Rigid PCB Design For

Manufacturability Guide

Updated: February 24, 2025

©Bittele Electronics Inc.
 BITTELE ELECTRONICS DFM GUIDE FOR PCB DESIGNERS PAGE 1 OF 70

Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6
2.0 Required Documents ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Gerber Files – RS-274X Format................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 ODB++ ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8
2.3 Drill / Route File .......................................................................................................................................................... 8
2.4 Netlist File................................................................................................................................................................... 9
2.5 Centroid File / Pick and Place File ............................................................................................................................... 9
2.6 Assembly Bill of Materials (BOM) ............................................................................................................................... 9
2.7 Drawings................................................................................................................................................................... 10
2.7.1 PCB Manufacturing Drawing.......................................................................................................................... 10
2.7.2 PCB Assembly Drawing .................................................................................................................................. 11
2.8 Standard Manufacturing Specifications .................................................................................................................... 11
3.0 Laminate Materials Selections ....................................................................................................................................... 12
3.1 Material Selection & Properties ............................................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Laminate Material and Thickness ............................................................................................................................. 13
3.3 Prepreg Designation and Thickness .......................................................................................................................... 14
3.4 Copper Weight & Heavy Copper for Materials ......................................................................................................... 14
3.5 RF Substrates ............................................................................................................................................................ 15
3.6 Metal-Core PCBs....................................................................................................................................................... 16
3.7 Multi-Layer Stack-Up ................................................................................................................................................ 17
3.8 Multi-Layer Stack-Up Recommendation................................................................................................................... 17
3.9 Buried Capacitance................................................................................................................................................... 20
3.10 Material Substitutes (North America vs China) ...................................................................................................... 21
4.0 Standard PCB Manufacturing Capabilities ..................................................................................................................... 22
4.1 PCB Technology Matrix............................................................................................................................................. 22
4.1.1 Pricing ............................................................................................................................................................ 23
4.1.2 Lead Time ...................................................................................................................................................... 23
4.2 Etch Factor ............................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.2.1 What is Etching? ............................................................................................................................................ 24
4.2.2 What is Etch Factor? ...................................................................................................................................... 24

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4.3 Drill Selection ........................................................................................................................................................... 25
4.3.1 Hole Diameter ............................................................................................................................................... 25
4.3.2 Drill Tolerances .............................................................................................................................................. 25
4.3.3 Slot Size Tolerance ......................................................................................................................................... 26
4.4 Aspect Ratio ............................................................................................................................................................. 26
4.5 Annular Ring ............................................................................................................................................................. 26
4.6 Tear Drop Pads ......................................................................................................................................................... 27
4.7 Hole Clearance ......................................................................................................................................................... 27
4.8 Conductor Clearance ................................................................................................................................................ 28
4.9 Via Holes Treatment ................................................................................................................................................. 28
4.10 Finished Board Thickness ....................................................................................................................................... 29
4.11 Overall Finished Profile Tolerance .......................................................................................................................... 29
4.12 Board Outline ......................................................................................................................................................... 30
4.13 Edge Bevel .............................................................................................................................................................. 30
5.0 HDI Technology Capabilities .......................................................................................................................................... 31
5.1 Tight Trace Width / Spacing (Trace/Space)............................................................................................................... 31
5.2 BGA........................................................................................................................................................................... 31
5.3 Micro-via .................................................................................................................................................................. 32
5.3.1 Blind via ......................................................................................................................................................... 34
5.3.2 Buried via ....................................................................................................................................................... 34
5.3.3 Stacked Micro-via........................................................................................................................................... 34
5.3.4 Staggered Micro-via....................................................................................................................................... 35
5.4 Multiple Laminations / Sequential Laminations ....................................................................................................... 35
6.0 Surface Finish: Options and Requirements.................................................................................................................... 36
6.1 HASL/LF-HASL ........................................................................................................................................................... 36
6.2 ENTEK/OSP ............................................................................................................................................................... 37
6.3 ENIG ......................................................................................................................................................................... 38
6.4 Full Body Hard Gold .................................................................................................................................................. 39
6.5 Selective Gold ........................................................................................................................................................... 39
6.6 Double Gold (Full-Body + Selective Gold) ................................................................................................................. 40
6.7 Edge Connector Plating ............................................................................................................................................ 40
6.8 Wire Bonding (Soft Gold) .......................................................................................................................................... 40
6.9 ENEPIG ..................................................................................................................................................................... 41
6.10 Immersion Tin ........................................................................................................................................................ 41

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6.11 Immersion Silver ..................................................................................................................................................... 42
6.12 Comparison Chart................................................................................................................................................... 43
7.0 Solder Mask: Options and Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 44
7.1 What is a Solder Mask? ............................................................................................................................................ 44
7.2 Types of Solder Mask ................................................................................................................................................ 44
7.3 Solder Mask Design Rules ......................................................................................................................................... 45
7.4 Solder Mask Colours ................................................................................................................................................. 46
7.4.1 Standard Solder Mask Colours ....................................................................................................................... 46
7.4.2 Custom Colour ............................................................................................................................................... 47
7.5 Substitutes (North America vs China) ....................................................................................................................... 47
7.6 Solder Mask Tenting ................................................................................................................................................. 47
7.7 Solder Mask Plugging ............................................................................................................................................... 47
7.8 Peel-Able Solder Mask .............................................................................................................................................. 47
8.0 Silkscreen: Options and Requirements .......................................................................................................................... 48
8.1 What is a Silkscreen? ................................................................................................................................................ 48
8.2 Silkscreen Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 48
8.2.1 Minimum Line Width & Text Height .............................................................................................................. 49
8.2.2 Idents on Copper ........................................................................................................................................... 49
8.2.3 Logos ............................................................................................................................................................. 49
8.2.4 Certificate Location........................................................................................................................................ 49
8.3 Silkscreen Types........................................................................................................................................................ 49
8.4 Silkscreen Colours .................................................................................................................................................... 49
8.2.1 Standard Colours ........................................................................................................................................... 49
8.2.2 Custom Colours ............................................................................................................................................. 49
8.5 Substitute (North America vs China) ........................................................................................................................ 50
8.6 Multiple Colour Silk on One PCB............................................................................................................................... 50
8.7 Serialization .............................................................................................................................................................. 50
9.0 Electrical Testing ............................................................................................................................................................ 51
9.1 Electrical Testing Requirements ............................................................................................................................... 51
9.1.1 Testing File ..................................................................................................................................................... 51
9.1.2 E.T Stamping .................................................................................................................................................. 51
9.1.3 Capabilities .................................................................................................................................................... 52
9.2 Flying Probe Test ...................................................................................................................................................... 52
9.3 Fixture (Bed of Nails) Test......................................................................................................................................... 52

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9.4 Cost ........................................................................................................................................................................... 52
10.0 Controlled Impedance PCB .......................................................................................................................................... 54
10.0.1 Impedance Controlled PCB Types ................................................................................................................ 55
10.1 Impedance Calculators ........................................................................................................................................... 56
10.2 Impedance Models ................................................................................................................................................. 56
10.3 Impedance Affect Stack-up .................................................................................................................................... 56
10.4 Bittele TDR Calculations ......................................................................................................................................... 57
10.5 TDR Coupons .......................................................................................................................................................... 57
11.0 Flexible and Rigid-Flex PCBs......................................................................................................................................... 58
11.1 Flexible PCB Fabrication Capabilities ........................................................................................................................ 58
11.2 Flexible PCB Materials ............................................................................................................................................ 59
11.2.1 FPCB Material Options & Datasheets .......................................................................................................... 59
11.2.2 Adhesive-Less vs. Adhesive-Based Materials ............................................................................................... 61
11.3 Rigid-Flex PCBs ....................................................................................................................................................... 61
12.0 Panelization ................................................................................................................................................................. 63
12.1 Fiducials .................................................................................................................................................................. 63
12.2 Tooling Holes .......................................................................................................................................................... 64
12.3 V-Score ................................................................................................................................................................... 64
12.4 Tab Routing ............................................................................................................................................................ 64
13.0 Report Types and Report Writing ................................................................................................................................ 65
13.1 Products Final Audit Report.................................................................................................................................... 65
13.2 Certificate of Conformance (C of C)........................................................................................................................ 65
13.2.1 RoHS Compliance ........................................................................................................................................ 65
13.2.2 U.L Certificate .............................................................................................................................................. 65
13.3 Test Report ............................................................................................................................................................. 66
13.4 Solderability Report ................................................................................................................................................ 66
13.4.1 Peel Strength Report ................................................................................................................................... 66
13.5 Cross Section Report .............................................................................................................................................. 66
13.6 Impedance Report (TDR) ........................................................................................................................................ 66
14.0 RoHS Compliance ......................................................................................................................................................... 67
14.1 PCB Raw Material ................................................................................................................................................... 67
14.1.1 Solder .......................................................................................................................................................... 67
15.0 Assembly Considerations ............................................................................................................................................. 68
15.1 Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)....................................................................................................................... 68

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15.2 X-Ray Inspection ..................................................................................................................................................... 68
15.3 Functional Testing (FCT) ......................................................................................................................................... 69

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1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this Design for Manufacturability (DFM) guide is to assist Bittele’s customers in designing
printed circuit boards (PCBs) that can be manufactured quickly and efficiently. These DFM guidelines define
the various tolerances, rules, and testing procedures Bittele adheres to during PCB manufacturing.

In terms of both cost and efficiency, it is beneficial to all parties involved if these issues can be addressed during
the design stage, rather than during production. By providing this guide, we hope to avoid the potential scenario
where our client has finished designing a board, but must later revise their design due to facility limitations.

DFM guidelines are essential to promote a client’s understanding of the various options we offer, the reasons
for each option, and the limitations of Bittele’s production facilities. At Bittele, we specialize in turn-key
production of rigid multi-layer PCBs with part procurement and placement.

For a quick overview of our manufacturing specifications, please see our other document on our website titled,
“PCB Fabrication Specifications.”

1.1 Scope
Consulting these DFM guidelines during your design process will allow you to plan a PCB that conforms to the
capabilities of Bittele’s facilities. A strong understanding of our manufacturing ability enables our clients to
achieve the special features that their designs require, while maximizing efficiency with regards to both time
and money.

Listed below are a few of the more notable benefits found in designing for manufacturability:
• Higher quality results by working within facility capabilities.
• Reduced lead times by avoiding unnecessary delays.
• Lower labor and material costs from correcting errors.
• Higher first-pass yields.
• Minimized environmental impact by avoiding waste from re-making boards.

In order to fully reap the benefits listed above, our clients must understand our abilities concerning the specific
type of PCB option(s) that they require. This guide is therefore divided into sections according to the different
types of options and features that we offer at Bittele. Those sections are as follows:

• Required Documents • Silkscreen: Options and Requirements

• Laminate Materials Selection • Electrical Testing
• PCB Manufacturing Capabilities • Controlled Impedance PCB
• HDI Technology Capabilities • Panelization
• Surface Finish: Options and • Report Types and Report Writing
Requirements • RoHS Compliance
• Solder Mask: Options and
Requirements

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2.0 Required Documents

Various PCB design files and other forms of documentation are required for Bittele to fabricate a printed circuit
board and populate the components onto that board. There are two file formats we can translate and accept
for manufacturing: ODB++ and Gerber version RS-274X.

In the ODB++ format, all data required for PCB fabrication and assembly are included within the .TGZ
compressed archive. Should you choose to use this format, you will just need to provide the .TGZ archive along
with a Bill of Materials (BOM) for assembly.

If you choose to use the Gerber file format, please ensure that you are using the RS-274X version. This format
specifies a set of files, where each individual file represents one type of design drawing, such as top/bottom
copper, top/bottom solder mask, top/bottom silk screen and NC Drill/Rout layer. Please ensure that you provide
a Gerber file for each design element in your PCB layout, as well as any other relevant documentation for
fabrication and assembly. When using the gerber format, additional files are required for board assembly, a
centroid file for pick and place as well as a Bill of Materials with part numbers.

Bittele recommends submitting only one format, either ODB++ or RS-274X but not both, to eliminate any
confusion surrounding version control.

2.1 Gerber Files – RS-274X Format

RS-274X, also known as Extended Gerber or X-Gerber, is one of three distinct formats for Gerber files, and is
the current industry standard. RS-274X format is an open ASCII vector format used by standard PCB design
industry software for processing 2D binary images. All Gerber Files are also Computer Numerical Control (CNC)
files, and so it is possible to drive a PCB fabricator using Gerbers, since fabricators using CNC machines. Gerber
files describe various board images, such as copper layers, solder mask, silkscreen, and paste mask. This data
includes the traces, vias, pads, component footprints, and planes, as well as drilling and milling data.

RS-274X is the “middle child” of the three Gerber file formats. The oldest format for Gerber files is RS-274D, or
Standard Gerber, which has now been generally deprecated in favour of the Extended Gerber format. The data
in RS-274X is much more comprehensive than RS-274D, since the RS-274D format keeps many of its critical
information separate from the main data file. The RS-274X format offers several benefits over the now-
obsolete RS-274D, including high level commands and controls, allowing for more precise machine plotting.
Gerber X2, the third and latest Gerber format, was released in February of 2014. It is fully backwards-
compatible with the RS-274X format but includes some extra metadata to avoid ambiguity. Gerber X2 has not
yet seen widespread industry adoption, and so RS-274X remains the standard at present.

PCB layouts are created using a computer-aided design (CAD) system and saved in the RS-274X format, where
the Gerber set contains the complete description for each individual layer of the PCB. Normally, the CAD system
will be used to output one Gerber file for each relevant layer. These Gerber files can be loaded into a computer-
aided manufacturing (CAM) system to provide data for each step of the PCB production process.

In keeping with industry standards, we at Bittele will accept the RS-274X Gerber format. This allows our clients
to use the CAD design tool of their choice, provided that they can output their finished design files in Gerber
format. The Gerber RS-274X format will include separate files for the different copper layers, silkscreen layers,
solder mask layers, and milling/drilling locations included in each design. Along with your Gerber files, you
should send a PCB Manufacturing Drawing and a PCB Assembly Drawing, as well as a Bill of Materials for your

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order. A brief description for each of these file types is given in Table 1 below:
Table 1

PCB Manufacturing Drawing PCB board fabrication information

PCB Assembly Drawing PCB components on board assembly information
Bill of Materials Table of information on all components to be placed on board
Netlist Component electrical connectivity information
Gerber Files Group of files below
Route files Information on PCB copper design e.g. traces, pads, grounds
Drill files Information on PCB design drill holes
Solder Mask Files Information on areas not to cover with solder mask ink e.g. pads, holes
Board Outline File Board size and shape information
Silkscreen Board surface markings information

2.2 ODB++
ODB++ is a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing database, with different data stored in a hierarchy of files
and file folders. For convenient transmission of data, some common operating system commands can be used
to create a single compressed file, while preserving the hierarchy information. That compressed file, containing
the printed circuit board (PCB) design information, can be sent directly to a PCB Fabrication and Assembly
company, such as Bittele. ODB++ stands for Open Data Base, with the ‘++’ suffix added in 1997, when
component descriptions were enabled. ODB++ was developed and disseminated by Valor Computerized
Systems but was later acquired by Mentor Graphics in 2010.

The vast majority of electronic devices include a PCB, which acts to house the electronic components that
power the device, and also to connect these components together in a specific manner. Computer-aided design
(CAD) software is often used to create the layouts for these PCBs, and that layout information must then be
transferred to a photolithographic computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) system. These CAD and CAM systems
are generally produced by different companies, and therefore must use an intermediary file format, such as
ODB++, for successful data exchange. ODB++ has two versions: the original (owned by Mentor), as well an XML
version called ODB++(X), which was donated to the IPC organization by Valor Computerized Systems.

We at Bittele can work with ODB++ files of revision 7.0 or lower; there are no restrictions on the design tool
used for PCB layout, as long as the design can be translated to ODB++ format files. That being said, we Bittele
can NOT accept ODB++(X) files. If you find some trouble in outputting your ODB++ files, please forward your
.CAM or .PCB files to us, and we will attempt the conversion on your behalf.

2.3 Drill / Route File

Drill Files define the size and coordinates of any holes to be drilled in a PCB design. These files can be used to
control a drilling machine, which creates holes for Vertical Interconnect Access (VIA), mounting, and THT
component placement.

On a standard 2-sided PCB, drill files are needed for the CNC machine to make accurate through-vias. For more
complex multi-layer boards, many of the holes will be micro-vias, which pass through only a few layers rather
than the entire board. These types of holes are also known as blind and buried vias. We will need a separate
drill file, with a distinct name, for each layer pair that will be included in your design.

