Advancements in PCB Manufacturing Processes
While PCBs have been in use from several decades, they have newfound applications in several industrial segments. This is primarily because electronics has found its way in nearly all the sectors including medical, defense, and many more crucial industries and has changed the way they function. PCBs and their manufacturing processes also have much evolved over the last three decades or so with advancements in CNC machines, fabrication processes, and a heavy demand for small circuit boards with several components. The PCB design should be such it manages high voltage, high power boards with multiple layers, and more. This post discusses the advancements and recent trends in PCB manufacturing processes.
Advanced PCBs and Manufacturing Processes
Advanced PCBs in general have some peculiar characteristics such as a very tight tolerance for solder mask offset, minimal trace width without fill lines, plugged vias, a very tight level of dimensional accuracy, and more. These are commonly used in electronics and telecommunication, instrumentation, biomedical, defense, industrial equipment, and more. Most of these advancements have evolved over the years with standard PCBs still being produced and used. Many advancements continue to be under research as PCB manufacturing processes, materials, components, and equipment must continually improve and evolve hand in hand.
Current trends in PCB Manufacturing Process
The phrase “Change is the only constant” can be very easily understood if we study the timeline or evolution of the PCBs and electronics sector, and their ever increasing applications. PCB requirements and subsequently their manufacturing processes have evolved over the years. Here, continuous improvement in devices which will lead the innovation in new generations of electronic products is the main goal. Hence, the advancement happens at the base or core which is the PCB level. Here are some related current trends.
Flex circuit boards: There is an evolving trend of using completely flexible boards rather than rigid or rigid-flex ones. This is mainly because of the bending angles and flexibility they offer. They can be made in small sizes while also accommodating several components and layers. Also, you get several options for materials which can withstand harsh environments.
Internet of Things (IoT): Device to device communication has picked up pace over the last few years, and this is only likely to increase over the next few years. Smart devices ranging from phones and electricity meters to refrigerators, lighting systems, and other home and industrial systems are all a part of IoT. The fact that these smart devices function on an auto mode, sense things, issue messages and alerts accordingly, and enable remote access, monitoring, and control, is attributed to their complex PCB design.
High power boards: These boards have supplies of up to 48 volts. These are commonly used in electric vehicles for which the demand is quite high and expected to increase further. However, to eliminate noise and interference issues, these boards need large components mounted on them, including a battery pack.
High density interconnects (HDIs): This is already much in use and has a huge demand as the size of digital devices continues to shrink. This technology facilitates compact boards with limited number of layers with high-speed signal transmission. This technology continues to be under research to overcome issues related to noise, fabricating traces in a small area, and so on.
Board Cameras: These are cameras directly mounted onto a PCB. They are small in size and hence can be easily fitted onto a board. They are capable of taking high definition pictures and videos quite easily. While they are much is use and demand, further research might yield better results which may help in improved industrial solutions and other applications.
Auto routers in PCBs: Modern PCBs have an auto placer or auto router in their design which facilitate automation by automatically routing digital functions throughout the board to determine the PCB layout features. This component speeds up the automation in a product. However, this also needs further research in terms of easing the installation and setup and also catering to specific product design requirements.
Biodegradable PCBs: Much is being discussed about using ecofriendly devices and products which can be recycled or reused. The same applies to PCBs as well as e-waste or electronic waste is a huge concern. As part of reducing the carbon footprint, researchers are developing biodegradable materials for PCBs, with some even suggesting changes in the manufacturing process. However, this needs more research and hopefully there may soon be a concrete solution to this issue.
If you are an OEM who has manufactured a partially or fully automated product, you may require a complex PCB design. Ensure you partner with a reliable PCB manufacturer and services provider who has several years of experience and used advanced PCB manufacturing processes. Twisted Traces designs, fabricates, and assembles various types of PCBs using the most advanced PCB manufacturing processes, materials, and fabrication techniques.
