# PCB West: PCB Design Tips with Neil Chamberlain of Polar Instruments

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2024-11-02
- Length: 11m
- Episode: 282
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-11-02-pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments/

## Summary

Neil Chamberlain, Product Specialist at Polar Instruments, discusses the critical role of communication between PCB designers and fabricators, highlighting how Polar's field solvers bridge the gap in the supply chain. He explains the complexities of substitute materials, noting that designers must analyze performance across different laminate options to avoid over-engineering or signal integrity issues. The conversation also covers copper roughness, detailing how the micro-etching process adds variable roughness that impacts high-frequency performance and adhesion.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-11-02-pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments#t=0) Introduction: Neil Chamberlain and Polar Instruments
- [1:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-11-02-pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments#t=85) Neil's Background and Polar's Evolution from Test Equipment to Design Tools
- [4:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-11-02-pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments#t=272) The Supply Chain Gap: Communicating Between Designers and Fabricators
- [6:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-11-02-pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments#t=367) Managing Substitute Materials and Approved Vendor Lists
- [8:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-11-02-pcb-west-pcb-design-tips-with-neil-chamberlain-of-polar-instruments#t=484) Copper Roughness: Micro-etching, Adhesion, and Signal Integrity

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Polar Instruments (company)
- Altium (company)
- IBM (company)
- Waddell (other)
- PCB West (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Laen - Purple PCB Philosophy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-06-12-an-interview-with-laen-purple-pcb-philosophy) (The Amp Hour)
- [The Two Person Rule](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-06-01-the-two-person-rule) (The Amp Hour)
- [20: Soldered Together By Monkeys](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-09-26-20-soldered-together-by-monkeys) (Embedded.fm)
- [S7E2 WEBINAR: Your Manufacturer is Stupid: Why Your Circuit Board Design Is Making Their Job Harder with Chris Denney](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-01-09-s7e2-webinar-your-manufacturer-is-stupid-why-your-circuit-board-design-is-making) (Being an Engineer)
- [Nerds In A Corner](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-09-10-nerds-in-a-corner) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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