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For Example: Let us assume that you have a 4-layer board with most vias extending all the way from top to
bottom, and some blind vias extending only from layer 1 to layer 2. In this case, you should have two drill files,
with one of them named “Drill_1-4” and another named “Drill_1-2”.

Route Files are a type of file that define the electrically conductive copper traces, known colloquially as
“routing”, on a PCB design. These files are used to control a fabrication machine in order to lay copper traces
on a PCB board.

Regarding the submission of drill and route files to Bittele: if you use the ODB++ format, drill files and route
files will both be included in the .TGZ compression file. If you choose to use the Gerber RS-274X format, then
separate drill files and route files will need to be provided in RS-274X format.

2.4 Netlist File

Netlist files contain the connectivity information for an electronic circuit. A netlist file is a collection of several
related lists; one list for each group of electrically connected pins. This file is generated from the circuit’s
schematic design, and it is used in PCB layout to determine which component pads should be connected by
copper traces on the finished PCB.

We at Bittele request a netlist file for the electrical testing of your bare PCBs; we ensure an exact match
between the actual connectivity on your PCB and that of your netlist file for every board that leaves our facility.
The ODB++ format contains your netlist file by default, and so there will be no need to provide one separately.
If you use the Gerber RS-274X format, then you will need a separate netlist file in IPC356 format.

2.5 Centroid File / Pick and Place File

We require a centroid data file –also known as a Pick and Place file– in order to accurately assemble a PCB. The
main purpose of a centroid data is to hold information on the position and orientation of all surface mount
technology (SMT) devices on a circuit board design. Centroid files contain data regarding reference designators,
XY locations, rotations, component packages, and placement on either the top or bottom side of the board.
• Reference Designator – Short alphanumeric code assigned to each part in the layout (R12, C17)
• Component Value/Package – Component part numbers, part values, and package size
• Layer – Either the top or the bottom side
• XY Location – Cartesian coordinates, beginning at board origin
• Rotation – Described part orientation in degrees (0, 45, 90, etc.)

2.6 Assembly Bill of Materials (BOM)

Bill of Materials is a list of all the parts that are needed for PCB Assembly and matches those parts to the
Reference Designators in the PCB layout. We require this list in a Microsoft Excel format. If multiple instances
of the same part are used on one board, then they are all listed on one line of the BOM with their corresponding
reference designators and total quantity. The following information comprises the BOM, incomplete BOMs
may be acceptable, however it is always best to include all the following information in your BOM to minimize
the risk of purchasing errors.

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• Item # – Unique item number for each component (1, 2, 3)

• Ref Des – Component ID to identify parts placement in PCB board
• Quantity – Quantity of this component that will be needed for each board
• Manufacturer – The name of this component’s manufacturer
• Manufacturer Part # - The part number assigned to a component by its manufacturer
• Description – Brief component description
• Package – Packaging size (ex. 0402, 0805) or type (ex. BGA, QFN)
• Type – SMT or THT
• Your Instructions – Any special requirements that you have for this part

We provide a sample Bill of Materials on our website that may be used as a basis for your Bill of Materials.

Figure 1: Assembled Printed Circuit Board

2.7 Drawings
Design drawings are not strictly required for all PCB fabrication and assembly projects, but they can help to
make your intentions clearer to our production team, particularly regarding special requirements. We
recommend you include design drawings for projects with a high number of layers or components.

2.7.1 PCB Manufacturing Drawing

PCB manufacturing drawings only contain that information which is needed for the fabrication of the PCB. This
could be information such as the project name, board dimensions, board thickness, tolerances, materials,
copper weight, number of copper layers, or surface finish. These may be a list of notes beside the board’s
artwork or listed in a separate file. Other special information may also be included in the manufacturing
drawing, such as controlled impedance requirements, via-in-pad tenting, gold-plated edge connectors, and so
on.

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2.7.2 PCB Assembly Drawing

PCB assembly drawings contain that information which is needed for assembly of the various components onto
a PCB. Basic component information, such as position and orientation, are provided on this drawing, along with
special requirements, such as height limit. Three dimensional renderings could also be included to clarify
special requirement areas but are not necessary for typical boards.

2.8 Standard Manufacturing Specifications

The following list outlines the parameters we require to manufacture your design. Please provide this
information when requesting a quote as well, in order to properly price your project.
• Project Name – PCB name and Version #
• Dimensions – Board length and width [mm / inch]
• Number of Conductive Layers – 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 layers
• Total Thickness – Board thickness for one board with all layers included [mm / inch]
• Surface Finish – Example: HASL, ENIG, Immersion Tin, Immersion Silver
• Solder Mask – Indicates the desired solder mask colour for your PCB, and to which sides of the board
that solder mask will be applied

Advanced parameters which may also be specified include

• Profiling – Indicate any panelization requirements for your project
• Impedance Control – Do you require a specific impedance for RF transmission lines
• Material (substrate) – Example: FR4, Rogers, IT-180A
• Silkscreen (Legend)– Indicates the desired silkscreen colour for your PCB, and to which sides of the
board that silkscreen will be applied
• Testing – Electrical testing is standard with all our orders and cannot be excluded to ensure quality.
• Printed board handling and storage guidelines – Special information regarding safe handling if required

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3.0 Laminate Materials Selections

Laminates are the primary material used in PCB fabrication, and different laminates have different properties,
performances, and associated costs. This section outlines the various laminate options that may be selected
for your PCB Design and gives a brief comparison and contrast between those options.

3.1 Material Selection & Properties

As a first step in this DFM guideline, we will provide information to assist you in the selection of a suitable
laminate material that meets your performance requirements while minimizing manufacturability issues. We
start here because the cost of raw laminates is one of the largest constituent of PCB fabrication cost.

The key factors to consider when selecting a laminate material for a PCB design are the cost, the quality, and
the lead time. Due to the amount of material needed for PCB fabrication, it is essential to optimize the size of
your designs; even a small difference in size can result in a significant difference in cost.

Different materials incur different costs and possess different characteristics, but higher quality laminates are
typically also more expensive. The following are some of the main characteristics to take note of when
comparing properties of different laminates:

Tg = Glass Transition Temperature – Temperature at which a critical change of physical properties will occur.
In the case of laminates, it transitions from a hard, glassy material into a soft, rubbery material. Bittele offers
many High-TG options for high-temperature and high-power PCB applications.

Td = Decomposition Temperature - Temperature at which the laminate chemically decomposes.

Dk = Dielectric Constant (also referred to as εr in electromagnetics) – Indicates the relative permittivity of

an insulator material, which refers to its ability to store electrical energy in an electric field.

Df = Dissipation Factor – Indicates the efficiency of an insulating material by showing the rate of energy loss
for a certain mode of oscillation, such as mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical oscillation.

Our fabrication facilities are located in China, so it is advisable to choose high-quality local laminates in order
to minimize shipping cost and lead time. The Shengyi S1000-H (Tg 150) laminate is generally our default choice
for a high-performance, mid-Tg laminate. Shengyi S1000-H is comparable to Isola FR406 (Tg 170), a standard
North American laminate option. As outlined in Table 2 below, FR406 does slightly outmatch Shengyi S1000H
in terms of Dielectric Constant, but some clients may be willing to compromise on these factors for a lower cost
and/or a faster lead time.

Table 2

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Shengyi S1141 (Tg 130) is a good alternative to lower the cost of your project, at the sacrifice of some quality.
In cases where higher quality is needed, we recommend Shengyi S1000-2M (Tg 170) which is the closest in
quality to Isola FR406 (Tg 170). Where quality is the highest priority, we would recommend utilizing ITEQ IT180A
(Tg 180) which is also RoHS compliant. ITEQ IT180A (Tg 180) is comparable in quality to Isola 370HR (Tg 180). We
at Bittele would suggest using Shengyi S1000H (Tg 150) for typical projects. We would recommend using one
of the higher quality laminate materials if any of these three conditions occur:
1. If the PCB Design has 8 or more layers
2. If PCB require a copper weight of 3oz. or heavier
3. If PCB board thickness of less than 0.5mm

3.2 Laminate Material and Thickness

Table 3 lists the core material thickness with copper weight for normal FR4 Material
• 1/1 = 1 oz. copper per square foot on BOTH sides of the sheet
• 1/0 = 1 oz. copper per square foot, coated on only 1 ONE side of the sheet
• H/H = 0.5 oz. copper per square foot, coated on BOTH sides of the sheet
• 0/0 = UNCLAD (No Copper)

Table 3

Core Material Thickness Copper

Including Copper Weight
0.145 mm. H/H oz.
0.17 mm. 1/1 oz.
0.185 mm. H/H oz.
0.2 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.25 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.3 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.4 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.5 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.6 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.7 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.8 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
0.9 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
1.0 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
1.1 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
1.2 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
1.5 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
1.6 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
2.0 mm. 1/1 oz. or H/H oz.
2.2 mm. 1/1 oz.
2.4 mm. 1/1 oz.
2.5 mm. 1/1 oz.
3.0 mm. 1/1 oz.

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3.3 Prepreg Designation and Thickness

Prepreg is a bonding material used in the fabrication of multi-layer PCB boards which, after curing has the same
properties as the core/base layer materials. Board fabricators use a variety of prepreg glass styles. These styles
include 106, 1080, 3313, 2116 and 7628 (see Table 4 for more information). Limitations may apply to the
number and types of prepreg, so it is best to contact a Bittele representative for further details.

The thicknesses found in Table 4 are before lamination. After the lamination process, the finished dielectric
thickness will be reduced due to the softened prepreg filling any non-copper area within the inner layers.

Table 4

Prepreg /Glass Styles Pressed Thickness Prepreg Resin Content

106 0.05 mm[2mils] Approx. 73%
1080 0.075 mm[3mils] Approx. 65%
3313 0.09 mm[3.5mils] Approx. 57%
2116 0.115 mm[4.5mils] Approx. 55%
7628 0.185 mm[7.3mils] Approx. 46%
7628H 0.195 mm[7.7mils] Approx. 51%

3.4 Copper Weight & Heavy Copper for Materials

Copper clad FR-4 laminate materials are measured using ounce (oz.) weight per square foot.
• 0.33 oz. = 0.00047” (12μm)
• 0.5 oz. = 0.0007” (17.5 μm)
• 0.75 oz. = 0.00105” (26.25μm)
• 1.0 oz. = 0.0014” (35 μm)
• 1.5 oz. = 0.0021” (52.5 μm)
• 2.0 oz. = 0.0028” (70 μm)
• 3.0 oz. = 0.0042” (105 μm)
• 4.0 oz. or more = 0.0056” (140 μm) or more

Heavier copper weights allow for higher current carrying capability and heat dissipation characteristics in high
power designs, making heavy copper a common choice for automotive, power distribution, and welding
equipment industries. Bittele Electronics is capable of fabricating multi-layer PCB boards with a maximum
copper weight of 10 oz. Copper weight of 4 oz. or higher will require an additional estimate, and may also affect
lead times. The specified copper weight for a board will also impact the trace width and spacing requirements
of the board, as shown in Table 5, below:

Table 5

Layer Type Copper Weight Width / Spacing

0.076 / 0.089mm [3.0 / 3.5mils] (preferred)
1/2 oz.
0.076 / 0.076mm [3.0 / 3.0 mils] (minimum)
0.102 / 0.102mm [4.0 / 4.0 mils] (preferred)
1.0 oz.
0.076 / 0.076mm [3.0 / 3.0 mils] (minimum)
Internal Layer
0.127 / 0.152mm [5.0 / 6.0 mils] (preferred)
2.0 oz.
0.102 / 0.140mm [4.0 / 5.5 mils] (minimum)
0.152 / 0.229mm [6.0 / 9.0 mils] (preferred)
3.0 oz.
0.127 / 0.203mm [5.0 / 8.0 mils] (minimum)

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0.102 / 0.102mm [4.0 / 4.0 mils] (preferred)

1.0 oz.
0.076 / 0.076mm [3.0 / 3.0 mils] (minimum)
0.102 / 0.127mm [4.0 / 5.0 mils] (preferred)
1.5 oz.
0.102 / 0.102mm [4.0 / 4.0 mils] (minimum)
External Layer
0.127 / 0.178mm [5.0 / 7.0 mils] (preferred)
2.0 oz.
0.127 / 0.152mm [5.0 / 6.0 mils] (minimum)
0.152 / 0.229mm [6.0 / 9.0 mils] (preferred)
3.0 oz.
0.152 / 0.203mm [6.0 / 8.0 mils] (minimum)

3.5 RF Substrates
For radio frequency applications requiring very high fidelity, some clients find that standard FR4-type material
does not meet signal loss requirements due to its relatively high dielectric constant of approximately 4.5. As
such, specialized dielectric materials for RF applications offer lower dielectric constant to satisfy such design
requirements. Bittele Electronics stocks Rogers RO4350B as our standard RF substrate. We offer core
thicknesses of 10mil, 20mil or 30mil in stock and the copper weight can be 0.5oz/0.5oz or 1oz/1oz. Other sizes
available for special order with added lead time are 6.6mil, 13.3mil, 16.6mil, 60mil. The dielectric constant of
this material is 3.48 at 1GHz and averages 3.66 for 8GHz to 40GHz. Further details can be found on the
material’s datasheet here. Additional RF materials may be available upon special request with added lead time.

The dielectric constant of a material describes the ratio of that material’s permittivity to the permittivity of
vacuum. Technically speaking, a material’s permittivity describes the electric field strength between two
charges separated by that material. The dielectric constant of a material affects its parasitic capacitance, which
can become quite significant at high operational frequencies. Equation 1 and Equation 2 illustrate the effects
of dielectric constant on signal loss. Equation 1 describes the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor—derived
from Maxwell’s Laws—where any two copper layers of a PCB can be viewed as parallel plates separated by
dielectric material. The k variable represents dielectric constant in Equation 1, and clearly the capacitance
increases with k. Equation 2 described capacitive reactance, which decreases inversely to capacitance and
frequency; this explains the increased significance of material dielectric constant for high frequency operation.

Eqn.1 Eqn.2
While standard rigid FR-4 type materials are composed of glass-reinforced epoxy, RF materials primarily make
use Polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as PTFE, or by its trademark name: Teflon. In addition to its
advantages in dielectric constant, PTFE materials also boast impressive thermal characteristics for high-
temperature PCB application. With high TG (glass-transition temperature) values, reaching up to 280°C, PTFE
materials are suitable for both high frequency and high-power applications.

When preparing your project for PCB Fabrication using PTFE materials, it is important to reach out early in the
process, if possible, for a quotation. Projects involving Rogers and other high-frequency PCB materials will
require a special estimate, not covered by Bittele’s online quoting tool. Extra care is necessary in PCB
Fabrication for high-frequency materials since PTFE is relatively soft compared to FR4-type materials, making
it more susceptible to damage while handling. The fabrication of plated through-holes and slots is also more
difficult for PTFE materials, due to the famous non-stick properties of Teflon.

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3.6 Metal-Core PCBs

For PCBs with very high thermal demands, Bittele can also provide professional metal-core PCB fabrication
options, where a metal base is bonded to the copper signal layers, separated by a dielectric for insulation.
Metal-Core PCBs are often used to help conduct heat away from vital components in high power designs, such
as amplifiers, power supply modules, motor drives, commercial lighting, and many automotive applications.
The standard Metal-Core PCB design consists of three main components:

Signal Layer: Contains copper pads and traces, subject to copper weight specifications defined in Section 3.4

Dielectric Layer: Offers high electrical insulation and high thermal conductivity

Metal Core: Most commonly aluminum for low-cost, but other options such as copper are available

Figure 2 shows a simple diagram of the standard Metal-Core PCB components described above:

Figure 2: Simple Metal-Core PCB Visualization

Bittele Electronics generally provides metal-core PCB fabrication with core thicknesses ranging from 0.031” to
0.125”, but we can also handle orders for other sizes with a special estimate. We also provide heavy copper
options for the signal, power, and ground layers of your design, from 0.5oz. to 10oz. or more.

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3.7 Multi-Layer Stack-Up

Multi-layer boards have some physical properties which need to be considered by both the designer and
manufacturer in order to ensure a quality construction. Multilayer board designs should have an even number
of layers for best quality. Choose each layer’s dielectric thickness from the provided core or prepreg thicknesses
listed in Table 3 and Table 4. For possible combinations please consult our Bittele manufacturing team for what
are suitable and achievable dimensions and tolerances.

It is recommended that multi-layer designs balance the lay-up relative to Z-axis median to minimize bow and
twist. In other words, a layer stackup list should read the same from top to bottom as it does from bottom to
top. Dielectric thickness, copper thickness and the location of layers, median, Z-axis need to be balanced. If the
multi-layer design rules are adhered to, the PCB should meet specification for the maximum allowable bow
and twist of 0.75mm per 10mm (0.75%) or better. It is also beneficial to balance the circuitry distribution
between the front and back of the board as much as possible. This is more of a concern with thicker copper
weights.