The Importance of PCB in Developing Technology: From Consumer to Industrial
The importance of PCBs in developing technology and new products can’t be understated. Look around the room you’re in now, and you’ll likely find a dozen or more PCBs. If you’re with a group of people, everyone has a smartphone with multiple circuit boards and other electronics. These products are the silent workhorses that make modern life possible.
Companies developing new electronic products for release to market will need to move through a specific process to create basic and functional prototypes and eventually scale with a contract manufacturer (CM). Many technology companies are moving beyond software development and into smart devices with a hardware-centric component. Still, they may not have the experience required to take electronics to market at scale.
This article will look at the importance of PCBs in developing technology and their role in electronics product development.
How PCBs Are Used in Product Development
When developing a new electronic product for release to market, the design will need to be built on top of a PCB. The board and its components form the backbone of an electronic system. The role of the PCB is to hold and connect all the critical components in a design into a compact, reliable package that can be manufactured with low cost, high yield, and high quality. If designed properly, subject to the right testing and inspection regimen, and built with the right materials, companies can assume their product will be reliable and function as intended.
The Development Process
A design will follow a particular process to meet these objectives. Designs typically start as a proof-of-concept, often using prototyping and application development platforms like Arduino or Raspberry Pi. The following revisions will focus on building functional prototypes for thorough testing and use in further application development. Finally, after successive rounds of development, design modifications, and testing, a design is consolidated and prepared for high-volume production with a qualified CM.
The Role of PCBs in Product Development
The PCB assembly (PCBA) for a new product will be built in multiple revisions so that a design team can prove the feasibility of their product, manufacturability, and debug hardware, firmware, and software. A design team will perform several functions as their PCB design is transformed from a set of CAD files into a physical product:
Act as a test platform for a design:
In the first iteration of a functional prototype, many PCBs are built with multiple test points, exposed I/Os on connectors, and form factor that enables testability. Some circuits may be omitted so that the design team can focus on verifying critical components, circuits, and capabilities in the device. The first revision of firmware and software is typically evaluated and debugged in early revisions.
Enable testing in the intended environment:
In the next iteration, a revision of the design is produced that much more closely resembles the end product with all circuits present, many test fixtures removed, and with a form factor that closely matches the device’s enclosure. These boards receive more rigorous testing and final debugging, often in multiple rounds to resolve all outstanding problems.
Prove manufacturability:
Throughout the process, the design needs to be qualified for production on each prototyping run and, eventually, before high-volume production. An experienced CM can put the design through their DFM review process before production to ensure manufacturability.
By building everything onto a PCB at multiple stages in the product development process, a design team and manufacturer ensure the product will be safe, reliable, manufacturable, and function as intended.
From Prototype to Market, Consumer to Industrial
PCBs perform many functions beyond connecting components to each other in a small package, and they need to be carefully designed to secure functionality. Specific designs that perform embedded computing functions or products with wireless capabilities require unique design practices to ensure data and signals are transferred correctly throughout the PCB.
Many of today’s consumer products need to satisfy these requirements. Consumer devices are packing more digital and analog components into smaller packages with diverse features, creating signal integrity and FCC/CE compliance challenges for designers. Some examples of these products include:
Smart appliances
Mobile or wearable devices
Home office equipment
Home automation devices
Personal health devices
Industrial PCBAs must be more rugged, and they often need to comply with a different set of safety, reliability, and producibility standards before acceptance in the marketplace. IEC, UL, IEEE, FCC/CE, and other industry standards are placed on PCBAs for industrial systems. Some example products in the industrial domain include:
Power management systems, including alternative energy
Motor drive and control systems
Industrial IoT platforms for equipment management and monitoring
Replacements or upgrades to legacy production assets
No matter what functions a new PCB design needs to perform, companies can ensure their design will be manufacturable at the required volume when they work with the right CM. An experienced CM can act as a trusted partner throughout the development process, aiding design, parts procurement, and manufacturing at each stage and ensuring high quality.
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