Top 5 Applications of Printed Circuit Boards To Know About

Entrepreneur Matt Mullenweg once remarked that “Technology is best when it brings people together.” Do you agree? Emerging technologies will continue to shape the future that lies ahead of us. As expected of our world’s wonderful innovations, change is inevitable.

Much of present-day technology wouldn’t be possible without innovations of the past. Humanity has harnessed so much power and potential in PCBs. Almost a century has passed since the first development and use of printed circuit boards. Ever since, their applications have only evolved into bigger and better things, as the boards themselves become increasingly smaller and intricate.

PCBs are the core functional cornerstone of most electronic products within the modern world. Whatever sector, industry, or field you think of utilizes PCBs in some way, shape, or form. Let’s examine closer the top five applications of printed circuit boards to know about.

PCBs: The Basis of Innovative Products

Engineers design and configure each circuit board to meet the specific functional needs of a device. The main objective of printed circuit boards is to connect electronic components on a singular surface. That being said, you’ll find varied configurations and multi-layers that provide a wider array of capabilities. These variation options include single-sided vs. double-sided boards or the use of SMT vs. through-hole design. After achieving proof-of-concept and completing thorough testing, engineers can incorporate the final designs of PCBs into end products for assorted applications and purposes.

Patient Health: Medical Devices

Technologies continue to advance rapidly in the health care sector today. PCBs play a critical role in medical devices for diagnostic purposes, dependable monitoring, and treatment solutions. Be aware that printed circuit boards within the medical sector are held to a higher quality standard due to their potential impacts on individual health.

Medical Imaging and Scanning Technologies

CAT machines, X-ray machines, CT machines, ultrasound scanners, and electronic analysis devices function on PCBs. This medical imaging machinery is key for the proper diagnosis and the provision of effective treatment strategies.

Monitoring and Reading Vitals

The ability to acquire highly accurate readings of an individual’s health vitals is possible because of PCBs. Personal and health care-grade blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose monitors rely on the complex functioning of their electronic components.

Infusion and Internal Devices

Up-to-the-minute internal medical devices—such as heart pacemakers—run on tiny PCBs at their cores. Controlled analgesia infusion pumps also rely on PCBs so they can deliver crucial medicine or insulin reliably each time.

Light-Emitting Diodes: Energy-Efficient LEDs

The popularity of light-emitting diodes increases every day for environmental and cost-saving purposes. LEDs are an innovative lighting technology that provides longevity, compactness, and ultra-energy efficiency. Printed circuit board applications for LEDs are helpful solutions to transfer heat away from the bulb. This decrease in temperature increases their average life expectancy.

LED PCBs are found in interior and exterior residential lighting, commercial storefront lighting and signage, medical lighting in surgery centers or ERs, computer displays on laptops and desktops, and automotive displays for brake lights or headlights.

Industrial Applications: Production and Equipment

Controlling machinery and manufacturing products in harsh factory conditions is a challenging endeavor. These types of industrial machines depend on robust PCB-controlled electronic components.

Industrial PCBs are generally thicker, made from hardy thermal-resistant materials with through-hole technology. Their applications include controlling heavy-duty power devices, measuring and pressure equipment, and electric drills, ramps, and assembly machines.

Automotive and Aerospace Components

Manufacturers of transportation vessels—such as consumer automobiles, commercial planes, and space-bound rockets—also use electronic components. These days, PCBs are imperative to enable advanced system features that make diverse types of travel both simpler and safer.

PCBs in automotive applications support engine control and fuel management systems, parking and drifting sensors, and navigation and entertainment systems. Innovative PCB development could make fully autonomous vehicles the norm of the automotive industry.

PCBs in aerospace applications has amplified requirements for harsher environments. PCB materials must be able to withstand extreme vibrations and temperature fluctuations. You’ll find PCBs in the power supplies of aircraft and satellites, critical communication systems for air travel, and pressure and acceleration monitoring equipment.

Consumer Electronics: Smart Tech Operations

Last but certainly not least of the top five applications of printed circuit boards to know about is consumer electronics.

