Motherboard Design Process

MBRFan writes "MBReview has posted the latest revision of their 'Motherboards - The Designing Process' article. This article covers the design process for modern motherboards, and also goes over some of the most common components that can be found. Definite read for information lovers, though beware, it'll take a while to read!"

Comments

It would have been interesting

[antifoidulus]

if they also gave a little insight into what goes into the manufacturing process as well. After all, you can design the best board there is, but if you have trouble making it in large quantities, it's not going to be successful. Cost and ease of manufacture should be factors in any engineering decision.

Not bad, but

[jimmyswimmy]

I used to design motherboard power system components, and the author spends a good bit of time talking about that. That is actually the most complicated part of the board design, as it is not at all automated. Most component vendors try to sell a complete solution to the motherboard vendor, easing their job somewhat while helping the sales of the component vendor.

One particularly interesting item of note: all those capacitors the author describes are absolutely crucial, and together form one of the largest cost items on the board. The system is tested using a processor-vendor-supplied "load tool" which simulates the worst case load transients one can ever expect to see. Most of that testing is done by the power system component vendor and then provided as a block to the motherboard vendor. Most motherboard vendors have no idea what they are doing there.

In fact, a lot of the foreign manufacturers (no names) cost-reduce their designs by simply pulling out caps until the system blue screens. Then they put the last one back in and sell it. Intel is the only manufacturer I am aware of that actually sells the worst-case performing design.

Note that I am only aware of products related to Intel-type motherboards. I never worked on the othe stuff.

Motherboard design is true art

[Alwin Henseler]

I have always considered motherboards THE most complex, interesting, and difficult part of a computer to design, and design well.

Every single component on a motherboard can be a magnificient piece of work, but it deals only with a limited number of variables. A CPU or chipset component ultimately only deals with bus protocols and internal design. The same goes for other components like memory or harddrives.

But everything comes together through the motherboard, and that (in my eyes) makes it the hardest part of a system to design well, considering the number of variables. A truly well done MB design is really a piece of art.

Yes, but..

[m0RpHeus]

Yes... but does your motherboard manufacturer follow best practices like Feng Shui?

Re:Yes, but..

[vurg]

I think mine does. My northbridge is aligned to the northern dragon constellation, and my southbridge flows with the wind that which cannot be seen.