Thickness Tolerance increases as the overall thickness of a multi-layer board increases. You should specify a
tolerance of ±10% for the overall thickness which is thicker than 1mm[39.37mils], or ±0.1mm[±4mils] for
1mm[39.37mils] thickness or thinner. Also, you need to always indicate where the thickness measurement is
to be taken.

3.8 Multi-Layer Stack-Up Recommendation

We at Bittele Electronics can fabricate multi-layer PCB boards up to a maximum of 40 layers. PCB’s with more
than 20 layers will require an additional estimate before production can begin. Below are our recommended
stackups for normal board thickness of 1.57mm [62mils]. We at Bittele do offer custom stack ups, please let us
know what you need, and our CAM engineer will review it for feasibility.

2 Layer Stackup
Layer Order Layer Name Material Type Thickness Copper Weight
1 Top Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 57.7 mil
2 Bottom Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Finished board thickness: 62mil ±10%

4 Layer Stackup
Layer Order Layer Name Material Type Thickness Copper Weight
1 Top Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
2 Inner 1 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 36.6 mil
3 Inner 2 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
4 Bottom Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Finished board thickness: 62mil ±10%

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6 Layer Stackup
Layer Order Layer Name Material Type Thickness Copper Weight
1 Top Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116) 4.5 mil
2 Inner 1 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 16.9 mil
3 Inner 2 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
4 Inner 3 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 16.9 mil
5 Inner 4 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116) 4.5 mil
6 Bottom Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Finished board thickness: 62mil ±10%

8 Layer Stackup
Layer Order Layer Name Material Type Thickness Copper Weight
1 Top Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
2 Inner 1 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 5.1 mil
3 Inner 2 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
4 Inner 3 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 5.1 mil
5 Inner 4 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
6 Inner 5 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 5.1 mil
7 Inner 6 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
8 Bottom Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Finished board thickness: 62mil ±10%

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10 Layer Stackup
Layer Order Layer Name Material Type Thickness Copper Weight
1 Top Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116) 4.5 mil
2 Inner 1 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 3.9 mil
3 Inner 2 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
4 Inner 3 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 3.9 mil
5 Inner 4 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (1080*2) 5.9 mil
6 Inner 5 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 3.9 mil
7 Inner 6 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116*2) 9.1 mil
8 Inner 7 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Core 3.9 mil
9 Inner 8 Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Prepreg (2116) 4.5 mil
10 Bottom Copper 1.4 mil 1 oz.
Finished board thickness: 62mil ±10%

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3.9 Buried Capacitance

Buried Capacitance is a PCB production methodology where decoupled capacitance is gained from inserting a
very thin dielectric layer inside a PCB. Adding buried capacitance to a board eliminates the need for decoupling
capacitors, freeing up more PCB space as redundant pads and conductors can be removed. Having a lower
number of components on a PCB will lower the cost and simplifies PCB assembly operations and also reduces
the number of required steps. New technology, like this, grants greater freedom to designers which allows
them to design PCBs with greater performance, or equivalent performance in a smaller board size. Lastly, using
buried capacitance can also reduce noise and high frequency electro-magnetic interference to improve PCB
quality. Figure 3 (below), illustrates an 8-layer board with buried capacitance.

Figure 3: Buried Capacitance Stackup (8-Layers)

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3.10 Material Substitutes (North America vs China)

China Substitute Materials North American Laminates
• Shengyi S1141 (TG 140) • Isola FR406 (TG 170)
• Td 310, Dk 4.4, Df 0.013 • Td 300, Dk 3.95, Df 0.0161
• Material Datasheet Link • Material Datasheet Link

• Shengyi S1000H (Tg 150) • Isola 370HR (TG 180)

• Td 348, Dk 4.6, Df 0.011 • Td 340, Dk 4.17, Df 0.0161
• Material Datasheet Link • Material Datasheet Link

• Shengyi S1000-2M (TG 170)

• Td 355, Dk 4.6, Df 0.018
• Material Datasheet Link

• ITEQ IT180A (TG 180)

• Td 345, Dk 4.4, Df 0.015
• Material Datasheet Link

Table 6

Tg 130 Tg 150 Tg 170 Tg 180

China U.S. China U.S. China U.S. China U.S.
FR40 S1000 S1000- IT180
S1141 FR406 FR406 370HR
2 H 2M A
Td (TGA@5% weight
310 320 348 300 355 300 345 340
loss)
Dk (50% resin @ 1GHz) 4.4 4.25 4.6 3.95 4.6 3.95 4.4 4.17
0.016 0.016 0.016
Df (50% resin @ 1GHz) 0.013 0.015 0.011 0.018 0.015
1 1 1
RoHS Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Finally, apart from the laminate quality we must also take the available laminate’s material cost and delivery
lead time into account. Since Bittele’s PCB Fabrication and Assembly facilities are based in China the cost for
importing North American laminates would be higher and increase lead time as illustrated in Table 6. Thus,
from this comparison chart we can conclude that the use of local substitute is preferable due to the lower
material costs and shorter lead time as shown in Table 7.

Table 7

Material Price Matrix

Cost in China Lead Time Cost in N.A. Lead Time
370HR 130% Longer 100% Shorter
FR408HR 150% Longer 120% Shorter
S1141 70% Shorter 120% Longer
S1000-H 75% Shorter 120% Longer
S1000-2 70% Shorter 120% Longer
IT180A 80% Shorter 140% Longer

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4.0 Standard PCB Manufacturing Capabilities

PCB Manufacturing Capability is a summary of a PCB manufacturing facility’s PCB fabrication options, limits
and tolerances in regards to what circuit boards can be produced. This section introduces our facility’s
fabrication capabilities as well as cost and lead time requirements. Often clients will make PCB design choices
based on the manufacturer’s fabrication capabilities. With the knowledge of our capability, limits, and
tolerances, mistakes can be reduced, and time can be saved. Since all PCBs should essentially be designed for
manufacturing, these guidelines aim to aid the transition from design to fabrication.

4.1 PCB Technology Matrix

A brief overview of technological specifications that determine if a PCB can be fabricated by Bittele are listed
in Table 8 below. For a more comprehensive list of our capabilities please refer to our other document PCB
Fabrication Specifications.

Table 8

Feature Bittele Capabilities

Minimum Trace Width 0.076mm [3.0mils] (increases with copper weight – see Section 3.4)
Minimum Hole Size 0.076mm [3.0mils] for laser / 0.152mm [6.0mils] for mechanical
Maximum Hole Size 0.152mm [6.0mils] for laser / 6.0mm [236.0mils] for mechanical,
if larger than 6.0mm can be cut out by milling
Minimum Clearance (0.076mm) [3.0mils] (increases with copper weight – see Section 3.4)
Board Thickness Limits 0.203mm [8mils]- 6mm [236.0mils] for 2-layer board
up to 10mm [394mils] for multilayer board
Board Thickness Tolerance ±10% (for > 1.0mm)
±0.10mm (for <= 1.0mm)
Allowable Copper Weights 0.5oz [0.685mils] to 20oz [27.4mils]
Minimum Board Size 5.08 x 5.08mm [0.2inch x 0.2inch]
Maximum Board Size 356 x 508mm [14inches x20inches] or larger for bare boards
Aspect Ratio 10.7:1 (for OSP finish, 10:1)
Layer Count Up to 40 (below 20 recommended)
Bow & Twist 0.75%
Impedance Control Mass Production: ±5 Ω (for < 50 Ω) and ±10% (for >= 50 Ω)
Sample Boards : ±5%
Board Finishes HASL, LF-HASL, ENIG, Immersion Silver, OSP, Immersion Tin, ENEPIG,
Soft Gold, Full Body Hard Gold, Selective Hard Gold
Special Features Gold fingers, Jump Score, Blind/Buried Vias, Via In Pad, etc.

PCB key factors also affect each other thus they increase or decrease in relation to each other; for example:
• The trace width and the clearance affect each other; when trace width increases, the trace clearance
will decrease, and its impedance will also decrease.
• The minimum hole size and board thickness affects aspect ratio so when minimum hole size decreases
or board thickness increases, the aspect ratio will enlarge.
• Hole sizes will affect the annular ring and the space between hole to other features, when hole size
enlarges, the annular ring and the space will decrease.
• Copper weight affects impedance. When copper weight increases, the impedance will decrease.

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4.1.1 Pricing
Bittele Electronics offers baseline pricing for PCB fabrication and assembly. These will start with default values,
and can be customized to meet your needs. Final cost will be affected by material choice and component cost.
Material and component prices are constantly changing due to fluctuation in market prices. Some factors that
affect PCB fabrication and assembly cost include:
• Board Size - While PCB board is larger than 50mm x 50mm, a smaller PCB can lower cost while a larger
PCB board will cost more. Boards less than 50mm x 50mm will lower the production efficiency but
increase the production cost.
• Number of Layers - Price will increase as the number of layers increases.
• Laminate Materials - A laminate material with Tg140 would cost less while higher quality laminate
with Tg180 will cost more.
• Copper Weight - Amount of copper per a given area. A higher copper weight along with a larger number
of layers will increase production cost.
• Gold Finger - Used to interconnect PCBs into matching sockets like a PC motherboard. Gold fingers will
increase price based on quantity and the number of sides requiring gold fingers.
• Via In Pad- Holes under the component pads, which need to be filled with non-conductive epoxy, will
increase cost by adding an extra step to fabrication.
• Blind, Buried, Micro-Vias - Special vias require extra processing and multiple lamination steps.
• Board Thickness - Overall cost will vary dependent on the board thickness required.
• Surface Finish - Bittele Electronics offers the choice of Gold Immersion, HASL, Lead-free HASL, OSP and
Silver Immersion at no additional cost. Hard Gold, Selective Gold Plating and others will affect pricing.
• Impedance Control - Calculate electrical impedance and buried impedance. Tighter manufacturing
tolerance to meet requirements adds to cost. TDR coupon & report are included.
• V-Scoring, Tab Routing, and Mousebite Holes - Used to form multiple boards into a panel(array) with
no extra charge for services if multiple boards have all the same design. If multiple PCB designs are
needed for panelization, additional fees for this service will apply.
• Special Features - countersink holes, etc.
• If the requirements of the PCB do not conform to the capacity of the factory; e.g. layer count, board
thickness, board size, surface finish, and special features; then cost will be affected.

4.1.2 Lead Time

Lead time is an estimate of the amount of time needed to complete one operation or process from start to
end. One type of lead time is material delivery lead time which is the estimated time needed for board assembly
materials to arrive at Bittele facilities for non-standard materials. Another type of lead time is the
manufacturing lead time, an estimate by our production facilities for the time needed to fabricate and assembly
a PCB in question. Our minimum lead time for bare PCBs is 5 days; however, lead time increases with quantity
and number of layers. For turn-key orders, standard lead time is 14 days, but you may ask one of our sales
associates about rushed service. Factors beyond layers and quantity that affect lead time include:
• Copper weight- when over 3oz. may add material purchasing lead time
• Oversized or very small boards require an extra day lead time

Table 9 shows the standard lead times for various numbers of PCB layers, which is the main factor in
determining the manufacturing time required for a bare PCB. Please note that there are many other factors
that can impact the overall project lead time, such as order quantity or special requirements like via in pad or
oversized dimensions.

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Table 9

Layers 5 days 6 days 7 days 8 days 9 days 10 days 11 days 12 days 13 days
1-2 Layers X X X X X X X X X
4 layers X X X X X X X X
6 layers X X X X X X X
8 layers X X X X X X
10 layers X X X X X
12 layers X X X X
14 layers X X X
16 layers X X
18 layers X

4.2 Etch Factor

4.2.1 What is Etching?
PCB etching is the process of selectively removing unwanted copper from a PCB’s copper clad substrates. The
two primary methods of removing the copper cladding are mechanical etching and chemical etching.
Mechanical etching uses a CNC machining tool with a special cutting tool to remove narrow strips of copper
from the boundary of each pad and trace in order to electrically isolate them from the rest of the copper foil.
Chemical etching uses a corrosive solution to dissolve away unwanted copper. A protective layer is cut to match
the PCB’s gerber design files and then blocks the applied chemicals maintaining the pads and traces that need
to remain intact. We at Bittele use chemical etching as a normal method due to its precision and efficiency.

4.2.2 What is Etch Factor?

To produce the copper layer features designed by our client, we use a corrosive solution to remove the
unwanted copper area, thus leaving behind the desired pattern. But when etching, the corrosive solution will
not only etch the unwanted copper, but also etch the walls of the copper features of the design which means
undercut, refer to Figure 4 that illustrates the result. The ratio “D/C” is equal to the etching factor. Thus, the
depth to which the etching occurs is proportional with copper layer thickness (i.e. thicker copper has deeper
etching). This occurs because thicker copper requires more time exposed to the chemicals to be fully removed
thus the corrosive chemicals have more time to etch the walls before being washed away.

The etch factor for PCBs manufactured by Bittele depend on whether it is inner or outer layers. Etch Factor for
outer layers is 1.4 and the Etch Factor for inner layers is 2.5.

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Figure 4: Etching Dimensions Profile View

4.3 Drill Selection

4.3.1 Hole Diameter
We Bittele can drill holes with sizes listed below.

Table 10

Available Mechanical Holes Size 0.152mm - 6.0mm [6mils - 236mils]

Available Laser Holes Size 0.102mm - 0.152mm [4mils - 6mils]
Note: If the holes size is bigger than 6.0mm, we can also build them as cutouts (by milling), but the
tolerance needs to be ±0.13mm[±5.12mils]

Holes drilled into printed circuit boards can either be plated in copper or left bare. The plated holes will be
covered with copper on their walls after copper layers are etched, and they are used for forming electrical
connections from one copper layer to another in a PCB. Non-plated holes are usually used for positioning or
mounting, and thus do not require copper on their walls. Please indicate your choices in your gerber files. Your
circuit design program should be able to assist with this.

For multilayer boards, holes can be categorized based on their depth into through holes, blind holes and buried
holes. Through holes will be drilled through the whole board from top and bottom layer, blind holes will be
drilled from one outer layer to an inner layer, and buried holes are drilled from an inner layer to another inner
layer. See Section 5.3 Micro-via for further explanation on these hole types. A separate drill hole layer is
necessary for each different depth of hole up to a maximum of 4 types. For example, an 8-layer board with
through holes, blind and buried vias between layers 1 to 2 and 3 to 6 will require 3 different layers with hole
locations and sizes.

4.3.2 Drill Tolerances

Hole size tolerance is the allowable range of variation for a PCB’s drilled hole from the specified hole size
location in the PCB design, see Table 11 for details.

Pressfit holes are plated holes with tighter tolerance which are used for through hole components that are not
soldered to the board.

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Bittele can control the various drill tolerances as described in Table 11 below.

Table 11

Plated Hole Size ±0.076mm [± 3mils]

Pressfit Hole Size ±0.051mm [± 2mils]
Non-Plated Hole Size ±0.051mm [± 2mils]
Hole Location ±0.075mm [± 3mils]

4.3.3 Slot Size Tolerance

Slots are special holes which have different length from their width. And usually, if their length is longer than
twice of their width, we will call them as “long slots”, otherwise, we will call them as “short slots”.

We at Bittele can control the slots size tolerance according to Table 12 below.

Table 12

Plated Short Slots ±0.152mm [±6mils]

Non-Plated Short Slots ±0.102mm [±4mils]
Plated Long Slots ±0.102mm [±4mils]
Non-Plated Long Slots ±0.076mm [±3mils]

4.4 Aspect Ratio

Aspect Ratio is calculated by dividing the maximum board thickness with the smallest drilled hole diameter size
specified for that board design. Maximum board thickness is the PCB thickness without copper plating or solder
mask. The aspect will affect the difficulty of plating. The bigger the aspect ratio is, the harder the plating process
will be.

We Bittele can build the board with aspect ratio listed in Table 13 below:

Table 13

Minimum Plated Available Maximum Available

Holes Size Aspect Ratio Board Thickness
0.15mm <= 10.7 : 1 1.6mm
0.20mm <= 12.0 : 1 2.4mm
<= 12 : 1 (20 : 1 is also available, 3.0mm
0.25mm
but need an estimate at first) (If thicker, need an estimate at first)

4.5 Annular Ring

Annular ring is the width of the copper area around a hole to connect it with the PCB trace network. Annular
ring size is an important PCB design consideration since during PCB fabrication many conditions can cause holes
to not be drilled perfectly centered. Therefore, it is necessary to design a sufficiently thick ring to allow for
manufacturing tolerances and still produce a reliable electrical connection to the hole. See Figure 5 below for
an illustration. We at Bittele can fabricate the board with annular ring listed in Table 14 below.

