PCB Thermal Design Deep Dive with Ethan Pierce

OnTrack · 26 Jun 2024 · 40m · Episode 272

What this episode covers

Ethan Pierce, founder of Dodec Labs, joins host Zach Peterson to discuss PCB thermal design, drawing on insights from his recent talk at PCB East. They explore the importance of early thermal problem identification, the limitations of intuition versus simulation, and specific techniques for heat dissipation such as copper coins, via structures, and IMS boards. Pierce shares a personal anecdote about a failed thermal hypothesis with via arrays on an aluminum board and emphasizes the need for hardware engineers to understand thermal inputs to avoid costly late-stage fixes.

Mentioned

Companies
Dodec Labs, Altium, AutoDesk
Tools
FLIR, Seek, Ansys Fluent, MCAD CoDesigner
Materials
IMS
Also
PCB East

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 07m

    Downward Sloping Trace

    Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the 'design deja vu' of independently creating nearly identical 1996 logic analyzer projects using Lattice Semiconductor CPLDs, and the technical nuances of timing vs. state analysis. They then detail the thermal design challenges of Jones's 'Micro Supply' project, explaining the decision to use a custom die-cast heat sink and plastic enclosure to achieve high volumetric efficiency. The conversation concludes with a critique of KiCad's via placement workflow and a recommendation for the book 'The Practicing Mind'.

  • Predictable Designs Podcast · 16m

    Top 10 Product Design Mistakes You Must Avoid

    John Teal, founder of Predictable Designs and former Texas Instruments chip designer, outlines ten critical product design mistakes for electronic hardware startups. He covers technical errors such as incorrect RF impedance matching, insufficient PCB trace width for high currents, and poor switching regulator layout, alongside process failures like neglecting Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and delaying cost estimation. Teal emphasizes the importance of independent design reviews and proper via selection to avoid costly prototype iterations and manufacturing issues.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 22m

    Call In Show #3

    Hosts Dave Jones and Chris Gammell answer caller questions on The Amp Hour, covering topics from soldering iron recommendations and PCB grounding issues to career advice for transitioning into electronics engineering. They discuss advanced PCB design resources for high-speed signals and BGA layouts, and provide technical solutions for implementing capacitive touch buttons in KiCad for a custom dry-aging meat fridge project.

  • The Spark Gap · 42m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 21

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss PCB layout tips for hobbyists, focusing on component placement and power plane design. They cover decisions like single-sided vs. double-sided assembly, grouping components by functional blocks, and the critical importance of placing decoupling capacitors near IC pins. The conversation also addresses thermal management, power plane sizing, via current capacity, and the use of positive vs. negative layers in CAD tools.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 14m

    Assembly Chat

    Hosts Dave Jones and Chris Gammell record an episode while Dave assembles a PCB, discussing the utility of the Interactive BOM plugin for KiCad and the board repair software by Paul Daniels. They identify design flaws in Dave's board, including incorrect capacitor voltage ratings and missing silkscreen designators, and share technical tips on reliability, such as using series capacitors to prevent short circuits. The conversation also covers battery selection for cold environments, the OWASP Top 10 for hardware security, and vintage test equipment.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by OnTrack. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.