Today’s PCBs grow ever more complex and signal speeds rise rapidly. This means that a PCB producer must also measure actual wave impedance in addition to monitoring wire width tolerances.
Today we can say that Brandner PCB is ready for this. Just a week ago we finished installing the wave impedance meter and training the engineers. The device was supplied by the U.S. company Zmetrix. As input, we use the so-called test strip installed on the client’s substrate that simulates the same construction and wire widths as the client requested. In the near future we will also create the web instrument through which clients can easily forward us impedance data. The first PCB with controlled impedance was sent to Poland along with the measurement protocol.

With its start in December, the online store of printed circuit boards (PCBs) has quickly become customers’ favourite. More than 1000 inquiries have been made through the store and the number of people intrest is growing.

More active customers have provided us with feedback, and based on that we have corrected some mistakes regarding programming, and broadened the possibilities of ordering. At customers’  request, you can also order double-sided printed circuit boards through the Protoshop.

In the choice of materials, we have our standard thickenesses, prices do not bite, and the delivery time is 24h by request.

Check out for updates on our website www.brandner.ee/eng/protoshop.

Every day we ship a number of packages containing high-quality printed circuit boards (PCBs) from our building. On February 12 and 19, we also sent out invaluable know-how from our building, by sharing it with our clients.

On those days, we hosted a seminar with the purpose of bringing the client closer to the principles behind, and the actual construction of, PCBs.

The discussions that arose, the frank conversation with our chief technologist, and a tour of the factory, raised the level of awareness regarding the actual production process of PCBs to a whole new level for many of the participants.

Representatives from Tallinn University of Technology were surprised to see the actual route that a project they have sent takes before it is packaged in the physical form of a PCB and shipped off.

Young go-getters from Formula Student got to see the actual PCB production process and the principles supporting them in their studies as well as the construction of this year’s new formula model. This know-how and experience will also provide a foundation for them to start their own electronics-related businesses, either during their studies or after graduation.

For the so-called ‘old hands’ this was the place for discussing the events of the day and sharing their experiences. The EstCube folks, who have already visited us before and have dealt with electronics construction and R&D for years, found the seminar to be a confirmation of the fact that Brander continues to operate at a high level and is ready to help them with PCBs in their new projects.

Brandner thanks all participants.

You are invaluable to us.

Brandner PCB has improved the online construction of HDI PCB packages. The client or designer now has the excellent opportunity to customize construction along with blind and buried vias.

The program double-checks elementary construction links and warns of technologically unsuitable solutions. The minimum diameter for blind vias is 75µ. The completed construction can be downloaded in PDF format and added to the order or project documentation.

A helpful guide for beginner designers is also available.

Brandner PCB hopes that the created environment provides more detailed opportunities for transmitting documents between the PCB manufacturer and the client.

Brandner PCB has launched a web-based purchase environment for convenient and rapid ordering of prototype printed circuit boards. The web store allows only multi-layered PCBs of 4-12 layers to be ordered, but lets the user compile the panel, create the desired structure and select the most convenient supply date.

The supply options range from 24 hours to 4 working days. Payment opportunities include the most popular credit cards and PayPal.

The name of the PCB store is Protoshop.

The web store is located at www.brandner.ee/protoshop

Our team arrived home from the Productronica 2013 trade fair, which took place in Munich, carrying a contract for the supply of the latest generation drilling machine.

The purchased device allows us to react even more quickly to customer demands involving the production of HDI printed circuit boards. The device can drill holes with a diameter of 75µ, achieve acceleration of 3.5G, and can offer optimization of hole-drilling.

The drilling machine will be installed in December, which, as a Christmas present to our esteemed clients, means that HDI PCBs can be ordered even faster.

20-21 September, on the Rapla Karting Circuit, was yet another day of appreciation by FS Team for its sponsors. Brandner PCB, sponsor of FS Team for a second year, also took part in the worthwhile event, and our representative was able to sit in and take a test drive behind the wheel of the winner of several formula championships. Those who are interested in the doings of successful Estonian students can take a closer look on the page www.formulastudent.ee

As a rule, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are produced on the basis of data compiled by designers in CAD programs and sent to the PCB manufacturer in the Gerber file format. Quite often the designer lacks sufficient information, experience or education, and the design data is contradictory, ignores minimal production requirements or is simply incorrect.

Such files force the manufacturer to face a dilemma: what to do? If one adheres to the principle of client convenience, as in the case of most mediators, the logical step would be for the manufacturer to correct and adapt the data in order to enable production while jeopardizing the idea behind the designed project.

The manufacturer can never be 100% certain as to what one or the other designer has specifically had in mind concerning his or her creation (e.g. should the drill hole have a metal lining or not, etc.).

The other option is to inform the client of discovered contradictions and to cooperate on the necessary changes. This approach might initially seem inconvenient to the client. One must delve deeply into the design, waste time on checking data, etc.

This can also easily lead to the client’s prejudiced opinion of the manufacturer: This company keeps asking questions, it’s like it does not know how to make PCBs?!?

Such an attitude is very premature and does not consider the profit gained from the interaction between the client and the manufacturer:

1. Directing attention to the flaws in the design will reduce such errors in the future, due to the client’s participation in the constant learning process;

2. The manufacturer will not change files arbitrarily, thereby preventing the loss of the required solution in the design;

3. The risk of supplying a non-functioning PCB is drastically reduced;

4. Costs for re-doing the faulty design will be reduced for the client.

Common wisdom can only lead to one conclusion – the interaction between the manufacturer and the client, along with the presentation of design-related questions, is crucial and should be the behavioural norm for any self-respecting PCB manufacturer.

On the second week of August  ESTCubes’  international team visited Brandner PCB factory. The purpose of this visit was to get to know the factory, where are produced all printed circuit boards on  the first Estonian satellite board, which was sent into orbit. All printed circuit boards were produced by the schematics, which were maded by students.

According to the  ESTCubes’ programme manager Mart Noorma, is the place, where schemes, which were invented by students team, are poured into physical form, is very important. „For producing the printed circuit boards for satellite, we chose apart from other companies, who produce printed circuit boards, Brandner PCB thanks to their fast operating and high quality“, he explained.  By Noorma, Brandner PCB has shown itself from the best side, especially during last weeks of satellite completion, when new printed circuit boards where often needed in counted hours.

The student satellite team was so impressed of the tour in company, that they would like to co-operate also in the future. Besides production of printed circuit boards, the co-operation would include, that the chief technologist would share his knowledge with students within the lectures and students would have the opportunity to do their practice in Brandner PCB factory. / source: Järva Teataja

Today 11 years ago PCB boards made in Brandner where launched into space with Estcube-1. Since then we have taken part also in launching Estcube-2 and also future programs

Thanks to the program Student Satellite, which started five years ago, the small-scale satellite Estcube-1 was launched into space at 5:06 on 7 May 2013. The first successful signal was sent from the satellite five hours later.

This added tiny Estonia to the list of countries that have reached space.

Brandner is honored to be part of this grand and historic project – Estcube includes PCB-s that were prepared by us.

We wish success to the program and to its participants!

Brandner – fastest PCB producer in the region!

EstCube on the web:
estcube.eu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESTCube-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESTCube-2