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Figure 5: Illustration of Annular Ring

Table 14

Copper Weight Minimum Annular Ring Needed

0.102mm [4.0mils]
0.5 oz. or 1.0 oz.
(using 0.076mm [3.0mils] in a few places is Acceptable)
0.152mm [6.0mils]
2.0 oz.
(using 0.127mm [5.0mils] in a few places is Acceptable)
0.203mm [8.0mils]
3.0 oz.
(using 0.152mm [6.0mils] in a few places is Acceptable)

4.6 Tear Drop Pads

Tear Drop Pads are an extra feature that adds additional
copper at the junction of annular rings with PCB traces. It is
named this due to the tear drop like shape made with the
ring. This tear drop shape design feature enhances
structural integrity against possible thermal or mechanical
stresses, while also compensating for small fabrication
tolerances that may compromise structural integrity. A
common type of fabrication error is hole misalignment
which removes too much copper from the junctions of a
hole pad and PCB trace causing the possibility for a broken
trace connection or too thin of a connection. Tear Drop Pads
leave extra copper and lowers the chance of board
functional problems occurring due to hole misalignment.
We at Bittele Electronics typically add tear drop pad
whenever possible if an annular ring is thinner than 0.178mm [7mils] since it will increase tolerance limits for
mistakes reducing the possibility of PCB problems occurring after fabrication and assembly.
Whether tear drop pads are needed or not depends on the annular ring thickness of the plated holes:
• For annular ring < 0.178mm [7mils] tear drop pads are recommended to add, but not necessary
• For annular ring >= 0.178mm [7mils] tear drop pads are not needed

4.7 Hole Clearance

Clearance means the space between two features. Usually, there will be slight misalignment between different
copper layers, and we will locate holes according to the fiducial marks which we add on the working panels.
So, if the space between the hole and other copper features is too narrow, the holes may be drilled too close
to the copper features because of misalignment, potentially causing a short-circuit or damaged pads. The
higher the layer count is, the bigger the misalignment could be, and the larger the clearance we will need.

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The clearance to design between the holes to other copper feature will depend on the layer count as shown
below in Table 15:

Table 15

Layers Count Minimum Clearance Between The Hole To Other Copper Feature
0.203mm [8.0mils] (preferred)
<= 6
0.152mm [6.0mils] (minimum)
0.203mm [8.0mils] (preferred)
8
0.178mm [7.0mils] (minimum)
0.254mm [10.0mils] (preferred)
10
0.191mm [7.5mils] (minimum)
0.254mm [10.0mils] (preferred)
>= 12
0.203mm [8.0mils] (minimum)

4.8 Conductor Clearance

Conductor clearance is the distance between traces or other copper elements. Sufficient trace clearance is
essential to ensure manufacturing tolerances do not compromise the function of your board. In addition, to
ensure the conductor width can match the Gerber, we must compensate (or enlarge) the conductor in Gerber
to counteract the effect of undercut as explained in Section 4.2 Etch Factor. The heavier the copper weight is,
the deeper the etching, thus wider conductor clearance is needed to compensate.

The minimum conductor clearance depends on the copper weight as shown in Table 16 below.

Table 16

Copper Minimum Clearance Minimum Clearance

Weight (Inner Layers) (Outer Layers)
0.089mm [3.5mils] (preferred) 0.089mm [3.5mils] (preferred)
0.5oz
0.076mm [3.0mils] (minimum) 0.076mm [3.0mils] (OK only in a few places)
0.102mm [4.0mils] (preferred) 0.102mm [4.0mils] (preferred)
1oz
0.089mm [3.5mils] (minimum) 0.089mm [3.5mils] (minimum)
0.152mm [6.0mils] (preferred) 0.178mm [7.0mils] (preferred)
2oz
0.127mm [5.0mils] (minimum) 0.152mm [6.0mils] (minimum)
0.254mm [10.0mils] (preferred) 0.279mm [11.0mils] (preferred)
3oz
0.229mm [9.0mils] (minimum) 0.229mm [9.0mils] (minimum)
> 3oz Ask our sales team to verify Ask our sales team to verify

Copper traces and other features must also be kept at least 0.2mm[8mils] from the board edge for standard
tab routing, or 0.4mm[16mils] for V-Scoring. Feature-to-edge requirements are intended to protect against
potential damage to copper features when individual boards are separated from the fabrication panel.

4.9 Via Holes Treatment

The plating thickness in vias will be determined by the parameters when doing copper plating for the board.
Our copper plating can range from 20µm to 30µm. If you require thicker via plating it will affect the copper
weight on top and bottom layers, since the thicker the plating for the via holes, the thicker the top and bottom
layers will be plated. If thermal conduction is your concern, we recommend filling the via holes with non-
conductive epoxy, and then plate over it using the "Via In Pad" process. There is a cost to this process but it is
less costly, and more reliable, than filling the hole with conductive material.
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Solder mask opening (also called solder mask clearance) indicates the area which should not be covered with
solder mask ink. These openings are required to be on their own separate layer in the gerber files for each outer
side of your board. For the via holes in your board’s Gerber files, if you have not designed a solder mask opening
for them, we can treat them following ways outlined in Table 17.

Table 17

Via Hole Treatment Limiting Condition Extra Cost

1. The hole diameter must be smaller than 0.5mm [20mils] No
Plugged with Solder Mask 2. No solder mask opening on at least one side
3. Finished board thickness should be 0.4mm ~ 2.4mm.
No
Covered with Solder Mask N/A
1. The hole diameter must be smaller than 0.6mm [24mils] Yes
Via-In-Pad 2. Finished board thickness is bigger than 0.5mm ~ 2.4mm.
3. The material cannot be PTFE material.

Plugged with solder mask: The holes will be built as normal through holes first, and then be filled with solder
mask ink. After plugging, light will not be able to go through the holes. When you are using a part with a BGA
package, we advise that you plug the via holes under BGA area to avoid a short circuit when assembling.

Covered with solder mask: Solder mask ink will cover the top of the copper pads of the via holes, and solder
mask ink may also flow into the holes, but the holes are not filled, and light is able to go through these holes.

Via-in-pad: The via holes will be filled with non-conductive epoxy, and then plated over them. While there are
some via holes which are designed on SMD pads, we may also need to build via-in-pad to avoid the risk of
leaking tin when assembling certain designs.

4.10 Finished Board Thickness

Finished overall board thickness can be measured from a PCB’s top layer to its bottom layer including the solder
mask and copper layers. This dimension is used for designing enclosures for the board. Do not forget to account
for component height in your overall design. The maximum board thickness will be as shown in Table 18 below.

Table 18

Layers count Maximum Board Thickness Maximum Board Thickness

<= 2 Layers 0.149inch preferred (0.177inch possible) 3.8mm preferred (4.5mm possible)
> 2 Layer 0.149inch preferred (0.236inch possible) 3.8mm preferred (6.0mm possible)
Note: For 2-layer boards, if the board is thicker than 3.2mm, we may have to build it as mock 4-layer board
since we do not have the suitable substrate to match this thickness.

4.11 Overall Finished Profile Tolerance

A surfaces profile is a 3-dimensional tolerance zone outline around a surface plane defined by using basic radii
dimensions, coordinate dimensions, angular dimensions. The profile tolerance is a uniform boundary around a
board surface where there are elements of the surface generated by off setting each point forming two
tolerance zones. Profile tolerances is what controls a feature's form, size, orientation, and sometimes location
with profile elements that are curved lines, straight lines, and areas.

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We at Bittele can fabricate a PCB with tolerances listed in Table 19.

Table 19
Imperial Metric
Hole to Board Edge ±6mils preferred (min. ±4mils) ±0.152mm preferred (min. ±0.102mm)
Board Edge to Board Edge ±5mils preferred (min. ±4mils) ±0.127mm preferred (min. ±0.102mm)
V-Score to V-Score ±5mils preferred (min. ±4mils) ±0.127mm preferred (min. ±0.102mm)

4.12 Board Outline

As part of your design’s Gerber files, we require an outline of your board’s final shape. By doing this you may
control your final result and ensure conductors and components have a safe clearance from the edge. We at
Bittele require a clearance of 0.2mm[8mils] for standard routing and 0.4mm[16mils] for V-score edges, between
your copper and board edge to allow for manufacturing tolerance. A larger clearance is preferred if possible.
Edge connectors do not require this clearance. We are capable of cutting complex shapes to your board at no
additional cost. Our minimum cutter size 0.8mm[31.5mils] thus all cut-outs must be larger than this, otherwise
they may be a slot hole. Our outer board tolerance is ±0.15mm[±6mils].

4.13 Edge Bevel

Edge beveling is the process of making a transitional edge between two faces of a PCB usually performed on
the outer edge of the PCB. Bevelling is commonly used on edge connectors to allow for smoother insertion into
another circuit board socket. The edge connection pins are often called gold fingers because they are plated in
gold and there are several of them grouped together in parallel. Gold fingers are further discussed in Section
Edge Connector Plating. For gold fingers, we at Bittele have the options listed below:
• Available beveling angle: 20, 30, 45 and 60 degrees
• Residual thickness after beveling: >=0.3mm[11.8mils] (0.2mm[7.87mils] is okay, but ask for an
estimate)

You can calculate the depth or residual thickness of the bevelling using the geometry shown below in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Edge Bevelling of Gold Finger Profile View

Where d is depth, a is bevel angle, t is board thickness and tr is residual thickness.

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5.0 HDI Technology Capabilities

In addition to our standard PCB options, we at Bittele can also build HDI boards including features such as laser-
drilled microvias or blind / buried vias. HDI boards commonly include even smaller trace width and spacing
requirements than our usual minimums. Our capability for HDI PCB designs is specified in this section.

What are HDI boards?

High Density Interconnect (HDI) Technology is used in the trace network of multi-layer PCB boards fabrication
to interconnect different PCB layers. Bittele’s manufacturing facility maintains various limits or tolerances
which are recommended to follow for HDI PCB fabrication to avoid problems with your fabricated PCB. Various
types of micro-via such as blind via and buried via in the various layers are used to make these complex HDI
PCBs.

5.1 Tight Trace Width / Spacing (Trace/Space)

The traces of a printed circuit board are a continuous path of copper on which electricity travels. The clearance
space on a PCB design refers to the space or gap used to separate traces from other elements on the copper
layer. We must maintain a minimum clearance space for each trace width to prevent short circuiting and allow
for manufacturing tolerances. The minimum clearance trace width and space will be dependent on the copper
weight of internal and external layers on the board. For our capability of trace width and space on HDI boards,
please see Table 20 below.

Table 20

Layer Copper Weight Trace Width / Spacing

0.076/0.089mm [3.0/3.5mils] (preferred)
1/2 oz.
0.076/0.076mm [3.0/3.0mils] (minimum)
0.102/0.102mm [4.0/4.0mils] (preferred)
1.0 oz.
Internal Layer 0.076/0.076mm [3.0/3.0mils] (minimum)
0.127/0.152mm [5.0/6.0mils] (preferred)
2.0 oz.
0.102/0.140mm [4.0/5.5mils] (minimum)
0.152/0.229mm [6.0/9.0mils] (preferred)
3.0 oz.
0.127/0.203mm [5.0/8.0mils] (minimum)
0.102/0.102mm [4.0/4.0mils] (preferred)
1.0 oz.
0.076/0.076mm [3.0/3.0mils] (minimum)
0.102/0.127mm [4.0/5.0mils] (preferred)
1.5 oz.:
External Layer 0.102/0.102mm [4.0/4.0mils] (minimum)
0.127/0.178mm [5.0/7.0mils] (preferred)
2.0 oz.
0.127/0.152mm [5.0/6.0mils] (minimum)
0.152/0.229mm [6.0/9.0mils] (preferred)
3.0 oz.
0.152/0.203mm [6.0/8.0mils] (minimum)

5.2 BGA
BGA is abbreviated from Ball Grid Array, a form of surface mount technology (SMT). BGA is now chosen more
commonly in circuit design. BGA packages were developed due to the market demand for a more robust and
convenient package to permanently mount integrated circuits with large numbers of pins. BGA allows for more
interconnection pins per surface area than possible on a dual in-line or flat package. Some BGA components

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even mount integrated circuits with over 100 pins. To achieve this, the entire bottom of a BGA chip is largely
filled with interconnection pins. By not limiting connections to the perimeter, connections under the SMD
package will increase the efficiency of how space is utilized.

Over the years Bittele Electronics has accumulated a vast amount of Ball Grid Array (BGA) assembly expertise
and has developed a dependable process over time. Currently our fabrication and assembly facilities use the
most up to date BGA placement equipment and we also utilize X-ray inspection equipment to verify the
soldering. We have a proven record of producing BGA circuit boards with excellent yield rates and the highest
quality in the electronics manufacturing industry. At Bittele we can process BGA packages with the
specifications listed in Table 21.

Our skilled workforce employs thermal profiles even for low volume prototype boards, as it is a key function in
the BGA assembly process. We carefully review the circuit board files and BGA chip datasheets to make the
most appropriate thermal profile for BGA assembly. Lead-free BGA circuit boards pass through a particular
lead-free thermal profile to prevent ball issues, which may occur due to using a lower temperature.
Alternatively, the costly leaded BGA boards are diverted through specific leaded processes to avoid high
temperatures which lead to pin shorts. We have effective quality inspection procedures in place to offer high
quality services.

We possess high-tech BGA placement equipment, precise BGA assembly processes and automated x-ray
inspection (AXI) system to provide better quality BGA circuit board assembly. AXI is used to identify assembly
defects; our team uses 2D x-rays to render 3D images, to verify the issues such as a circuit board broken vias in
inner layers and BGA ball’s cold solder break.

Table 21

Capabilities of BGA Package

Available Size 2mmx3mm ~ 45mmx45mm
Available material Ceramics, Plastics
Minimum 0.4mm[15.75mils] (0.35mm[13.78mils] is okay,
Available pitch
but an estimate is needed.)

5.3 Micro-via
A standard micro-via consists of tiny copper plated holes with a diameter of 0.152mm[6mils] or less and are
made using a laser drill. Micro-vias can connect adjacent layers, allowing a single multilayer PCB to hold more
circuit traces, which increases PCB circuit density. Although a single standard micro-via can only link two
adjacent copper layers, there will still be significantly more available space for traces. Micro-vias consisting of
various types such as blind via and buried via are used in High Density Interconnect (HDI) PCB designs. Via-In-
Pad technology is also available, as described in Section 4.9, to further increase circuit density.

A standard micro-via is a highly reliable type of interconnection structure and should be used in a board design
whenever possible. For a HDI PCB the circuit routes need to interconnect several layers to connect components
but a standard micro-via can only be used to connect two adjacent layers. Thus, in order to use micro-via in
HDI board design we need to use the micro-vias in a compound design structure to connect more than two
adjacent layers. There are two types of complex structures that use a standard micro-via: staggered and stacked
structures. These structures are described below in sections 5.3.3 and 5.3.4.

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We at Bittele Electronics can fabricate micro-via with a size ranging from 0.076mm[3mils] to a maximum
size of 0.152mm[6mils]. Fabrication of these vias will require separate drill files for each layer pair, with the
via hole positions on all the different layers of a multi-layer PCB; for example, one drill file for all top-to-bottom-
layer holes, and another for all second-to-third layer holes, etc.

An HDI PCB board with buried and blind vias can be laminated on the same side a maximum of three times.
This means that a board can be processed in a maximum of 3 steps for blind or buried vias. For example, as
boards are built from the center, we can have a buried via through a center layer, then a second process can add
layers on either side with more buried vias and then a third pressing can add blind vias to the outer layers.
Finally, through holes can be drilled for a total of 4 drilling stages. See Figure 8 below for an example. For
prototype fabrication, we are able to fabricate a 14-layer board with interconnection between any two layers.

