Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

PCB design instruction and reference manual, all in one book!
In-depth explanation of the processes and tools used in modern PCB design
Standards, formulas, definitions, and procedures, plus software to tie it all together
Buy it to learn, but keep it as a valued reference tool!
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) literally form the backbone of electronic devices. The electronics industry continues its spread into every aspect of modern life, yet surprisingly little written material exists about PCB standards and design. At the same time, the industry is beginning to feel the effects of a lack of new designers entering the field! To address this situation, PCB design authority Christopher T. Robertson wrote Printed Circuit Board Designer's Reference: Basics.

This book teaches the essentials of PCB design—the same standards and techniques used in the field, but collected in one place. You'll learn most of the key design techniques in use today, and be in the perfect position to learn the more advanced methods when you're ready. On the job, Printed Circuit Board Designer's Reference: Basics will continue to serve as an indispensable reference source filled with tables, charts, and task checklists you'll definitely want to keep on hand. Rounding out the book is a valuable software package DR Resource (Designer's Reference Resource) a multifunction calculator that manages the day-to-day activities of the PCB designer, performs project management functions, and keeps vital documentation and standards data right at your fingertips. Inside you'll find:

Thorough coverage of PCB design tools and techniques
Tools for everyday calculations, useful tables, quick reference charts, and a full checklist covering the entire design process
Clear explanations of where values come from, how to use and adjust them, and much more
This book was written for new designers looking for a solid foundation in PCB design, although designers with more experience will find the reference material, software, and explanations of the values that manufacturers use invaluable as well.

About the Author

CHRISTOPHER T. ROBERTSON has worked nearly a decade in the PCB industry. His background includes developing standards and procedures for PCB design, creating a training course for new designers, and writing a regular column for a PCB trade magazine. Robertson has also worked in PCB manufacturing, testing, maintenance, assembly, and software beta testing. A member of the IPC Council, he has spent the past few years providing technical assistance and developing and defining the organization's technology conventions.

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Product Details

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR; Har/Cdr edition (October 23, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0130674818
ISBN-13: 978-0130674814
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
Average Customer Review:
6 Reviews
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4 star: (1)
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(6 customer reviews)
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This item is part of The Prentice Hall Modern Semiconductor Design Series Series.

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Customer Reviews
6 Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
Basic info, but confusing, incomplete, and poorly written., November 5, 2003
By A Customer

I wanted to like this book very much, but the deeper I look into it, the more disappointed I get. I keep telling myself that the title says "Basic", and perhaps the information I'm looking for will be found in an advanced, follow-on title. But, there are too many important basic details that are simply missing or mentioned only in passing.
I'll offer one example, of many possible. From page 118:

"Fiducials come in several different sizes and shapes. Figure 5-16 shows the old-style fiducials or targets. ... It is highly recommended to place at least three (or more) fiducials toward the extents of the board."

OK, there's a nice figure of an 'old-style'; but what would a 'new-style' fiducial look like? Its not shown or described. How big is it? Even the old-style figure is not dimensioned. Where do they go - where is the extent, and how close is "toward"? (The term 'extent' is never defined.) Fiducials are an elementary and necessary aspect of layout, and I expected to find at least a couple of pages on their use and definition. If you were depending only upon this book, it would be impossible to figure out why, how, when, or where to use one.

What's an aperture? What's a Gerber? You can't possibly get any more fundamental than that, but those terms aren't found in the index or in over 70 pages (out of the book's 260 total) of lists of terms and acronyms (which do, however, include such useful entries as: Sequential Electrochemical Reduction Analysis, Systems Network Architecture, and Geiger Counter?).

This profession needs a good introductory reference work, but I'm sad to report that this isn't it.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
The author gave the five star review!, November 30, 2004
By Dave "Dave" - See all my reviews

It looks like the author decided to give the book its only good review (see the review above). I have read enough of this book to know it can only be fully understood when someone already knows enough about circuit board design and therefore does not need the book. If it was intended for beginners then it is not worth the money. Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Poor reference for PCB construction, April 20, 2004
By Chris Coulston (Erie, PA USA) - See all my reviews

I have a little PCB construction experience and wanted to get some expert advice and pointers. This book was a serious disappointment. It skipped over much nomenclature that a true beginner would not understand and did nothing to improve my knowledge. The writing is sketchy, especially later in the text. The formatting seems to be messed up; there are bulleted lists in the middle of pages with no context. Finally, the text copies (plagerizes?) some TI docs (74LS08) and does not give TI credit. Save your money and find another book to buy. Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers:
? See all 6 customer reviews... Most Recent Customer Reviews

disappointed
I agree that the only review that this guide could get is from the anyone involved with this book. I was new to circuit board design when I read this book and I am even lost more... Read more
Published on November 30, 2004 by reader

Good reference, Great software
This book was fairly basic, but had a lot of graphics, pictures. There is a little to much glossary, but the software was worth the price of the book. Read more
Published on December 3, 2003

