Printed Circuit Board Engineering Services

Epec provides printed circuit board engineering services grounded in more than 70 years of manufacturing experience, combining PCB layout, design, and reverse engineering support with a strong focus on manufacturability. From simple single-sided boards to complex multi-layer designs, Epec’s engineering approach emphasizes accuracy, cost-efficiency, and complete project deliverables.

At a Glance: PCB Engineering Services

• Manufacturing-driven PCB engineering: Printed circuit board design services built on more than 70 years of manufacturing experience, focused on cost-effective, manufacturable layouts from single-sided boards to complex multilayer designs.
• Full-spectrum design and data recovery: Support for PCB design, schematic capture, routing, and reverse engineering, including creation of complete electronic data sets from legacy films, drawings, paper plots, or 1 and 2-layer boards.
• Broad technology and standards support: Expertise across multilayer, high-speed, RF, flex, and rigid-flex PCBs, with design practices guided by IPC-2221, IPC-2222, and IPC-2223 standards to support reliability and manufacturability.

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A Manufacturing Mentality

For more than 70 years, Epec has continued its tradition of precision in printed circuit board engineering and manufacturing across a wide range of industries. This manufacturing-first mindset provides a competitive advantage in PCB layout and design, ensuring that each design is optimized not only for electrical performance but also for efficient production.

Epec supports designs ranging from basic single-sided boards to complex, double-sided and multi-layer surface mount designs. The objective is to deliver PCB designs that meet customer requirements while remaining practical and cost-effective to manufacture.

At Epec, we can create electronic data from virtually anything, including, films, drawings (DXF), 1-to-1 paper plots, and even boards themselves. When supplying a printed circuit board for reverse engineering, we can scan 1- and 2–layer PCB’s only. Multilayers are excluded for scanning the printed circuit board; there is no way to scan the internal layers. Providing us with any one of these will allow our team to provide you with a complete data set, including drill chart, dimensional drawing, and Gerber files.

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Reverse Engineering and Scanning

Industry consolidation has left many customers in a position where printed circuit boards must be reordered without access to original electronic data. In some cases, previous suppliers are no longer in business and all supporting design files have been lost.

Epec can generate electronic PCB data from a wide variety of starting materials, including films, DXF drawings, 1-to-1 paper plots, and physical circuit boards. For reverse engineering via scanning, Epec supports 1- and 2-layer printed circuit boards only, as internal layers of multilayer boards cannot be scanned.

When suitable source material is provided, Epec supplies a complete electronic data package that includes Gerber files, drill charts, and dimensional drawings. Circuit boards submitted for scanning must not contain assembled components, and all parts must be removed prior to scanning.

Epec brings more than 30 years of experience creating electronic data from legacy media using state-of-the-art scanning equipment and software. A structured, double-check process is used to verify that all design features are accurately replicated.

Printed Circuit Board Design

Epec offers complete PCB design services to support projects at all stages of development. This includes early conceptual work, schematic capture, PCB design and routing, and library and database translation services. The engineering team supports simple through highly complex designs, aligned with customer requirements and manufacturing constraints.

Support extends across printed circuit boards, flex circuits, and rigid-flex designs. Epec’s experience allows engineering teams to align electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing considerations early in the design process.

Schematic Translation and PCB Translators

Not all PCB design software platforms are compatible, which can slow projects when legacy files or differing toolsets are involved. Epec supports a wide range of schematic and layout translation services to help customers move forward efficiently.

These services include translations between platforms such as OrCAD, Protel, P-CAD, DxDesigner, Altium, PADS Logic, Allegro, and PADS Layout. This software diversity enables Epec to support customer-supplied designs and legacy data without forcing redesigns.

Printed Circuit Board Deliverables

Epec supplies a complete package of deliverables to support quoting, fabrication, and assembly. These deliverables can include:

• Fabrication and assembly drawings
• Gerber layers
• Excellon drill data
• Pick-and-place data generation
• In-circuit test data generation

This complete data set supports a smooth transition from design through manufacturing.

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PCB Design Capabilities and Technologies

Epec supports a broad range of printed circuit board technologies and design requirements, including:

• Single-sided, double-sided, and multilayer PCBs up to 40 layers
• High-density surface mount designs
• Microvia, via-in-pad, laser microvias, and blind/buried vias
• Analog, digital, and mixed-signal designs
• High-speed digital designs with controlled impedance and differential pairs
• RF and microwave designs including impedance control, filters, antennas, guard rings, and shielding
• Matched line lengths and auto-routing for dense multilayer designs
• Flex and rigid-flex PCB designs
• ITAR-related space and military applications

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IPC Specifications for PCB Design – For Reference

Epec references IPC standards as part of its design process to support reliable, manufacturable printed circuit boards that align with industry best practices.

IPC-2221: Generic Standard on Printed Board Design

IPC-2221 provides comprehensive guidelines applicable to all types of printed circuit boards. It addresses a wide range of design considerations to support electrical performance, mechanical integrity, and manufacturability. Covered topics include conductor spacing, impedance control, thermal management, mechanical and structural considerations, and power distribution.

IPC-2223: Standard for Flexible Printed Board Design

IPC-2223 focuses on design requirements unique to flexible printed circuits. Key considerations include pad and via placement, bend radius limits, use of coverlays and stiffeners, layer stack-ups, adhesive selection, and design rules for dynamic flexing applications.

IPC-2222: Standard for Rigid Organic Printed Board Design

IPC-2222 provides detailed guidance specific to rigid PCB designs. It covers material selection, hole size and plating requirements, annular ring dimensions, interconnect density, mechanical strength, and thermal and electrical performance considerations for high-power and high-speed designs.

Following these IPC standards helps ensure PCB designs are reliable, manufacturable, and aligned with established industry practices.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Links

• What types of PCB designs does Epec support?
• Can Epec help recover PCB data when original files are missing?
• Are multilayer PCBs supported for scanning?
• What deliverables does Epec provide with PCB design services?
• Does Epec support PCB design file translation between software platforms?
• Which IPC standards are referenced for PCB design?

What types of PCB designs does Epec support?

Epec supports designs ranging from single-sided boards to complex multilayer surface mount designs, including flex and rigid-flex PCBs.

Can Epec help recover PCB data when original files are missing?

Yes. Epec can create electronic design data from films, drawings, paper plots, or physical boards, with scanning available for 1- and 2-layer PCBs.

Are multilayer PCBs supported for scanning?

No. Multilayer PCBs cannot be scanned because internal layers are not accessible. Scanning is limited to 1- and 2-layer boards.

What deliverables does Epec provide with PCB design services?

Deliverables can include Gerber files, drill charts, dimensional drawings, fabrication and assembly drawings, pick-and-place data, and in-circuit test data.

Does Epec support PCB design file translation between software platforms?

Yes. Epec supports translation between multiple schematic and layout software tools, including OrCAD, Altium, PADS, Allegro, Protel, and others.

Which IPC standards are referenced for PCB design?

Epec references IPC-2221 for general PCB design, IPC-2222 for rigid organic PCBs, and IPC-2223 for flexible printed circuit designs.

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PCB Expertise for Reverse Engineering

Epec brings decades of experience in reverse engineering printed circuit boards and supporting customers with obsolete or incomplete design data. By combining scanning, translation, and full PCB design services, Epec helps customers move forward without being limited by missing or outdated files.

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