Figure 8: Example of 10-layer HDI board with maximum via steps

Table 22

Summary of HDI Capabilities

Laser Drilling Diameter 0.075mm[3mils] – 0.152mm[6mils]
Maximum
3 for mass production (6 for prototype boards)
Blind/Buried Steps
Maximum Through-Hole
4 for mass production (7 for prototype boards)
Drilling Stages
Maximum Aspect Ratio for
0.8:1 (preferred) – 1:1 (maximum)
Laser Via Fill Plating
Minimum Gap Between 7mils (laminate once) – 8mils (laminate twice) – 9mils (laminate 3 times) *preferred
Blind/Buried Hole Wall 6mils (laminate once) – 7mils (laminate twice) – 8mils (laminate 3 times) *minimum
& Conductor
Minimum Gap Between
Laser-Drilled Hole Wall 7mils (1+N+1) – 8mils (2+N+2)
& Conductor
Minimum Space
0.152mm[6mils] (preferred)
Between Laser Holes &
0.127mm[5 mils] (minimum)
Conductor
Minimum Pad Size for 6mil bigger than the holes size (for example, 10mil copper pads for 4mil hole
Laser Holes diameter)

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0.305mm[12mils] (LF-HASL) – 0.203mm[8mils] (Other Surface Finish) - (Preferred)

0.254mm[10mils] (LF-HASL) – 0.254mm[10mils] (HASL) – 0.178mm[7mils] - (Other
Minimum BGA Pad Size
Surface Finish) – (Minimum)
*See Section 6.0 for details on surface finish options
BGA Pad Size ±1.5 mils (pad < 10 mils) – ±15% (pad > 10 mils) – (Preferred)
Tolerance ±1.2 mils (pad < 12 mils) – ±10% (pad > 12 mils) – (Minimum)

5.3.1 Blind via

A Blind via is a copper plated hole on an HDI PCB that can connect one of the external layers with one or more
internal layers, passing through two or more inner layers. Blind via can only be seen on one side of the board
since it can only connect an outer layer to inner layers. However, a blind-via connection cannot pass through
the entire board connecting directly to the other outer layer, though it must connect to one of the external
layers.

5.3.2 Buried via

A Buried via is a copper plated hole interconnecting two or more inner layers, but not connecting to an external
layer. A buried via is hidden inside or buried within the board so they are invisible from the outside as a buried
via can only pass between the inner layers. Buried vias are only used to connect the various inner layers while
not connecting to any outer layer. Thus, the drilling must be done before the pressing process of the PCB. For
example, 1+n+1,2+n+2, or 3+n+3, “n” represents a core layer with buried via on this multilayer board and the
numbers represent the couples of laser holes above the core layer. Also, laser holes on these inner layers can
be plated closed with copper.

Figure 9: Illustration of via types

5.3.3 Stacked Micro-via

Stacked micro-via is a type of compound design structure which stacks micro-via on top of each other. Stacked
micro-via use space efficiently allowing you to achieve the highest possible circuit density and are easier to use
than a staggered structure. Unfortunately, stacked micro-via are less reliable as the via experiences greater
thermal stress during the solder reflow step. Consequently, they are considered to be less reliable than even a
through-via.

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5.3.4 Staggered Micro-via

Staggered micro-via is a type of compound design made by placing micro-via with small offsets from each other
between layers. This is the most reliable complex design structure but it requires slightly more space in the HDI
PCB design.

5.4 Multiple Laminations / Sequential Laminations

Lamination is a technique to manufacture a composite material with multiple layers, in this case a multi-
layer PCB. Laminating board materials into a multi-layer PCB involves fusing two or more different
laminate boards using heat, pressure, welding, or adhesives. There are many different processes for
lamination and a variety of PCB material allow for several lamination processes that may applied to PCB
design.

For non-HDI boards a single lamination step fuses all layers. For HDI boards our technique for creating a
multilayer PCB is sequential lamination; a process starting on a core layer fused with a conductive and dielectric
layer on both sides using multiple pressure passes. Sequential lamination allows both blind and buried via to
be created during the build-up process allowing discrete or formed components to be embedded using High
Density Interconnect (HDI) technology for HDI PCB manufacturing. Due to the complexity of the sequential
lamination process, it may add considerable cost to board fabrication as well as increase lead time. Bittele
Electronics suggest consulting with one of our representatives if your design for an HDI PCB requires to be
constructed using sequential lamination. Although Bittele Electronics has the capability to fabricate multi-layer
PCBs with up to 40 layers, it is recommended to design your PCBs with 20 layers at most. A PCB layer refers to
a core, copper and prepreg layer in a PCB board not including the silkscreen, solder mask, and other layers.

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6.0 Surface Finish: Options and Requirements

Applying the surface finish is one of the most important yet least understood steps of PCB fabrication. Surface
finishes are used to cover and protect a PCB’s soldering pads. As a PCB designer, it is essential to understand
the various finishes that are available to you, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each finish.

Surface finish acts as a protective coating to shield copper not covered by a solder mask on a printed circuit
board (PCB). A surface finish can be applied to a PCB using one of three primary ways: dipping, immersion, or
electrolytic fusion. Dipping involves lowering and dipping parts of an unfinished PCB into a vat of liquid metal
surface finish while restricting it to cover only the desired locations with surface finish. Immersion is a method
where a PCB is fully immersed in a bath of liquid metal surface finish, thereby fully galvanizing the PCB. Lastly,
in the electrolytic plating process the PCB is immersed in a solution containing dissolved metal ions known as
an “electrolyte”. An electric current is then passed through that solution so that metal ions deposit themselves
onto the conductive surface of the PCB. Many different types of surface finishes exist, and we at Bittele offer a
variety of the most popular finished as options in our PCB fabrication services.

6.1 HASL/LF-HASL
Hot Air Solder Leveling (HASL) is the most common type of PCB
surface finish used in the industry. HASL finishes are composed
of solder, with proportions of approximately 63% tin and 37%
lead, commonly referred to as a 60/40 split. The process for
applying this finish is begun by dipping the circuit board into a
molten pot of the tin/lead alloy after the solder mask has been
applied. Next, a Hot Air Leveler (HAL) removes the excess solder,
using hot air knives to leave behind only the thinnest possible
layer. This remaining layer of solder protects the traces
underneath it from corrosion, while easing the task of soldering
components to the board by pre-tinning the whole pad. HASL is a
very cost-effective surface finish compared to other types of
finishes, and thus is considered a great choice for general-
purpose boards.
Figure 10: Example of a HASL Surface Finish
Lead-Free Hot Air Solder Leveling (LF-HASL) is similar to HASL in
appearance and usage; however, the solder in this case contains a mix of 99.3% Tin and 0.6% Copper. This alloy
results in a higher melting point for lead-free solder, when compared with leaded solder. LF-HASL is a
replacement for leaded solder, used when a lead-free or RoHS compliant PCB is required. Please note that a
laminate with higher temperature tolerance is needed for applying this finish; otherwise, the process is
identical.

In the past, HASL was one of the most popular surface finish choices due to its qualities as a low cost and robust
solution. Recent fundamental changes in the PCB industry, such as new more complex surface mount
technology (SMT), have revealed HASL’s shortcomings. HASL is not suitable for using with SMT due to uneven
surfaces not being compatible with fine pitch components. Recently, lead-free LF-HASL became available, but
now there are other lead-free options more suitable for a high-reliability product.

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Pros Cons
➢ Low-Cost Finish ➢ Uneven Surfaces
➢ Widely Available ➢ Not Good for Fine Pitch Components
➢ Repairable Layer ➢ Thermal Shock
➢ Excellent Shelf Life ➢ Not Good for Plated Through Holes (PTH)
➢ Poor Wetting
➢ New Call-to-Action
➢ Solder Bridging
➢ May Contain Lead (HASL)

Bittele offers a variety of surface finish options, all for a standard price, including HASL. Please note before
ordering that standard HASL finishes containing lead, therefore boards with this finish will not meet RoHS
standards. We suggest planning for the LF-HASL option if you want this type of surface finish.

6.2 ENTEK/OSP
Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) is a type of
water- based, organic surface finish that is typically
applied to copper pads on a PCB. OSP is an organic
chemical compound that will selectively bond to copper
pads, and provides an organometallic layer to protect
that copper layer. However, OSP is not as robust as HASL,
and is very sensitive to small abrasions requiring gloves
to avoid scratches. OSP is an environmentally-friendly
compound, and extremely green in comparison with
other lead-free finishes, which typically have more toxic
substances or require substantially higher energy
consumption. OSP is a good lead-free surface finish, with
very flat surfaces but it has a very short shelf life. To apply
this surface finish, you only need to dip the PCB into a
chemical bath of the OSP compound, but you must note
Figure 11: Example of an OSP Surface Finish
that this may only be done after all other processes are
finished, including Electrical Test and Inspection.

Pros Cons
➢ Lead-Free ➢ Not Good for PTH (Plated Through Holes)
➢ Flat Surface ➢ No Way to Measure Thickness
➢ Simple Process ➢ Short Shelf Life
➢ Repairable ➢ Can Cause ICT Issues
➢ Cost-Effective ➢ Sensitive Handling
➢ Exposed Cu on Final Assembly

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6.3 ENIG Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) is a double-layer

metallic surface finish that is composed of a very thin layer
of Gold applied over a layer of nickel. A nickel layer is first
plated onto the PCB copper pads using an electroless
process, a controlled chemical reaction. Then a gold layer
is applied on top of the nickel layer using immersion
methods to cover the pads and traces.

Typically, an ENIG surface finish is only applied after a

solder mask layer is applied; this is due to cost increasing if
all copper surfaces are plated with gold. After applying a
solder mask layer, the layer of gold will be applied only to
what is left exposed reducing the total area plated with
gold. The top layer of gold protects the nickel during the
storage period, thus providing excellent shelf life. This
finish also provides a very flat surface, which is ideal for
mounting parts such as Surface Mount Devices (SMDs) and
Figure 12: Example of an ENIG Surface Finish

Ball Grid Arrays (BGAs). ENIG is a finish preferred by many contract PCB assemblers due to the high electrical
conductivity of gold.

As a result of the many advantages listed above, ENIG has become the most highly-used finish in the PCB
industry since the growth and implementation of the RoHS regulation. Unfortunately, such great advantages
cannot come without drawbacks, and for ENIG the biggest drawback is it’s complex and sensitive application
procedure. If this procedure is not properly controlled, quality issues such as "Black Pad" may occur. Black Pad
is a buildup of phosphorous between the gold and nickel layers, which may result in fractured surfaces and
faulty connections.

Pros Cons
➢ Flat surfaces ➢ Black Pad / Black Nickel
➢ Strong ➢ Expensive
➢ Lead-Free ➢ Not Re-workable
➢ Good for PTH (Plated Through Holes) ➢ Damage from ET
➢ Long Shelf Life ➢ Signal Loss (RF)
➢ Limited Availability
➢ Complicated Process (two-parts)

We at Bittele offer ENIG as a standard surface finish option, with a standard price, meaning no additional cost
will be applied for selecting this finish. It is our most popular surface due to its improved quality at the standard
cost.

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Full Body Hard Gold also known as Hard Electrolytic Gold

6.4 Full Body Hard Gold is a layer of gold with hardeners for increased durability,
plated over a barrier coat of nickel using an electrolytic
process. Hard gold is extremely durable, and so this
material is usually applied to high-wear areas, such as
edge connector gold fingers and keypads, since its
hardness can withstand repeated use; however, due to
the high cost of hard gold, and its relatively poor solder-
ability, it is rarely applied to solder-able areas.

Full Body Hard Gold is a rarely-chosen surface finish,

where the full body of the PCB board is plated with hard
gold. In order to apply a Full Body Hard Gold surface
finish, an electrolytic process using an electric current or
an immersion process is needed, depending on the PCB
design. Due to the poor solderability of hard gold, a very
Figure 13: Example of a Full Body Hard Gold active flux will be required to solder effectively to the
Surface Finish hard-gold-plated pads.

Pros Cons
➢ Hard, Durable Surface ➢ Very Expensive
➢ No Lead ➢ Extra Processing / Labor Intensive
➢ Long Shelf Life ➢ Use of Resist / Tape
➢ Plating / Bus Bars Required
➢ Demarcation
➢ Difficulty with Other Surface Finishes
➢ Etching Undercut Leads to Slivering / Flaking
➢ Not Solderable Above 17 μin
➢ Finish Does Not Fully Encapsulate
Trace Sidewalls, Except in Finger
Areas

We at Bittele also offer this finish option, but please note that the associated cost depends on the specific
amount of gold plating area that is ordered. Please send all necessary documents and data to Bittele, and we
will review your files before providing you with an estimate.

6.5 Selective Gold

Selective Gold involves using gold surface finish to plate specific areas on a PCB, note that this does not include
applying gold fingers. While we at Bittele offer this finish option, the associated cost depends on the specific
area of gold plating ordered. Please send all necessary documents and data to Bittele, and we will review your
files before providing you with an estimate.

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6.6 Double Gold (Full-Body + Selective Gold)

Double Gold is a method that combines the use of both Full Body Hard Gold and Selective Gold methods. We
at Bittele offer this finish option, but please note that the associated cost depends on the specific area of gold
plating ordered. Please send all necessary documents and data to Bittele, and we will review your files before
providing you with an estimate.

6.7 Edge Connector Plating

The Edge Connector is the part of a printed circuit
board (PCB) with gold plating bars on the edge of the
board, shaped to plug into a matching socket.
Applying hard gold plating onto edge connectors as
gold fingers is highly recommended. Hard gold is
extremely durable thus when it is applied to high-
use areas, such as edge connectors, they can
withstand more wear and tear. We at Bittele also
offer this finish option, but please note that the
associated cost depends upon the specific amount
of gold plating area that is ordered. Please send all
necessary documents and data to Bittele, and we
will review your files before providing you with an
estimate. See Section 4.13 Edge Bevel for bevel
angles available for gold fingers.
Figure 14: Example of Edge Connector Plating

6.8 Wire Bonding (Soft Gold)

Wire Bonding which uses soft gold is another type of surface finish commonly referred to as “wire bondable
gold”. The softer gold used in this type of surface finish can easily form strong metallic bonds with standard
copper traces. The strong bond of gold and copper allows for more conductive connections when leads are
soldered to the board. The process for applying a soft gold surface finish is similar to hard gold, using an
electrolytic process to apply the finish, but the soft gold process requires that a solder mask first be applied.
When soldered, soft gold remains in the alloy, and produces a stronger welded joint at the point of soldering
or wire bond. We at Bittele also offer this option, but please note that the associated cost depends on the
specific amount of soft gold used in bonding. Please send all necessary documents and data to Bittele, and we
will review your files before providing you with an estimate.

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6.9 ENEPIG
Electroless Nickel / Electroless Palladium /
Immersion Gold (ENEPIG) is an advanced and
complicated surface finish. ENEPIG is similar to ENIG
and was developed over a decade ago as a design
improvement on the ENIG surface finish. ENEPIG
recently became more popular due to a decrease in
the price of palladium. The application process of
ENEPIG is similar to the ENIG application process,
with one extra step: the application of a palladium
layer over the nickel layer, before adding the top
gold layer. The palladium layer in the middle
removes the possibility of “Black Pad”, caused by
the nickel layer being corroded by the gold. The
ENEPIG method forms a flat, coplanar, hard surface
that is good for gold wire bonding, aluminum wire
bonding, and provides excellent solder-ability.

Figure 15: Example of an ENEPIG Surface Finish

Pros Cons
➢ Flat Surfaces ➢ Expensive
➢ Strong ➢ Not Re-workable
➢ Lead-Free ➢ Very Limited Availability
➢ Long Shelf Life ➢ Complicated Process (Three Parts)
➢ Good for PTH (Plated Through Holes)

Please note that we at Bittele usually do not provide ENEPIG as one of our standard surface finish options. If a
client is interested in this finish, we ask that they please contact one of our technical support specialists for
further details about cost and lead time before finalizing their order.

6.10 Immersion Tin

Immersion Tin is a method using a chemical
process to apply a very thin tin layer over the
copper layer. This method is a lead-free alternative
that makes a consistently flat tin surface which
solders well and is cost efficient. This tin layer’s
appearance is usually mostly white so it is also
commonly referred to as White Tin and is applied
to the copper using an electroless chemical bath.
Figure 16: Example of an Immersion Tin Surface Finish This tin surface finish can protect the copper

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surface underneath from oxidation throughout the PCB’s intended shelf life. However, one problematic aspect
of this finish is the strong affinity of tin and copper for one another which allows the diffusion of one metal into
another. This process can cause the formation of “tin whiskers”, which are small strands of diffuse tin that can
cause shorts and reduce the quality of solder joints, negatively impacting the shelf life and the performance of
the PCB.
Pros Cons
➢ Lead-Free ➢ Not Good for PTH
➢ High Reliability ➢ Process Uses Thiourea, a known Carcinogen
➢ Flat Surface/Planar ➢ Not Good for Multiple Reflow/Assembly
➢ Cost Effective Process
➢ Can Substitute for Reflowed Soder ➢ Tin Whisker
➢ Top Choice for Press Fit Pin Insertion ➢ Could Damage Solder Mask
➢ Re-workable ➢ Easy to Cause Handling Damage
➢ ➢ Difficult to Measure Thickness

We at Bittele offer Immersive Tin as a standard surface finish option, with a standard price, meaning no
additional cost will be applied for selecting this finish.

