New electrical product development begins with the design and creation of printed circuit board (PCB) prototypes. The complexity of PCBs rises as engineers push the limits of hardware technology, requiring the inclusion of particular features to guarantee functionality, expedite debugging, and enable effective production testing. We can’t generalize all devices because different types will need different debugging procedures. We have the essential tools you’ll need to find issues with your board as well as some advice from the best PCB prototype service to help you get started if you have to debug a new board and aren’t sure where to begin.

Isolating the problem

Isolating the problematic section of your board is the first step in debugging. Upon testing a new board, your first consideration is likely to be if the device can do the functions for which it was intended. This often involves evaluating every part or link in the suspected signal/power chain and going backwards within a functional block from the user interface or outputs. It’s up to you to figure out whether the part that looks to have been damaged or is misplaced is the one that actually failed; sometimes, the actual problem may be somewhere on the board.

Testing with a multimeter

When a single component or a small set of components seems to have failed entirely, the issue could be as simple as an open circuit or short circuit. This could result from a component failure or an assembly fault. You could have failed to receive the quality of service required to guarantee that your board was put together using the best DFA practices, based on the place you went for assembly. To make sure that your idea can be produced with a very low probability of problems, the best manufacturers will do a complete DFM/DFA assessment.

Too much heat

You can nearly always identify a single component when heat is the problem. The hottest part on the board can be found with something as basic as your finger. You can also use a tiny thermometer if the board space is limited or the component is very small. All you have to do is experiment with various parts until you identify the problem. Get a thermal imager if you want to get creative or if you want to see how heat is traveling throughout the board. A bottle of nonflammable aerosol freeze-it spray or compressed air can be used as a quick and basic method to check for heat issues that could be caused by a short circuit that is passing high current and producing heat.

Noise/Signal Measurements

If your design passes an opens and shorts test and you have identified the specific component in a functional block that is malfunctioning, the issue can be noise related to EMI, power integrity, and signal integrity and you can do prototype PCB assembly for it. When EMI/SI issues occur on signal lines, an IC may trigger at the wrong times, producing inaccurate outputs or giving the impression that a component has failed. Noise can lead to excessive power fluctuations on power nets, which can cause an IC to malfunction. 

Diagnosis of power integrity

You might have a power integrity issue if you have fixed your board’s impedance, skew, and signal distortion issues but your components are still not triggering properly. This occurs in two ways:

  • Excessive jitter and distortion on a component’s output are caused by ringing power connections caused by high PDN impedance.
  • A power supply’s switching noise may also be the cause, albeit this issue typically manifests at a far lower frequency than PDN ringing.

Partnering with Jayshree Instruments for Reliable PCB Debugging Solutions

At Jayshree Instruments, we bring years of experience in PCB fabrication, assembly, and testing to ensure that your designs are not only optimized for functionality but also for efficient debugging and production testing. With our comprehensive DFM/DFA assessments and cutting-edge technologies, we help you overcome debugging challenges, ensuring your PCB prototypes are flawless and ready for production.

Choose Jayshree Instruments as your trusted partner to streamline your PCB debugging and manufacturing process, turning innovative designs into reliable, high-quality products.