PCB DESIGN

Calpak USA's PCB layout team is proficient across all major EDA platforms including Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro and OrCAD, Mentor PADS and Xpedition, and Zuken CR-8000. Tool selection is determined by program requirements and client design flow compatibility — many aerospace and defense prime contractors require deliverables in specific Cadence or Mentor formats. Calpak USA also uses HyperLynx and Ansys SIwave for signal integrity and power integrity analysis, plus SolidWorks for ECAD-to-MCAD integration when enclosure fit and thermal modeling are critical. All design databases are maintained under formal revision control within our AS9100 Rev. D and ISO 9001 quality management system at our Hawthorne, California facility. This multi-platform capability means Calpak USA can integrate directly into your existing toolchain without requiring format conversions that introduce errors.

Calpak USA's layout engineers perform detailed stackup engineering and impedance modeling before placing a single component. For high-speed interfaces such as PCIe Gen 4/5, DDR4/DDR5, USB 3.x, and Ethernet up to 10 Gbps, Calpak USA applies length-matched differential pair routing, controlled impedance targets of 50 ohm single-ended or 85/90/100 ohm differential, and via transition optimization to minimize reflections and crosstalk. Pre-layout simulation using HyperLynx or Ansys SIwave validates stackup impedance profiles, and post-route extraction confirms that every critical net meets timing and loss budgets. Calpak USA's engineers also manage return-path continuity across layer transitions and implement ground stitching strategies for mixed-signal designs where analog and digital domains must coexist. These disciplined SI practices reduce the risk of costly board respins on high-speed designs.

Calpak USA designs PCBs from simple 2-layer boards up to 30-plus-layer high-density interconnect configurations for complex aerospace, defense, and telecommunications systems. Our team handles sequential lamination builds, stacked and staggered microvias, via-in-pad with planarization, and backdrilled via stubs for high-speed signal integrity. Calpak USA has completed designs with component densities exceeding 40 components per square inch using 0201 passives and 0.4 mm pitch BGA packages. Our engineers work closely with fabrication partners to validate manufacturability of complex stackups before design release, ensuring that layer counts and feature sizes align with available materials and process capabilities. Whether your application requires a high-reliability 24-layer military avionics board or a compact 8-layer IoT module, Calpak USA scales design complexity to match your program requirements.

Calpak USA integrates Design for Manufacturability and Design for Assembly analysis into every PCB layout as a standard practice, not an optional add-on. DFM checks validate trace and space clearances, annular ring adequacy, solder mask dam widths, drill aspect ratios, and copper balance across all layers against specific fabricator capability matrices. DFA review evaluates component orientation consistency, pick-and-place accessibility, solder paste stencil aperture ratios, fiducial placement, and panelization efficiency for automated SMT assembly on our Hawthorne, California production lines. Calpak USA's layout engineers run automated DFM rule checks within the EDA tool and then perform a manual review against our internal manufacturing standards derived from IPC-2221 and IPC-7351. This dual-pass approach catches issues that automated checks miss, reducing fabrication yield losses and assembly defects before first article production.

Yes, Calpak USA designs rigid-flex, flex, and semi-flex circuit boards for applications where weight reduction, vibration resistance, and three-dimensional packaging are critical — particularly in aerospace, defense avionics, and medical devices. Our engineers define bend radius constraints, select appropriate polyimide and adhesiveless materials, manage impedance control through flexible sections, and design stiffener placements to protect components in rigid zones. Calpak USA coordinates with specialty flex fabricators to validate layer stackups, coverlay openings, and dynamic flex life ratings against IPC-2223 standards before design release. Rigid-flex designs are modeled in 3D using SolidWorks ECAD-MCAD integration to verify mechanical fit within enclosures and cable routing paths. Our AS9100 Rev. D quality system ensures full traceability for rigid-flex designs used in ITAR-controlled defense programs and mission-critical avionics applications.

Calpak USA delivers a comprehensive PCB layout package that includes Gerber RS-274X and ODB++ fabrication files, NC drill files, IPC-D-356 netlist for electrical test, pick-and-place centroid data, assembly drawings with component reference designators, fabrication drawings with stackup details and impedance callouts, solder paste stencil files, and a final design rule check report confirming zero violations. For aerospace and defense programs, Calpak USA provides documentation formatted to MIL-STD-31000 technical data package requirements with full revision history and engineering change order traceability per AS9100 Rev. D. All native design database files are delivered in the client's preferred EDA format. Calpak USA also includes a DFM compliance report summarizing fabrication and assembly readiness, so procurement managers can release the package to qualified board houses with confidence that the design is production-ready.