6.11 Immersion Silver

Immersion Silver is a method that applies a lead-
free layer of silver onto a PCB, to protect copper
traces from corrosion. Silver surface finish has
excellent solderability comparable to solder
plating, as well as a moderately long shelf life,
though still less than some of the other finishes.
It is a popular choice due to silver being the most
electrically conductive metal available, and ideal
for high-speed signals. Silver surface finish can
be applied to copper traces with an electroless
immersion reaction, displacing the copper layer.
The application process for this surface finish
Figure 17: Example of Silver Immersion Surface Finish forms a very flat surface, which is advantageous
for SMD assembly. Silver immersion is a surface
finish with benefits that far outweigh its costs, and thus it has gained widespread popularity since the RoHS
and WEEE directives came into effect; however, silver immersion is not without its drawbacks. Silver is sensitive
to contaminants, both in the air and on the board, and thus it should be packaged as soon as possible to prevent
tarnishing.

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Pros Cons
➢ RoHS Complaint ➢ Tarnishes
➢ Planar ➢ Silver Whiskering
➢ Fine Pitch ➢ Some System Cannot Throw into MicroVia
➢ Cost Effective Aspect Ratios of > 1:1
➢ Good Alternative to ENIG ➢ High Friction Coefficient / Not Suited to
➢ High Stability Compliant-Pin Insertion (Ni-Au Pins)

We at Bittele offer Immersion Silver as a standard surface finish option, with a standard price, meaning no
additional cost will be applied for selecting this finish.

6.12 Comparison Chart

Bittele Electronics offers a variety of different surface finish choices as shown in Table 23, with some standard
surface finishes like HASL, LF-HASL, Tin Immersion, and Silver Immersion surface finishes for a standard price.
Other offered surface finish choices are Hard Gold, Selective Gold Plating, and OSP, etc. with different prices.
Please be advised that the associated cost of these non-standard options will be higher, and can depend upon
the specific requirements of your project.

Considering both price and performance, the following options are suggested for typical projects:
• Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG)
• Immersion Tin
• Immersion Silver

Table 23

Board Finish Deposit Cost RoHS Shelf Life

HASL Dipped $ No Long
LF-HASL Dipped $ Yes Long
OSP Dipped $ Yes Medium
ENIG Electroless/Immersion $$ Yes Long
Tin Immersion $$ Yes Medium
Silver Immersion $$ Yes Medium
Hard Gold Electrolytic $$$ Yes Long
Soft Gold Electrolytic $$$ Yes Long
ENEPIG Electroless/Immersion $$ Yes Long

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7.0 Solder Mask: Options and Requirements

The solder mask is a piece of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) fabrication process that is often taken for granted,
but this piece is absolutely vital in assuring the quality and functionality of a PCB. The striking difference in
quality between boards with and without a solder mask is the reason why we at Bittele include a solder mask as
a standard finish on all our boards. Having established the importance of the solder mask, it follows that a PCB
designer should understand the function of a solder mask in some detail and the types offered by their
manufacturer.

7.1 What is a Solder Mask?

A solder mask is a robust, permanent coating that is laminated over the copper features on the outer layers of
a PCB. This layer is sometimes called the “solder stop mask” or “solder resist”. The main function of a solder
mask is to prevent the formation of solder bridges during automated mass assembly. A solder bridge is formed
when a small bead of solder creates an unintended electrical connection between two or more pads on a PCB.
An additional purpose of a solder mask is to protect the copper features against oxidation which substantially
improves the lifetime of the board.

The solder mask becomes even more essential in the mass assembly of PCBs, where a solder bath is used to tin
each copper pad. During this process, the solder mask acts to ensure that no traces of solder are left in
unintended areas as a result of the solder bath. Such trace amounts of solder could cause a short circuit
between two points on the board which should be unconnected.

7.2 Types of Solder Mask

At Bittele, we offer Liquid Photo-Imageable solder mask, and peel-able solder mask (described in section 7.7).
Liquid Photo-Imageable (LPI) solder masks are composed of an ink compound that can be silkscreened or
sprayed onto the PCB. The LPI solder mask technique is commonly used with hot air surface leveling (HASL),
and requires a clean environment, free of particles and contaminants, for application. After an LPI solder mask
is applied, and the PCB is completely covered on both sides with the solder mask, the next stage in the process
is curing.

Unlike some older solder masks, LPI inks are sensitive to UV light and can be cured after a short “tack cure
cycle”, making use of UV light exposure. This curing process cements the solder mask in place permanently. To
ensure that the LPI mask is cured in the proper locations, negative film stencils of the top and bottom solder
masks are printed using a contact printer and the original Gerber files. The film sheets are printed with black
sections corresponding to any areas of the PCB that are to be left uncoated for soldering, or otherwise free
from the solder mask. The entire PCB is then exposed to a UV light, which causes the solder mask to cure and
harden in any exposed areas but has no effect on those areas shielded by the black film. After curing is
complete, the uncured mask can be washed off from the film-shielded sections, leaving solder mask in only the
desired areas.

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Our high-quality solder mask is durable and long lasting. Usually, we consider that a m solder mask layer can
withstand 100 VDC. We can ensure the solder mask thickness will be minimum 5m on the conductor corner
and minimum 10m on conductor surface. These thicknesses ensure that for the majority of designs,
breakdown of the solder mask is not an issue.

7.3 Solder Mask Design Rules

When starting a new PCB layout, or before submitting your design to Bittele for PCB Fabrication, it is
worthwhile to check your solder mask spacing against the following criteria to ensure manufacturability:

Solder Mask Opening: Refers to the relative size of the solder mask, compared to the copper feature. Bittele
requires a solder mask opening of at least 0.102mm[4mils] larger than the feature size.

Solder Mask Clearance: Related to the solder mask opening, the solder mask clearance defines the actual space
between the edge of the copper feature and the edge of the solder mask. Bittele requires a minimum solder
mask clearance of 0.051mm[2mils].

Solder Mask Bridge: Refers to the width of the solder masked area that fills a gap between any two pads on
the PCB. Bittele prefers a minimum solder mask bridge of 0.102mm[4mils], with an absolute minimum of
0.076mm[3mils].

• The solder mask design rule in our DFM guideline is based on 1oz. copper and green solder mask.

• If the copper weight raise 1oz, then, the designed solder mask bridge width will need 0.025mm[1mil]
more; If the solder mask is not green, then, the designed solder mask bridge width will need
0.025mm[1mil] more.

Figure 18 shows a visual depiction of the spacing requirements described above for clarity.

Figure 18: Visual Depiction of Solder Mask Spacing Requirements

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7.4 Solder Mask Colours

The colour of a solder mask has no effect on the electrical performance of a board, but there is the important
aspect of contrast between traces, planes, and empty space to consider. Solder masks are available in a variety
of colours, including some standard colours and a large variety of custom colours. The colour chosen can make
quite a difference in the degree of difficulty for future troubleshooting of the PCB. We at Bittele have a number
of standard solder mask colours available, but custom colours will need to be ordered in advance.

Figure 19: A Standard Green Solder Mask Protecting Copper Traces

7.4.1 Standard Solder Mask Colours

We at Bittele offer the following standard solder mask colours: Green, Matte Green, Red, Blue, Yellow, Black,
Matte Black, and White.
Green
In terms of practical performance, green is the best choice for solder mask colour. It is the industry standard
because green is easy on the eyes, allowing for high contrast between traces, planes, and empty space on the
PCB. High contrast allows for technicians to easily check, with the naked eye, for manufacturing defects.
Red
Red is a colour that looks professional, but contrast between traces, planes, and empty space is lower than it
is with a green solder mask. Some degree of magnification is suggested when inspecting fine traces on the
board for defects with this colour.
Blue
Blue solder masks show a low contrast between traces, planes, and empty space; thus, magnification is
mandatory when inspecting for manufacturing defects. These PCBs look aesthetically pleasing and very
professional, making them a good choice for fully-developed finished products that will not require much trace
visibility.
Yellow
Yellow solder masks show very high contrast between planes, traces, and empty spaces. In fact, the contract
achieved by the use of a yellow mask is as high as green; however, the colour is unpopular.

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Black
Black is a glossy colour that looks good but has almost no contrast between traces, planes and empty space.
Black also absorbs heat, which increases the danger of overheating for sensitive components.
White
White has the lowest contrast and is also the hardest to clean. A White solder mask is commonly used with LED
lighting boards.

7.4.2 Custom Colour

We at Bittele are happy to offer custom solder mask colours, such as purple and orange, but we do not keep
these colours in stock. We will need to purchase these colours prior to production, so we employ a Minimum
Order Quantity (MOQ) for custom colours. Expect a marginal increase in both price and turn time for your PCBs
if you select a custom colour for the solder mask.

7.5 Substitutes (North America vs China)

Bittele offers high-quality Taiyo solder mask ink, which has satisfied the requirements of most clients, and is
available in North America as well. Taiyo is the world's leading manufacturer of specialty inks and solder masks
for printed circuit boards.

7.6 Solder Mask Tenting

Solder masks can be used for covering the holes in a PCB by a process called tenting, the goal of which is to
minimize the amount of exposed conductive material on the surface of the board in the interest of preventing
shorts. We recommend tenting only for vias, and not THT pads, because some solder mask ink will flow into the
holes during the tenting process, and this might affect the finished hole size.

7.7 Solder Mask Plugging

We also offer solder mask plugging in which holes are plugged with solder mask ink on one or both sides. These
should be indicated in your Gerber files. Hole sizes for plugging should be smaller than 0.5mm[20mils] in
diameter.

7.8 Peel-Able Solder Mask

A peel-able solder mask (PSM) is a type of temporary solder mask that is selectively applied to parts of a PCB.
It is used to protect gold plated surfaces from being coated with solder during assembly and is later removed
manually. If a peel-able solder mask is used to cover holes on a PCB, the mask’s area should be 0.3mm[12mils]
bigger per side than the holes. Also, it should avoid any pads not required to be covered by at least
0.4mm[16mils].

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8.0 Silkscreen: Options and Requirements

The silkscreen may seem straightforward at first glance, and indeed the basic duties of this PCB layer are
relatively mundane when compared with some others; however, errors in the design of the silkscreen layer
can severely impact the aesthetics of the finished PCB. Furthermore, a robust silkscreen layer will not only act
to improve aesthetics, but also it will assist in the troubleshooting and reworking of your PCB project.

A savvy PCB design engineer should understand the responsibilities of the silkscreen layer, as well as the design
requirements that will allow for a clear and durable silkscreen. It is also useful to become familiar with the
many options in colour and composition for the silkscreen on your PCB project.

This section describes the function and design of the silkscreen layer and proceeds with a discussion of the
many silkscreen options that Bittele Electronics makes available to our clients.

8.1 What is a Silkscreen?

The silkscreen is one of the many different layers
that can be found within a PCB layout design. The
silkscreen layer contains all the human- readable
text to be printed onto a PCB. Such information
might include component reference designators,
company logos, manufacturer marks, warning
symbols, part numbers, version numbers, date
codes, etc.

Printable space is quite limited on the surface of

a PCB, and so it should be reserved for very useful
or important information. For example: the
silkscreen is most often used to print a
component legend, which shows the locations of
Figure 20: White Silkscreen Printing on Red PCB various components on the board. Such a legend
will ease future troubleshooting and reworking of
the board, allowing technicians to easily reference between the circuit schematic and the completed PCB.

Other common silkscreen applications are company logos and PCB design serial numbers.

8.2 Silkscreen Requirements

In order to ensure that the silkscreen layer can be printed clearly, all silkscreen designs should adhere to the
specific limits of their manufacturer’s printing equipment.

Bittele Electronics is able to print silkscreen layers with a ±0.178mm[±7mils] margin of error, and so we
recommend that your silkscreen layers be designed with at least a ±0.178mm[±7mils] clearance from all
component and board edges. In the case that this margin of error causes silkscreen to be printed over solder-
able pads, our production process will automatically correct the mistake.

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8.2.1 Minimum Line Width & Text Height

Minimum line width refers to the lowest possible thickness of marking that a silkscreen printer can produce.
We at Bittele have the capability to print PCB silkscreens with a minimum line width of 0.127mm[5mils].

Minimum text height refers to the smallest character that a silkscreen printer can produce, in terms of physical
dimensions. Bittele can print PCB silkscreen text with a minimum height of 0.762mm[30mils].

8.2.2 Idents on Copper

Idents on Copper are permanent etchings on the PCB’s copper layer that act as labels in addition to, or in place
of, the silkscreen layer. Etched lines and letters are more resistant to wear and tear, but may compromise the
protections that are in place on the PCB’s copper layer.

At Bittele Electronics, we offer to apply etchings onto the PCB’s copper layer, but only the ENIG or the HASL
surface finish may be used in this case. Other surface finishes increase the risk of silkscreen discolouration and
pollution of the exposed copper area.

8.2.3 Logos
At Bittele Electronics, we certainly can print logos on silkscreen layers. However, keep in mind that all parts of
your logo must also adhere to our limits in Minimum Line Width and Minimum Text Height, as outlined in
Sections 8.2.1 and 8.2.2. Your CAD program should allow you to measure line width and text height once your
logo is imported.

8.2.4 Certificate Location

At Bittele Electronics, we offer to print certification logos onto your PCBs; simply indicate the location of these
certificates in your design files.

8.3 Silkscreen Types

At Bittele Electronics, we offer a robust heat-curable type of silkscreen ink. Solder mask ink may also be used
for printing a silkscreen layer if a custom colour is chosen.

8.4 Silkscreen Colours

Silkscreen lines may be printed in a wide variety of colours, and so it is useful to divide these colours into two
distinct types, the standard colours and the custom colours, for the purposes of our discussion.

8.2.1 Standard Colours

We at Bittele currently offer three standard silkscreen colours: White, Yellow and Black.

8.2.2 Custom Colours

For the other colour choices, we use custom-coloured solder mask ink for printing. This means that our selection
of custom silkscreen colours is the same as that of custom solder mask colours in section 7.4.2.

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8.5 Substitute (North America vs China)

As mentioned in Section 8.3, we at Bittele Electronics offer robust heat-curable silkscreen materials. These
materials are equivalent in performance between North American products and Chinese products. Our clients
have been satisfied with the performance of our heat-curable standard silkscreen.

8.6 Multiple Colour Silk on One PCB

At Bittele Electronics, we offer to print silkscreens with multiple colours on the same PCB; however, this process
requires extra silkscreen film, which acts to increase the cost. Our capabilities limit the number of distinct
colours on a single board to a maximum of three.

8.7 Serialization
At Bittele Electronics, we are happy to offer silkscreen printing for unique serial numbers on each PCB. If serial
numbers were not included in your original design, we can provide our own unique number on each of your
PCBs, however as bare boards are sometimes rejected during fabrication, we cannot guarantee that all
silkscreen serial numbers will be sequential.

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9.0 Electrical Testing

Electrical testing can be considered the final stage in the PCB fabrication process. During this stage, electrical
probes are used to test each unpopulated PCB for shorts, opens, resistance, capacitance, and other basic
electrical parameters. Advanced electronic test equipment is used to verify that the net continuity for the PCB
is the within the expected range, which is provided by the NETLIST file of the PCB design. Testing the net
continuity can protect against possible problems with the fabricated boards after the parts assembly step.
Electrical tests are especially essential for multi-layer PCBs, since the inner layers of the PCB will also require
verification. All SMD pads and plated through-holes on the PCB need to be checked for open and short circuits.

9.1 Electrical Testing Requirements

Bittele Electronics performs electrical tests according to the client's request, when specified. If no testing
requirements are specified, we will perform electrical testing according to IPC standard depending on both the
design and the cost of the PCB. All PCB electrical testing requires a NETLIST File from the original PCB layout
design, which gives information about the manner of electrical connection for each pad on the board, with
respect to every other pad.

9.1.1 Testing File

Electrical testing is used to ensure that no error occurred during the production process that might have
introduced unwanted short or open circuits into the PCB’s copper layers. Comparing the PCB electrical test
data with a NETLIST file ensures that the actual net relationships on the finished PCB match the net
relationships in the original design.

If you choose to use the ODB++ format, the NETLIST file will be contained within your design files, and there is
no need to supply one separately. If you use a different format, such as Gerber RS-274X, then you will need to
supply a separate netlist file in IPC356 format.

CAD-Based Netlist File

At Bittele Electronics, we ask that you provide a CAD-based NETLIST file with your design files, if possible. A
CAD-based NETLIST file is one that was generated before PCB routing was determined. This confers an extra
level of protection by allowing us to detect errors that may have occurred during production or during Gerber
file generation / conversion.