Very Informative for beginner and experienced designers
I have read this bood from cover to cover and there has never been a more informative text book. This book really deals with the basics and gives you step by step instruction... Read more
Published on October 29, 2003

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Process Development Engineer Printed Circuit Board Designer's Reference; Basics
By Chris Robertson
Published Oct 13, 2003 by Prentice Hall. Part of the Prentice Hall Modern Semiconductor Design Series series.
More Info
Copyright 2004
Dimensions 7 x 9 1/4
Pages: 304
Edition: 1st.
ISBN-10: 0-13-067481-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-13-067481-4
Request an Instructor or Media review copy
Corporate, Academic, and Employee Purchases
International Buying Options
List Price: $89.00

Your Price: $80.10Ships for free! Save more by becoming a member.

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DescriptionDownloadsSample Content

PCB design instruction and reference manual, all in one book!
In-depth explanation of the processes and tools used in modern PCB design
Standards, formulas, definitions, and procedures, plus software to tie it all together
Buy it to learn, but keep it as a valued reference tool!
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) literally form the backbone of electronic devices. The electronics industry continues its spread into every aspect of modern life, yet surprisingly little written material exists about PCB standards and design. At the same time, the industry is beginning to feel the effects of a lack of new designers entering the field! To address this situation, PCB design authority Christopher T. Robertson wrote Printed Circuit Board Designer's Reference: Basics.

This book teaches the essentials of PCB design—the same standards and techniques used in the field, but collected in one place. You'll learn most of the key design techniques in use today, and be in the perfect position to learn the more advanced methods when you're ready. On the job, Printed Circuit Board Designer's Reference: Basics will continue to serve as an indispensable reference source filled with tables, charts, and task checklists you'll definitely want to keep on hand. Rounding out the book is a valuable software package DR Resource (Designer's Reference Resource) a multifunction calculator that manages the day-to-day activities of the PCB designer, performs project management functions, and keeps vital documentation and standards data right at your fingertips. Inside you'll find:

Thorough coverage of PCB design tools and techniques
Tools for everyday calculations, useful tables, quick reference charts, and a full checklist covering the entire design process
Clear explanations of where values come from, how to use and adjust them, and much more
This book was written for new designers looking for a solid foundation in PCB design, although designers with more experience will find the reference material, software, and explanations of the values that manufacturers use invaluable as well. what is a PCB? It is a Printed Circuit Board. Look to the left of this web page and you'll see an image of a small PCB as part of a group of PCBs. Here is another example of one: Have you ever looked inside your computer, a radio or a telephone? The printed circuit boards inside it are the flat, thin, square, usually green fiberglass slabs that have electrical components attached. Harder to see are copper traces running underneath the green covering. You would have to try different angles of light to see them. These are wires that are "printed" on the fiberglass slab. They connect the electrical components, thus forming circuits. Thus the name "printed circuit board."

A company that manufactures electronic products has a cycle of production to go from concept to end user or customer. It could be thought of like this: Marketing - Sales - Product Concept - Engineering & Design - Design for Manufacturing - Manufacturing - Assembly - Packaging - Distribution.

The Design for Manufacturing step is where a PCB designer makes his contribution to that portion of the product that involves electronic circuits. For that part of the product, an electrical engineer has done the engineering, or circuit design in the step just before this. He has produced, among other sub-products, a diagram of the functionality of the circuit. This diagram is called a "schematic." It contains symbols connected by lines. For example, a zig-zag line is used to represent a resistor, a type of electrical component that reduces the voltage of a current that passes through it. The little zig-zag line does not even resemble what a resistor looks like, it simply symbolizes the function of a resistor, that it sort of "slows down" the current. A schematic diagram is composed of a variety of such symbols, not one of which looks like the component which it represents.

In order to manufacture a printed circuit board, it is necessary to take the design from the functional diagram or schematic and change it into a form of artwork that makes the pattern of the components and wires, which is used in photographic imaging techniques to manufacture the PCB. The PCB designer is the person who creates the artwork for that purpose. The artwork is a lot like the plates used in printing, it forms the pattern that is "printed" into the PCB. The process is only analogous to printing. Technically it is quite different.

To carry the analogy to printing a bit farther, let's use the printing of a book as a metaphor for production of an electronic device. The author of the book is the electronics design engineer or "double-E" or electrical engineer. The typesetter is the "layout guy" or PCB designer.

So there you have it. Printed Circuit Board Designer - See original job posting at Monster ?
Aerotek - Syracuse, NY

Aerotek is currently seeking an experienced Printed Circuit Board Designer with Cadence experience to work for a customer of ours in the Syracuse, NY area. The Cadence Designer will be responsible for creating printed circuit boards used in high reliability electronic systems for the U.S. Government. The Cadence Designer will have anywhere between 5-15 years ... view or apply to job
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