when to use each for CAM.
2 min read - 03
Controlled Impedance Basics
A working introduction to controlled impedance: what sets characteristic impedance, single-ended vs differential, and how coupons verify it.
1 min read - 04
DFM Rule Fundamentals
The core DFM rules every PCB designer should know: trace/space, annular ring, slivers, solder-mask webs, and aspect ratio.
2 min read
Popular terms
Jump straight to a definition — each one written in plain English first. The full A–Z lives in the glossary.
Guides & documentation
Long-form chapters that walk through the pre-manufacturing workflow end to end — with the reasoning, not just the rules.
Engineering glossary
A searchable, cross-linked reference of PCB and semiconductor test vocabulary — precise definitions written by engineers.
Reading is good. A design review is better.
When the handbook has answered the theory, our desk answers your board. Send the stackup and constraints — an engineer returns first-pass DFM findings, usually within hours.