Gerber-Based Netlist File

If no CAD-based NETLIST file is available, we at Bittele are able to generate a reference NETLIST from the client’s
Gerber data. This type of NETLIST will allow us to detect errors that may have occurred during production, but
not those that occurred during Gerber file generation / conversion.

9.1.2 E.T Stamping

At Bittele, we will print E.T. (Electrical Testing) stamps onto assembled boards at the client’s behest.

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9.1.3 Capabilities
Our testing capabilities are listed below in Table 24:

Table 24

Testing Capabilities
Minimum Continuity Resistance 0.1 Ohms
Maximum Test Voltage 1000 Volts
Maximum Isolated Resistance 25M Ohm - 2G Ohm
Electrical Test Pitch (Fixture) 0.020"
Electrical Test Pitch (Flying Probe) 0.004"

9.2 Flying Probe Test

The Flying Probe test method makes use of electro-mechanically controlled probes to test points on a PCB one
at a time. This electrical testing method is more suitable for testing low-to-mid-sized quantities of physically-
smaller PCBs. The Flying Probe method boasts a lower associated cost, compared with the Fixture method,
since no expensive programming or fixture setup is required. This meticulous method offers greater accuracy,
which translates into increased fault coverage and defect detection over other testing techniques. The
drawback to this method is an increased time requirement for each individual board test, which stems from
the fact that the probe must move through the board in a specific sequence.

At Bittele Electronics, we consider the standard threshold for deciding the electrical test type to be 15
manufacturing panels. We would use Flying Probe if order quantity were less than 15 Manufacturing Panels or
if the PCB order in question has an area smaller than 1 square meter.

9.3 Fixture (Bed of Nails) Test

The Fixture (Bed of Nails) test method dictates that a test template be created, with pins aligned to the test
points in the circuitry of the PCB. Test templates, or fixtures, are made by first inserting pins into holes on an
epoxy phenolic glass-cloth-laminated sheet. Each pin is aligned for instant connection with a test point in the
circuitry of the PCB, and all pins are fixed permanently. When a bare PCB is pressed down against the fixture,
stable connections can be instantly and simultaneously formed with hundreds of test points within the circuitry
of the PCB. This testing method requires an investment of time and material cost to create the initial fixture
but allows for very rapid testing after that fixture is created.

At Bittele Electronics, we consider the standard threshold for deciding the electrical test type to be 15
manufacturing panels. We may choose Fixture method if the order quantity is greater than 15 Manufacturing
Panels, or if the PCB order in question has an area greater than 1 square meter.

9.4 Cost
At Bittele Electronics, we perform two different types of electrical testing, and the associated cost differs
between the two. These two types of tests are known as the Fixture method and the Flying Probe method.

The Fixture method, also known as Bed of Nails, requires that a template be created which will then be used
to test each PCB in turn. Building this template, or Fixture, requires time and additional costs for the necessary

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materials, but can test large numbers of PCBs very rapidly. At Bittele, we offer a standard test price on the
condition that your design incorporates less than 1,300 test points. In the case that your design boasts over
1300 test points, we will calculate the price depending upon the number of test points required on the fixture.

The Flying Probe method does not require expensive materials for the building of fixtures; instead, a machine
sequentially connects electro-mechanically controlled probes to individual test points on a PCB. This method
is not well-suited to very high-volume orders due to the time required to the probe to learn the testing
sequence, and also to actually move through each board during testing. Since the time required for a Flying
Probe test can vary so widely depending upon the design in questions, our cost for this testing method will be
calculated depending on the PCB’s physical size and layer count.

Bittele Electronics performs 100% electrical testing on all bare PCBs produced at its facilities and this is included
in all quotes unless otherwise specified.

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10.0 Controlled Impedance PCB

Impedance Controlled PCBs are fabricated with tightly controlled dimensional tolerances to ensure the PCBs
have signal transmission lines with accurate impedances. Upon request Bittele Electronics offers free of charge
design stack-up and impedance calculation assistance to help clients design Impedance Controlled PCBs. In the
conceptual level of your PCB design our team is willing to work with your engineering team to better control
impedance by selecting the proper material and stack up.

Electrical impedance is the total amount of opposition given to the electrical current flow in an electrical circuit.
Impedance can be calculated using the resistance and reactance of the current in a circuit when a voltage is
applied measured and expressed in ohms. Resistance is the opposition to an electrical current flow present in
all materials. Reactance is the opposition to an electrical current flow from inherent capacitance and
inductance in the electrical circuit interacting with changes in the voltage and current.

Theoretically for an ideal PCB performance situation, all output energy from a component’s output pin would
flow through the connected PCB routing into the load input pin on the other end. However, in reality not all
the energy is absorbed by the load and any leftover energy would be reflected back into the PCB routing,
flowing back toward the output source pin. Reflected energy is a concern for AC (Alternating Current) signals
because reflected energy can cause noise that interfere with the original signal, changing the signal’s
waveform. In a worst cases scenario, reflected energy would affect the signal’s integrity, resulting in
unpredictable PCB behavior. Impedance matching is not as much of a concern for Digital DC (Direct Current)
signals as signals are either high or low and devices’ noise thresholds are usually able to compensate for the
small amount of noise from reflected energy.

Energy being reflected back and forth between the source and the load in a PCB can be avoided by impedance
matching. In theory, matching impedance should ensure all of the energy emitted from the source flows into
the load with little to no reflected energy.
Figure 21: Sample Impedance Control Stackup
For a PCB to be considered to have controlled impedance, the
routing of the traces must be designed in such a way that the
impedance matches the specifications. In order to control
impedance in a PCB, both the components and traces of the
board must be matched correctly.

Bittele Electronics strives to keep standard PCB materials in

stock at all times, including:
• Higher copper weights: 2oz., 3oz.; heavier weights
(with Lead Time)
• Odd copper weights: H/1oz., H/2oz., 1/2oz.
• Foil: 1/4oz., Hoz., 1oz., 2oz., 3oz.

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10.0.1 Impedance Controlled PCB Types

There are two types of Impedance Controlled PCBs, Foil-built, and Core-built. We offer Foil-built PCBs as a
default choice since it is more economical and is slightly easier to process.

Foil-built PCB consists of one less core layer than core-built PCBS as shown in the stack-up (Figure 22) below
with copper foil layers on the outside. Foil-built boards require various types of foils with different copper
weights, however foils are much easier to acquire than different types of cores. Another factor to consider is
that since Foil-built PCBs are covered in copper foil, the designer has more choice in regards to dielectric
thickness for the outer layers due to using prepreg. Using prepreg boards is less expensive compared to cores
especially if the core is 0.127mm[5mils] or thinner.

Figure 22: Foil Build

A Core-built PCB (Figure 23) would have core layers on the outside so there is no need to use copper foil layers.
However, material availability depends on the market so cores with uneven copper weights may be difficult to
acquire. In that case PCB manufacturers need to order cores with higher copper weight then etch down the cores
which is costly since additional labor costs are involved. Using more cores also adds to the material cost.

Figure 23: Core Built

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10.1 Impedance Calculators

Impedance calculators are computer programs with many different sub-programs assembled together to
simulate the expected performance of transmission lines and PCB materials. Impedance calculations have
many complicated formulas and the more complicated the PCB design is the more complicated the formulas
will be. Thus, impedance calculators require a skilled user who knows how to use these programs effectively
and the underlying theory.

Bittele Electronics will provide free impedance calculations for PCB designs upon request. For performing
impedance calculation, we at Bittele use the industry standard Polar Impedance Calculator SI8000 or SI9000.
We enter the dielectric thickness and permittivity from the theoretical stack-up and your specific design
parameters onto the Impedance Calculator to calculate the impedance of PCB design.

Figure 24: Impedance Calculator Software

10.2 Impedance Models

Impedance Models are diagrams with symbols labeled and showing the parameters for impedance calculation.
We at Bittele offer to provide these Impedance Model diagrams with impedance parameters.

10.3 Impedance Affect Stack-up

Stack-Up is the number and arrangement of different layers in a PCB design. Stack-up design choices and
parameters are affected by many factors (such as impedance, physical structure, blind holes and so on). Stack-
up structure features affect the impedance on your signal lines. Changing the stack-up parameters can help to

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achieve your desired impedance, however there may be other factors in your design that affect the stack-up
to consider and balance. Some relationships to consider are listed below.
• The thicker the dielectric thickness is, the higher the impedance value will be.
• The smaller the dielectric constant is, the greater the impedance value will be.
• The thicker the copper weight is, the lower the impedance value will be.
• A thinner impedance trace width means higher impedance value.
• Greater Inductance means higher impedance.
• Greater Capacitance means lower impedance.

For microstrip and stripline transmission lines, the largest factors that affect impedance of a line are the
dielectric constant of the substrate, the thickness of the dielectric, the thickness of the copper and the width
of the line. Our dielectric constants are listed in Section 3.1 Material Selection & Properties. Please inquire about
our available Rogers RF substrates if desired. Next you may select your desired copper weight. With these two
factors chosen, our impedance calculations can aid you in determining the width of your transmission lines.

10.4 Bittele TDR Calculations

TDR is “Time Domain Reflectometry” is a measurement technique for determining the characteristics of
electrical lines in a PCB by observing reflected waveforms. TDR can also refer to a Time Domain Reflectometer,
a type of electronic instrument needed to use time-domain reflectometry to analyze electrical or optical
transmission media such as coaxial cable and optical fiber. For example, we can use TDR on a twisted pair wire
or coaxial cable to locate faults and discontinuities in wire connection and other transmission media.

Bittele Electronics can use Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) as a way to test whether impedance in a PCB is
matched or not. However, our factory usually uses a different machine to test. A TDR test is performed by
applying a very fast electrical step signal to the PCB using a controlled impedance cable and probe. The TDR
testing equipment records and graphs the changes in impedance value using the part of the signal which is
reflected back. This graph data shows the impedance values for that PCB or the values simulated by the TDR
test with average, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values.

10.5 TDR Coupons

A TDR coupon is a type of small test board on which we can perform impedance testing to verify if the board’s
impedance matches your request. Testing the impedance trace in a PCB after fabricating is difficult, and the
board may be scrapped due to the fixture. Thus, to replace PCB impedance testing we provide a TDR coupon
for simulating the board traces to test impedance of the PCB. On the TDR coupon, we will include specifications
of the impedance value, trace width and expected dimensions of the PCB, so that test results of TDR coupon
should match.

Bittele Electronics can provide serialized TDR coupons for each batch of PCB free of charge with our impedance
report. If we have a PCB order with 2000 PCBs, of which we build one batch of 1000 pieces first then build the
rest a few days later then we provide two coupons, one for each batch. The TDR coupon for each batch of PCB
is fabricated at the same time as when fabricating the boards. Each coupon is built at the same time as PCB
fabrication to ensure that they match your PCB, this way we provide a TDR coupon to you for impedance testing
of each batch.

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11.0 Flexible and Rigid-Flex PCBs

Flexible Printed Circuit Boards (FPCBs), also known simply as Flex PCBs, are a technology that allows for the
manufacturing and assembly of printed circuits on a flexible dielectric substrate. FPCBs can be assembled using
standard electronic components (i.e. resistors, capacitors, complex ICs), but the manufacturing process of the
dielectric material and copper traces allow the board itself to take a non-standard or irregular shape. The option
for flexible circuits is a valuable service in many different areas of the electronics industry, from common
household devices to complex leading-edge technology; examples include:
• Communications • Medical
• Computer Hardware • Aerospace
• Automotive • LED Lighting

Figure 25 - Flexible PCB

In addition to their convenience in terms of form factor adaptability, flexible PCBs also offer a number of other
advantages that have contributed to their recent rise in both demand and accessibility. As size constraints on
electronics projects become more stringent with each passing year, the reduction in weight, thickness, and size
that comes with switching to a FPCB design becomes all the more appealing. In many small form factor designs,
flexible PCBs are used simply to connect various rigid PCBs together in place of bulkier wires or cables. Bittele
can also offer turnkey services for rigid-flex PCBs in the case where flexible sections are used to connect
standard rigid PCBs, as described above.

FPCBs also offer advantages in terms of durability that might be surprising to those who are unfamiliar; notably,
flexible PCBs are often able to withstand both sudden movement and sustained vibration better than their rigid
counterparts. It is also straightforward to mount the FPCB on a heat sink to improve thermal performance.

The following subsections outline Bittele’s PCB fabrication capabilities concerning flexible PCBs, providing
various maximum and minimum manufacturing parameters to be used for reference when designing a flexible
PCB project. Detailed information on various flexible PCB material is also provided, followed by a discussion of
rigid-flex PCBs in terms of their advantages, applications, and the manufacturing thereof.

11.1 Flexible PCB Fabrication Capabilities

As an experienced long-time provider of flexible PCB services, Bittele Electronics offers leading-edge
capabilities in FPCB fabrication. Table 25 shows Bittele’s standard fabrication capabilities concerning FPCBs.
Any information not included below or in the subsequent subsections should be treated the same as Bittele’s
rigid PCB capabilities and requirements. Please note that Bittele is currently working toward UL certification
for rigid-flex boards, however we are able to provide the UL certification for flex only PCBs.

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Table 25

Flexible PCB Technology Matrix

Available Layer Counts 1 to 6 Flex layers
Minimum Finished PCB Dimensions 10 x 10 mm
Maximum Finished PCB Dimensions 250 x 750 mm
±0.152mm[6mils] (preferred)
PCB Dimension Tolerance
±0.076mm[3mils] (minimum)
0.06mm[2.36mils] (single-layer)
Minimum PCB Thickness
0.102mm[4mils] (2-layer)
Copper Weight Limits 0.33oz., 0.5oz., 1.0oz., 2.0oz.
Surface Finish Options ENIG (preferred)*, Immersion Silver, Immersion Tin, OSP
Coverlay Colour Amber (Yellow), Black, White
Bending Radius Approx. 15-20 times board thickness
Lead time 8-10-days for 2-layer design at prototype quantities
0.152mm[6mils] (mechanical drilling)
Minimum Drill Size
0.102mm[4mils] (laser drilling)
±5 Ω (<50 Ω)
Controlled Impedance
±10% (>50 Ω)
0.051/0.051mm[2.0/2.0mils]-------------0.33oz.
0.064/0.064mm[2.5/2.5mils]-------------0.5oz.
Trace Width / Spacing
0.076/0.076mm[3.0/3.0mils]-------------1.0oz.
0.127/0.152mm[5.0/6.0mils]-------------2.0oz.
*Other surface finish options available, but require a special estimate and may not be feasible for all projects

11.2 Flexible PCB Materials

11.2.1 FPCB Material Options & Datasheets
Bittele Electronics In an effort to provide all clients with the best possible solutions for their unique and
individual projects, Bittele offers a variety of adhesive-less and adhesive-based flexible PCB substrates for your
project. Bittele’s standard FPCB material stock includes the following options:
• Panasonic R-F775 • ShengYi SF201
• ShengYi SF305 • ShengYi SF202

Tables 26 through 29 show a summary of the material datasheet information for the four options listed above.
To download the full datasheets, simply click on the options in the list above.

Table 26: Panasonic R-F775

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Table 27: Shengyi SF305

Table 28: Shengyi SF201

Table 28: Shengyi SF202

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11.2.2 Adhesive-Less vs. Adhesive-Based Materials

Two broad types of FPCB base materials are available for use in flexible PCB projects. Similar to their rigid
counterparts, FPCBs are composed of copper cladding bonded to dielectric material that separates the copper
layers. Originally, the standard method for bonding copper foil to flexible dielectric material was to use flexible
epoxy or acrylic-based adhesives. More recently, adhesive-less options have become available on the market,
where the copper foil is attached directly to the dielectric core without the use of adhesives.

Figure 26 - Simple Stackups for Adhesive-Based FPCB Material (Left) and Adhesive-Less Material (Right)

Adhesive-less flex core materials are generally favoured over adhesive-based options for the superiority they
provide in many areas of finished PCB characteristics. Though, adhesive-based materials can sometimes offer
a stronger bond between the copper foil and the dielectric, this is highly dependent upon the specific adhesive
used. Meanwhile adhesive-less materials generally offer higher bend radius, lower minimum finished board
thickness, stronger plated hole integrity, more accurate controlled impedance characteristics, and improved
heat performance. In order to meet IPC 2223C guidelines regarding FPCBs, adhesive-less materials are often
required. That being said, Bittele can source specific adhesive-based materials if required for a particular
project, but there will likely be some additional cost and lead time associated with the procurement.

Also, based on recent research, we find that it is better not to use adhesive-based material for multilayer flex
board since it may cause de-lamination because of too much adhesive.

