Common Op-Amp ICs and Selection Guidelines
Who doesn’t have a drawer full of LM741 op-amp ICs? Every engineer will develop an intimate relationship with op-amps during their electronics courses. These are fundamental circuits in analog electronics and are used as the building blocks for high-precision power systems, amplifiers, filters, and many other devices. You probably won’t be using the same op-amps […]
Your Component Footprint Library to Find Future Footprints
Your component footprint library gets used to generate this type of stencil before manufacturing. Every new piece of electronic equipment starts as a block diagram, and turning your block diagram into a new board takes a complete set of PCB footprints. Your manufacturer will need a set of documentation to put your new board into […]
Electric Circuit Model Download: Schematics and SPICE Simulation
Each of these components needs a SPICE model if you need to perform simulations. I can’t count the number of times I’ve downloaded component data through my CAD software, only to find there was no SPICE subcircuit model attached to the component data. Circuit simulations from your schematics are a great way to verify your […]
SMD Component Datasheets: Mastering Enclosure Constraints and Connectivity
SMD components are not going away anytime soon, thanks to their low cost and low profile. SMD components come in a variety of standardized packages that make manufacturing and assembly with automated equipment much easier. The size of an SMD component can range from a large FPGA measuring inches across to a small resistor […]
How to Read a Component Datasheet: Parameters, Cautions, and Selection Processes
If you’ve worked with a component before and you’re very familiar with its specifications, you probably won’t need to read a datasheet. Whenever you’re comparing new components, or you need to know the limits of a new component, it’s critical that you scan through a datasheet to find the information you need. Some […]
An IC Footprint Library for Your Component Data Needs
The stencil shown above is required to etch copper in your circuit board and create conductor patterns. Doing this accurately takes skill and precision equipment, but it also takes accurate footprints in your IC footprint library. Your Gerber files are created directly from your layout data, and your layout data is generated directly from […]
Component Supply Chain Management Tips for Electronics Engineers
We all love that feeling when a great new design is being finalized. You’re probably busy making last minute adjustments to your routing and compiling deliverables for your manufacturer. Once you send your design off to your board house, you get that dreaded call, where an engineer tells you a critical component has gone obsolete, […]
Designing with Texas Instruments
We pride ourselves on giving our customers the best. We highlight partners from time to time that can give you the optimal parts and information to help you succeed in your designs. This month Texas Instruments offers a preview of featured products and solutions to make your designs better than ever with wireless, 5G, EV, […]
How to Build a Part from the Manufacturer’s Datasheet
When a designer needs to create a component for a PCB board, they have many places where they can gather data – manufacturer websites, distributors, aggregators, or even crowd-sourced resources. However, the gold standard for information to build components is the manufacturer datasheet. This document provides all the information needed to build a component – […]
September Update: New Features Increase Your Efficiency
Component models built in conjunction with Ultra Librarian extend beyond our site to individual manufacturers websites as well. As we continue to serve PCB designers around the globe, our partnerships with major IC vendors is growing. We assist these companies in the production and distribution of pre-built CAD models they can provide to their customers. This helps to close the gap between IC vendors and PCB designers by allowing you to design-in components with ease. In order […]