PCB design process

Flexible printed circuits are continuing to grow in popularity and necessity for PCB designers around the world. What is a flexible PCB? In simple terms, it is simply conductive traces that are bonded onto a variety of flexible substrates. Flexible substrates can be made from a polyimide (most common) or even a polyester material. Depending on your application, flex circuit manufacturers can use an adhesive to bond the conductive to the substrate or they can use an adhesive-less bonding process.

There are many different types of surface mount packages used in electronic circuits. When anew surface mount package is developed, an new name is created, names usually abbreviated by their initials.
Usually these components have a code an name standardized by JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) Solid State Technology Association .

For hobbyist or electrical engineers who are just getting their feet wet when it comes to PCB designing and getting their layout manufactured by a professional board shop, the process can be quite overwhelming. There are various options when it comes to fabricating your new board layout, so it is good to know them before making decision. I will do my best to describe the ideal process for a smooth and successful prototype run.