11.3 Rigid-Flex PCBs

Rigid-Flex PCBs are hybrid devices, normally consisting of multiple standard PCBs made of rigid FR4 material,
where each rigid PCB is connected by a length of flexible PCB, as shown in Figure 27 below. This arrangement
is superior to simple wire or cable connections in many cases due to its adaptable form-factor as well as its
improved mechanical connection strength.

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Figure 27 - Example of a Rigid-Flex PCB

Rigid-flex PCBs allow the complex pieces of a design to be laid out using standard rigid PCB practices while still
offering many of the advantages in adaptability and reduced form factor that come with FPCBs. That being
said, there are a few key requirements to keep in mind when designing a rigid-flex board for fabrication:
• The gerber for rigid-flex board can be similar with rigid board, just to keep that no copper features will
be placed on flex portion for all layers except flex layer. (For example, a 6 rigid-flex board with L3&L4
flex layer, then, no copper features will be allowed on flex portion for L1&L2&L5&L6).
• A minimum space of 1.0mm[40mils] from all board edges must be kept entirely free of holes and
components to allow for proper bonding of the rigid sections to the flexible section.

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12.0 Panelization
Panels consist of multiple circuit board designs combined together in order to form a single large board called
a “panel”. Some designs strive to fit multiple circuit boards onto a single panel, as more circuit boards on one
panel can be more cost efficient. There are two main types of panelization, simple panels (also called arrays),
and complex panels. Simple panels have the same circuit board repeated on one panel while complex panels
are composed of different circuit boards on the same panel. We recommend limiting panelization to three
unique designs without any complex requirements.

Panelization is a way to safely manufacture multiple PCBs simultaneously while keeping the PCB’s separation
process afterwards as smooth as possible. In terms of large volume PCB manufacturing, cost will be lower based
on how many boards fit onto a single panel as the process will be more efficient. Higher panelization efficiency
requires carefully setting PCB design sizes for effective panel space usage. For the highest efficiency, circuit
board length and/or width should be integer divisors of default panel size when margin and spacing are taken
into account.

We at Bittele Electronics offer panelization services to clients for PCB fabrication but we do not offer any set
default panel sizes. We only require the PCB design to be panelized to have a circuit board size within a range
of 50mm*50mm to 500*500mm. Bittele primarily produces low and medium volumes of PCB, therefore when
fabricating we typically will automatically adjust for the most appropriate panel size for better material
utilization. With these smaller volumes of PCB fabrication, the cost saving from higher production efficiency is
not significant therefore Bittele does not offer cost saving for using panelization. However, producing multiple
designs simultaneously does save a portion of the shipping costs. You are not required to lay out the panels
yourself as our technicians will do this to optimize our process.

12.1 Fiducials
Fiducial markers, also known simply as fiducials, are marks meant to be seen on images produced by an imaging
system. Fiducials, also known as circuit pattern recognition marks, are a point of reference for SMT placement
equipment to accurately locate and place parts onto the printed circuit boards. By measuring the fiducials
locations relative to the board layout, the machine can compute the how much each part must be moved
relative to the layout to ensure accurate part placement.

Fiducial marks are recommended to be included in your design, however we are able to apply these fiducial
marks onto our fabricated panels if required. Multiple fiducial marks are needed as common measurable points
to precisely determine a board's orientation. At least three fiducial marks placed asymmetrically are needed to
allow machines to determine offset of both the X and Y axis and determine if the PCB has rotated during
clamping. If a clamped board has been rotated the SMT placement machine will automatically rotate parts to
match. Additional fiducial marks are required to further fine-tune the targeting for placement of parts such as
ball grid array packages. The lower end boards do not require as much precision and may only have two
fiducials or use screen printed fiducials.

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12.2 Tooling Holes

Tooling holes on PCBs are added for a variety of reasons depending on the requirements of the equipment
being used. They are mainly used to aid in PCB alignment and orientation for drilling and routing during
assembly. We at Bittele apply tooling holes to panelized boards when specified and our hole size must be in
the range of 0.8mm[31.5mils] to 4.0mm{157.5mils]. For typical tooling holes, Bittele suggests to drill tooling
holes at the standard size of 2.0mm[78.74mils].

12.3 V-Score
Bittele Electronics can apply scores to our fabricated panelized
boards when requested. Scores are essentially V-shaped grooves
made on a panel with multiple boards so the PCBs can be easily
separated. Typically, scores are V-shaped grooves with 1/3rd
removed on top and 1/3rd cut away on the bottom leaving 1/3rd
of the material remaining in the middle to hold the PCBs together
in a panel. For thin panels, thinner than 0.8mm[31mils] (down to
min. 0.5mm[20mils] one-sided scoring is recommended. V-scores
must be applied as straight lines onto PCB boards so various
restrictions exist for use. Scores must be straight V-shaped lines to
pre-separate the circuit boards, and are formed with precision
Figure 28: V Score Profile View cutting tools therefore scores cannot be used for PCBs without a
straight edge in the board outline.

12.4 Tab Routing Bittele can also apply tab routing to our fabricated
panelized boards if required. Tab routing is a popular
PCB panelization approach that uses small tabs on all
four sides of a PCB to attach to the other boards or
rails. Tab routing can include tabs with or without
perforations, of these the perforated type allows
PCBs to be separated manually. A key advantage of
using tab routing is that non-rectangular boards can
be produced, all panelized circular or irregular shaped
PCB use tab routing. However, the disadvantages of
tab- routing are; the additional board material that is
required, which increases fabrication costs, as well as
Figure 29a: Photo of Tab Figure 29b: Tab Routing
Routing Holes Dimensions
the limitations of manually separating the boards
which can leave an unsmooth board edge. PCBs can be removed from panels before or after assembly,
because panels allow for easier assembly, the usual approach is to remove PCBs after assembly. When
removing PCBs from panels after assembly, extra care is taken so that the parts are not damaged. We at Bittele
can panelize your design for you to optimize our production. However, if you require your own tab design we
require that (as seen in Figure 29b) dimension “A” be a minimum of 0.8mm[31.5mils] but recommend
1.6mm[63mils]. Dimension “B” depends on the thickness and number of layers of your board. Our customer
service team can assist you with this step to suit your design. Tab routing is our recommended routing method.

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13.0 Report Types and Report Writing

The standard final report for a PCB includes a variety of sections. Bittele will provide PCB reports with the
following sections. These sections are described in detail below.
• Products final audit report
• Certificate of Compliance
• Test Report
• Solderability Test Report
• Cross-section Record
• Impedance Report

13.1 Products Final Audit Report

The Products Final Audit Report section of the PCB report contains information on the fabrication and assembly
for that PCB. The PCB order data is recorded here, such as the Bill of Materials with parts and part quantity
needed for each PCB. The fabricated PCB specifies physical data such as, material used, board thickness, copper
thickness, hole size, board dimension, bow and twist, line width & space. Bittele includes all the materials for
PCB fabrication and parts for assembly with the PCB order data in this report.

13.2 Certificate of Conformance (C of C)

The Certificate of Conformance is the section of the PCB report with material data and test records that certify
how the used materials meet specifications for various directives or guidelines. Firstly, the material
composition data provides proof of the PCB being RoHS Compliant. Secondly, material property data will prove
that this PCB complies with the UL Standards needed for UL certification and UL flammability. Bittele will
include these official certifications with our final PCB report and provide necessary PCB data in order to prove
conformance with the certification date and a date code included.

13.2.1 RoHS Compliance

Bittele Electronics will provide date with confirmation of RoHS Compliance in our C of C (Certificate of
Conformance) section of the PCB Report when RoHS Compliance is required. When an order is required to be
RoHS Compliant, we will carefully regulate the use of high concern substances like cadmium, lead, and mercury
during PCB fabrication and assembly. (See section 14.0 RoHS Compliance for more information)

13.2.2 U.L Certificate

Bittele can include UL Certificates and related verification data in our "Certificate of Compliance" section of
final PCB Report. To obtain a UL Certificate it is required that the Underwriters Laboratories test representative
samples of the PCB and that these samples comply to requirements given on UL Standards. Underwriters
Laboratories Inc. test a PCB for thermal shock, bond strength and plating adhesion and investigates the
fabrication and assembly process before approving UL recognition.

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13.3 Test Report

Bittele will perform a variety of tests over the course of PCB fabrication and assembly with the reports for these
tests included in this section. An Electrical Test Report with the result from a Flying Probe Test or a Fixture (Bed
Board) Test is always included in this section (See section 9.0 Electrical Testing for an overview of these
methods). Also, when required, Bittele can perform a HI pot Test and record results in this report section.
Lastly, we can perform functional tests when test parameters are specified by the client providing a functional
test report afterwards.

13.4 Solderability Report

The Solderability Test Report is a description of our solderability test results including, test type, factors, and
results. This report shows our testing methods, the test conditions and how we measured and compared the
final test results to reach a conclusion on PCB’s solderability.

13.4.1 Peel Strength Report

Peel strength is a way to measure the bond strength of a material, typically an adhesive measured with average
load per unit width of bond line. If required, we can perform a peel strength test and provide a report on this
PCB’s peel strength.

13.5 Cross Section Report

The Cross-Section Report includes a variety of cross-sections, micro-sections, and X-sections showing the
physical design data for this PCB. In this section of the PCB report physical data such as copper thickness, hole
wall thickness, and solder mask thickness will be included. Bittele will provide cross-sections and various other
diagrams showing the PCB’s various layers and micro-via.

13.6 Impedance Report (TDR)

Impedance Report is an optional report that Bittele will provide if impedance data is required by the client. An
impedance test is performed using a Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR), the test results are recorded in this
report along with the PCB’s stack-up. A TDR test is performed by applying a very fast electrical step signal to
the PCB using a controlled impedance cable and probe. The TDR testing equipment records and graphs the
changes in impedance value using the part of the signal which is reflected back. This graph data shows the
impedance values for that PCB or the values simulated by the TDR test with average, standard deviation,
minimum and maximum values. (See section 10.0 Controlled Impedance PCB for more information)

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14.0 RoHS Compliance

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is a mandate for restricting the use of certain hazardous substances
in electrical and electronic equipment. RoHS aims to restrict the use of hazardous substances such as cadmium,
lead, and mercury in the manufacture of electronics and electronic devices. RoHS Compliance essentially refers
to acting in full accordance with RoHS regulations while keeping documentation on the testing of RoHS
controlled substances.

14.1 PCB Raw Material

For a PCB to be considered RoHS compliant, it cannot have restricted raw materials over a certain limit in its
materials. Bittele Electronics strives to ensure that any of our fabricated PCB boards that have been requested
to be RoHS Compliant conform to the RoHS given maximum limits. Requesting RoHS compliance will limit your
choice of dielectric board material. The following are restricted materials in the PCBs:
• Lead (Pb): < 0.1%
• Mercury (Hg): <0.1%
• Cadmium (Cd): <0.01%
• Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+): <0.1%
• Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB's): <0.1%
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE's): <0.1%
• Bis(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP)
• Butyl benzyl Phthalate (BBP)
• Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)
• Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP)

14.1.1 Solder
Solder is a fusible metal alloy that can be melted and used to make electrical connections between electronic
components. Solders can be separated into two main types: lead-free solder which is RoHS compliant, and non-
RoHS compliant leaded solder. Leaded solder alloys commonly used for electrical soldering are 63/37 Sn-Pb
which has the lowest melting point (183 °C or 361 °F) of all the tin-lead alloys. However, due to the use of lead
this type of solder is not RoHS compliant.

For the assembly of our turn-key orders, we at Bittele use lead-free solder that fully complies to RoHS
guidelines. Our solder used contains only Tin (Sn), Silver (Ag) and Copper (Cu) as raw materials. Various lead- free
solders were developed to provide RoHS compliant solder that can be used for commercial PCB assembly.
Currently the most popular commercial lead-free solder is an alloy of Tin-Silver-Copper due its reduced melting
point of 217 ˚C.

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15.0 Assembly Considerations

The last parameter a circuit designer should consider is the population of their PCB with electrical components.
Modern PCB manufacturing automates the process of soldering components to boards which allows for faster
and lower cost production for boards with many components. For automated assembly, Bittele requires
3.17mm[125mils] of part-to-board edge spacing on the top side of the board, and 7.62mm[300mils] on the
bottom side of the board. Our full part-to-part, part-to-hole, and part-to-board edge requirements can be
found in our DFA guide. For a small quantity of boards with few components of manageable size, hand
soldering is more efficient as it does not incur machine setup costs. Therefore, to provide the best possible
price for our service not all orders use automated assembly.

Pitch is the distance between SMD pads measured center to center. At Bittele the smallest component size we
can place is 0201 imperial (0603 metric) as our component pads cannot have a finer pitch than 0.2mm[8mils]
to prevent shorts in the soldering stage. Moreover, your component outlines and pads should also have a
clearance of at minimum 0.2mm[8mils] between components and we recommend more if possible. Fine pitch
assembly requires stricter tolerances and more precise manufacturing thus we charge additional cost for
component assembly with pitches of 0.5mm[20mils] or less. Another cost consideration is placing components
on both sides of the board. While we are fully capable of two-sided assembly, the extra step adds extra cost,
therefore should only be designed when necessary.

For assembly service please ensure you include a “pick and place” file with your order as described in Section
2.5 Centroid File / Pick and Place File as well as a Bill of Materials as described in Section 2.6 Assembly Bill of
Materials (BOM).

15.1 Automated Optical Inspection (AOI)

Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) is a tool in circuit board assembly to efficiently and accurately detect
production errors before boards leave the facility. AOI uses cameras and image processing software to identify
assembly errors such as missing or misplaced components, soldering short circuits, and disconnected
components.

At Bittele Electronics, AOI is one tool we use to provide the best product quality to our turn-key customers. We
also conduct AOI for the copper features of the inner and outer layers during fabrication. Due to the added
labor of setting up the AOI equipment, it is more economical for our clients if we conduct this type of inspection
on larger (>=50 pcs) or complex orders (>=50 components). All of our work is visually inspected by our quality
assurance technicians. There is no additional cost when AOI is used, as it is included in our standard assembly
services.

15.2 X-Ray Inspection

For Ball Gate Array (BGA) and Quad Flat No Lead (QFN) packed components, the solder pads are placed below
the component. This saves space on a board, allowing for more density among components and a smaller
overall board size. The disadvantage of these components is that their solder joints cannot be visually inspected
whether by a technician or automated inspection. Therefore, in order to ensure proper installation of these
components, x-ray equipment is utilized to see through the components and observe the solder joints. The use
of this additional equipment and labour adds to the cost of the order when BGA or QFN components are used.

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BITTELE ELECTRONICS DFM GUIDE FOR PCB DESIGNERS PAGE 69 OF 70

15.3 Functional Testing (FCT)

Functional Testing (FCT) is the final testing method, to be performed after a PCB is fully assembled. The purpose
of FCT is to find component failures, assembly defects, or potential design issues. FCT results allow for
troubleshooting to occur as soon as possible, and confirm that components function as specified. The purpose
of FCT lies mainly in avoiding assembly issues like shorts, opens, missing components, or the installation of
incorrect parts. This testing provides additional assurance above our AOI and visual inspections.

Functional testers typically work on a computer that runs advanced testing software, which in turn operates
the various testing instruments such as digital multimeters, input/output PCBs, and communication ports. The
FCT procedure determines whether boards pass or fail based on whether or not the test results satisfy a set of
predefined requirements. Often, the FCT procedure includes multiple cycles of testing, each with different
loading conditions or operating modes, according to the specific function of the PCB under test.

At Bittele Electronics, we offer Functional Testing (FCT) in addition to our turn-key assembly services. If you
desire FCT for your project, we simply ask that you specify detailed instructions for the FCT of your particular
PCB. Of course, we at Bittele are happy to assist you in developing a proper FCT procedure if you are unsure.
Our functional testing engineer will preview your requirements, such as test scope and test instruction, design
the test jig if necessary, set up the instruments, and prepare the test report form and design testing workflow.

At Bittele Electronics, we maintain state-of-the-art functional test equipment, such as adjustable DC power
supplies, a 200MHz digital oscilloscope, a signal generator, an LRC multi-meter, and a universal programmer.
In the case that a board does not pass FCT, a troubleshooting program will be launched to find the root cause
of the failure. A Design for Assembly (DFA) form will be issued by our process engineer, and an 8D quality
assurance report will be created by our quality engineer. This DFA report will be sent to the customer as a
design reference, and another as a sample in our quality improvement guideline.

If you have any further questions about your order please consult our sales team during the quotation stage
of your order. Design issues that arise during production may delay your order.

Should you find yourself with any further questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to reach out to
support@[Link]

Thank you for working with Bittele Electronics to make your project a success!

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