Bay Area Circuits

When you need a polished prototype circuit board but have a tight budget, smart layout design is your best ally. Here are quick, cost-effective tips for getting stronger performance and manufacturability—especially useful when working with a reliable pcb manufacturing company like Bay Area Circuits. 1. Start with the Right Stack-up & Material Choose a standard FR-4 core and keep layer count minimal for prototyping. The fewer layers, the lower the cost. Also, stick to common copper thickness (e.g. 1 oz) and avoid exotic laminates unless absolutely needed. 2. Keep Power Planes Simple & Solid Use solid copper pours for ground and power layers—avoid fragmented traces. This ensures good power distribution and reduces EMI. When pouring, ensure thermal clearance and proper isolation from signal lines to avoid manufacturing issues. 3. Use Proper Component Placement Strategy Group related functional blocks together (power, analog, digital) to reduce cross talk and routing complex...