John Burkhert

John Burkhert Jr is a career PCB Designer experienced in Military, Telecom, Consumer Hardware and lately, the Automotive industry. Originally, an RF specialist -- compelled to flip the bit now and then to fill the need for high-speed digital design. John enjoys playing bass and racing bikes when he's not writing about or performing PCB layout. You can find John on LinkedIn.

On Printed Circuit Board Stiffeners - Making the Rigid PCBs Actually Rigid

When the term “Stiff as a board” was coined, they were not talking about printed circuit boards. Resin, fiber, and copper that make up the typical PCB stack-up are all ductile materials.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
It’s About Time - Clocking a PCB Design

Clocks are essential gatekeepers of the digital domain. Setting the pace for all that follows the clock can be a single trace or a partnership of two traces that carry complementary signals.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
What’s the Differential? Mastering the Art of the Differential Pair

You see, it’s like this. When two circuits love each other very much, they form a life-long bond and then little Diffs are propagated. Not really, but when we peruse the net names attached to the...
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
The Nuts and Bolts of a Via Padstack

From the first plated through-hole to the latest, the trend is to support higher density interconnect. The key driver in plating holes is the aspect ratio, the hole’s width over depth.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
PCB Routing on Layer Two - Breaking the Steadfast Rule

The newer generation parts have a pin configuration with two different pitches. The core has a grid of larger pins that are used to supply power and ground. That pin-field is surrounded by...
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
PCB Design For Laptops and Tablets

It seems consumer electronics industry is trying to get us to use our voices to interact with technology. Screens and keyboards aren’t on that roadmap. Laptops and tablets are not the next big thing.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Audio Circuits in Action - Any Card Can Be a Sound Card

A typical feature of many animals is that their ears pivot independently of their head. We have our general hearing and then we have focused hearing. We want our machines to have the same ability.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
DesignCon 2020 - Notes From a Silicon Valley Tradeshow

A roundup of events from DesignCon 2020
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
What to Bring to the PCB Design Review

Even the simplest layout will require deliverables for assembly including custom paste stencil and a bill of materials to associate the correct component for each location on the board.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Electro-Static Discharge and How You Can Contain It

At one time or another, we’ve all shuffled across a rug and touched a door handle or other metal object only to feel the zap of static electricity.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Using Lasers to Fabricate Printed Circuit Boards; The Light Work

Lasers have always been around. At least, it seems so when we can read how they were used on the Apollo missions. Lasers were part of a range finder for the space ships to know their precise altitude.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Thermo-Electric Cooling, A Counter-Measure to High Current Density on a PCB

Thermo-electric cooling, or TEC, has been seen as a breakthrough in small refrigerators that do not consume a whole lot of power.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Dealing With the Shock and Vibration of Your System

Have you ever dropped your phone? Of course, that is a rhetorical question. How many screens have I cracked (?) would be a better one. It is pretty amazing that the devices continued to work.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
How CAD and CAM Work Together

PCB CAD layout people end their job by creating electronic files that the CAM operator uses to generate the photo tools for the PCB.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
The Tolerance Problem

There are three main factors in play that determine the results of operations. One is the cost of goods sold, two is the price the goods fetch and three is how long does the product last
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
The Case For Using Copper Pour on Routing Layers

Doing special things with a circuit pattern is a hallmark of analog design. All of the important signals on the board added together are equal in importance to one net; that net is the ground net.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Using Daughter Cards to Increase Functionality

There has always been room for improvement on a system of multiple printed circuit boards. In many cases, an RF module will be added to a PC board.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Teaming Up For Success on a Large PCB Project

Time to market is often one of the most important factors in the success of a project. Capitalizing on a new idea while others are pursuing the same goal is much easier when your product is first.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Are You a Little Board?

The whole world gets a little smaller and a little faster every other day. The underlying magic that supports this flow of knowledge is constantly evolving to keep up.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
PCB Design For Solder Mask Defined Footprints

The right clearance and tolerance for your solder mask defined footprints is important so you don't run into any assembly issues.
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Email
- LinkedIn
Read Article
Loading More...

John Burkhert

On Printed Circuit Board Stiffeners - Making the Rigid PCBs Actually Rigid

When the term “Stiff as a board” was coined, they were not talking about printed circuit boards. Resin, fiber, and copper that make up the typical PCB stack-up are all ductile materials.

It’s About Time - Clocking a PCB Design

Clocks are essential gatekeepers of the digital domain. Setting the pace for all that follows the clock can be a single trace or a partnership of two traces that carry complementary signals.

What’s the Differential? Mastering the Art of the Differential Pair

You see, it’s like this. When two circuits love each other very much, they form a life-long bond and then little Diffs are propagated. Not really, but when we peruse the net names attached to the...

The Nuts and Bolts of a Via Padstack

From the first plated through-hole to the latest, the trend is to support higher density interconnect. The key driver in plating holes is the aspect ratio, the hole’s width over depth.

PCB Routing on Layer Two - Breaking the Steadfast Rule

The newer generation parts have a pin configuration with two different pitches. The core has a grid of larger pins that are used to supply power and ground. That pin-field is surrounded by...

PCB Design For Laptops and Tablets

It seems consumer electronics industry is trying to get us to use our voices to interact with technology. Screens and keyboards aren’t on that roadmap. Laptops and tablets are not the next big thing.

Audio Circuits in Action - Any Card Can Be a Sound Card

A typical feature of many animals is that their ears pivot independently of their head. We have our general hearing and then we have focused hearing. We want our machines to have the same ability.

DesignCon 2020 - Notes From a Silicon Valley Tradeshow

A roundup of events from DesignCon 2020

What to Bring to the PCB Design Review

Even the simplest layout will require deliverables for assembly including custom paste stencil and a bill of materials to associate the correct component for each location on the board.

Electro-Static Discharge and How You Can Contain It

At one time or another, we’ve all shuffled across a rug and touched a door handle or other metal object only to feel the zap of static electricity.

Using Lasers to Fabricate Printed Circuit Boards; The Light Work

Lasers have always been around. At least, it seems so when we can read how they were used on the Apollo missions. Lasers were part of a range finder for the space ships to know their precise altitude.

Thermo-Electric Cooling, A Counter-Measure to High Current Density on a PCB

Thermo-electric cooling, or TEC, has been seen as a breakthrough in small refrigerators that do not consume a whole lot of power.

Dealing With the Shock and Vibration of Your System

Have you ever dropped your phone? Of course, that is a rhetorical question. How many screens have I cracked (?) would be a better one. It is pretty amazing that the devices continued to work.

How CAD and CAM Work Together

PCB CAD layout people end their job by creating electronic files that the CAM operator uses to generate the photo tools for the PCB.

The Tolerance Problem

There are three main factors in play that determine the results of operations. One is the cost of goods sold, two is the price the goods fetch and three is how long does the product last

The Case For Using Copper Pour on Routing Layers

Doing special things with a circuit pattern is a hallmark of analog design. All of the important signals on the board added together are equal in importance to one net; that net is the ground net.

Using Daughter Cards to Increase Functionality

There has always been room for improvement on a system of multiple printed circuit boards. In many cases, an RF module will be added to a PC board.

Teaming Up For Success on a Large PCB Project

Time to market is often one of the most important factors in the success of a project. Capitalizing on a new idea while others are pursuing the same goal is much easier when your product is first.

Are You a Little Board?

The whole world gets a little smaller and a little faster every other day. The underlying magic that supports this flow of knowledge is constantly evolving to keep up.

PCB Design For Solder Mask Defined Footprints

The right clearance and tolerance for your solder mask defined footprints is important so you don't run into any assembly issues.