Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Altium Develop unites design, sourcing, and manufacturing in one cloud platform so you can dial in clean power delivery and signal integrity with real-time feedback from your whole team: altium.com/develop?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=one-minute-pcb-design-reviews&utm_content=ferrites-on-every-power-rail-big-mistake
In this One Minute PCB Design Review, Tech Consultant Zach Peterson examines a community-submitted 4-channel RFID reader and zeroes in on a power delivery strategy that's working against itself. Zach explains why placing ferrites on nearly every power rail can backfire, blocking power in the exact frequency range where a component needs to draw current, and why dedicated regulators are the better path to stable, quiet voltage rails. He also untangles a confusing power rail naming scheme where a single 3.3V net gets renamed at least twice, a small habit that makes any schematic harder to follow and debug.
Beyond power integrity, Zach digs into the board's layer stackup and copper strategy. He shows how this design could have been routed in four layers instead, points out unnecessary copper pour, including pour on the top layer that adds nothing, and recommends thinner dielectrics on the outer surface layers as a far more effective way to control crosstalk and radiated emissions. He also credits the designer for executing orthogonal routing correctly on layers 3 and 4.
🔹 Connect with Zach: Want your design reviewed by Zach? Reach out to him on LinkedIn with your design and production files for a chance to be featured on our channel: linkedin.com/in/zachariah-peterson
💡 Stay Connected:
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth tutorials and tips from @AltiumAcademy Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
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Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium Academy content.
👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: facebook.com/AltiumOfficial
The Altium Academy is an online experience created to bring modern education to PCB Designers and Engineers all across the world. Here you can access a vast library of free training and educational content covering everything from basic design to advanced principles and step-by-step walkthroughs. Join industry legends as they share their career knowledge, review real-life design projects, or learn how to leverage one of Altium's leading design tools. No matter your level of experience, the Altium Academy can help you become a better Designer and Engineer!
About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
#Altium #PCBDesign #RFID
Altium Develop unites design, sourcing, and manufacturing in one cloud platform so you can dial in clean power delivery and signal integrity with real-time feedback from your whole team: altium.com/develop?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=one-minute-pcb-design-reviews&utm_content=ferrites-on-every-power-rail-big-mistake
In this One Minute PCB Design Review, Tech Consultant Zach Peterson examines a community-submitted 4-channel RFID reader and zeroes in on a power delivery strategy that's working against itself. Zach explains why placing ferrites on nearly every power rail can backfire, blocking power in the exact frequency range where a component needs to draw current, and why dedicated regulators are the better path to stable, quiet voltage rails. He also untangles a confusing power rail naming scheme where a single 3.3V net gets renamed at least twice, a small habit that makes any schematic harder to follow and debug.
Beyond power integrity, Zach digs into the board's layer stackup and copper strategy. He shows how this design could have been routed in four layers instead, points out unnecessary copper pour, including pour on the top layer that adds nothing, and recommends thinner dielectrics on the outer surface layers as a far more effective way to control crosstalk and radiated emissions. He also credits the designer for executing orthogonal routing correctly on layers 3 and 4.
🔹 Connect with Zach: Want your design reviewed by Zach? Reach out to him on LinkedIn with your design and production files for a chance to be featured on our channel: linkedin.com/in/zachariah-peterson
💡 Stay Connected:
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth tutorials and tips from @AltiumAcademy Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
👉 Subscribe for more: youtube.com/@AltiumAcademy?sub_confirmation=1
Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium Academy content.
👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: facebook.com/AltiumOfficial
The Altium Academy is an online experience created to bring modern education to PCB Designers and Engineers all across the world. Here you can access a vast library of free training and educational content covering everything from basic design to advanced principles and step-by-step walkthroughs. Join industry legends as they share their career knowledge, review real-life design projects, or learn how to leverage one of Altium's leading design tools. No matter your level of experience, the Altium Academy can help you become a better Designer and Engineer!
About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
#Altium #PCBDesign #RFID
