High Power PCB Design: Pushing the Limits with Caleb Buck

OnTrack · 19 Aug 2025 · 50m · Episode 309

What this episode covers

Caleb Buck, a PCB Design Electronics Engineer at Nidec Aerospace, discusses the complexities of high-power PCB design, ranging from guitar pedal prototypes to aerospace systems handling over 500 amps. He explains how uneven current distribution in parallel switching circuits can cause connectors to melt due to impedance mismatches, emphasizing the need for symmetrical layout. Buck also details the importance of voltage isolation standards like IPC 2221 Revision C and IPC 2152, material selection for thermal reliability, and the pitfalls of conformal coating on high-power components.

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