Think of smartphones, laptops, tablets, TVs, microwaves, smartwatches, and so much more. Millions and millions of people around the globe rely on PCBs within their communication devices, home and work computers, household appliances, and entertainment systems. Numerous quality control and compliance measures are in place to ensure safe and efficient PCB use in products on the consumer market.

Printed Circuit Boards: Prototype Development

PCB design engineers commonly develop a preliminary prototype before full-scale manufacturing. Assembling a quick-turn prototype is a wise idea to ensure quality and functional design for end-product use. Prototypes are also ideal for developing limited-function PCBs or reliably testing a singular function of a high-density board in a complicated electronic product. Don’t forget about scenarios where an accelerated concept-to-production process is of the essence.

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Applications of Printed Circuit Boards

Printed circuit boards or PCBs, have a vital role in the modern day as technology has become essential to our daily routines. These circuit boards are essentially a foundation as they are used in almost everything electronic or electrical. Being at the heart of most electrical devices today, they can come in various configurations which allow them to serve different purposes and provides various capabilities. As technology grows and develops, the need for PCBs will also grow.

In an age where technology is at the forefront, almost all types of industries and sectors have benefited from printed circuit boards, and as PCBs evolve, they will find new applications in new industries.

These are some of the applications that you may find printed circuit boards to be used in.

Consumer Electronics

The most common sector for printed circuit boards to be used in is consumer electronics. Millions of people around the world rely on electronic devices and it has become an essential part of their daily lives. Whether it’s a mobile phone, a computer, a microwave, or even a coffee maker, most of these types of home appliances and entertainment systems have a circuit board within them.

The applications for printed circuit boards in this sector are very extensive. These are just some of the common uses for PCBs in consumer-grade electronics:

Communications: Smartphones, smart watches, tablets, and radios all utilise PCBs as a foundation for the product.

Computers: Home desktop PCs, workstations, laptops, and satellite navigation have PCBs at their core. Most devices with screens and peripheral devices also have circuit boards within them.

Entertainment Systems: Your television, stereo set, DVD player, and games consoles will feature circuit boards at their core.

Home Appliances: Almost all modern home appliances use electronic components, such as your microwave, refrigerator, alarm clock, and coffee maker.

As there is such a high demand for circuit boards to be mass produced for the consumer electronics sector, it’s important that PCB manufacturers maintain the quality and uniformity to ensure safety and compliance. This is why there are regulations and standards that PCB manufacturers need to meet. They will have quality control measures to ensure that the circuit board functions as intended and safely for the consumer market.

Industrial Applications

The industrial sector benefits greatly from printed circuit boards, especially businesses with production lines and manufacturing facilities. Not only are these electronic components essential to the day-to-day processes, but they enable automation which can help businesses to save on costs and reduce human error. PCBs can be specifically designed to withstanding high-power applications and the demanding environments which the industrial sector needs.

Here are some examples of where PCBs are used in the industrial sector:

Industrial Equipment: Assembly machines, presses, and ramps that are used in this industry have electronic components.

Power Equipment: Power supplies, power inverters, and power distribution and other power control devices.

Measuring Equipment: Equipment that is used to control the temperature, the pressure, and other variables in the manufacturing process.

The industrial sector has a demanding environment had requires PCBs that are tailored to their needs. There are a variety of circuit board types that are capable of delivering high-powered applications that are withstanding and durable, such as flex-rigid PCBs.

Medical Devices

Printed circuit boards and electronics contribute significantly to the medical sector. Not only are they used in appliances, but they are also used is monitoring, diagnostic, and treatment devices. The applications of PCBs for the medical sector is growing at a fast rate as technology improves which leads to new possibilities.

Some of the common applications of PCBs include:

Scanning Equipment: X-Ray screens, CT scanners, and ultrasonic scans all use electronic components in order to function.

Monitors: Medical monitoring devices such as blood glucose monitors, heart rate and blood pressure monitors all have electronic components inside.

Medical Instruments: The field of medical research requires various instruments to gather data and test outcomes. You may find PCBs inside electronic microscopes, control systems, compressors, and other devices.

For the medical sector, PCBs must be held to a higher standard due to the health implications. These electronics must be reliable and high-quality to ensure compliance with the medical regulations. Medical PCBs are specially designed and they tend to be smaller due to the constraints on the device size.

Automotive Applications

In the modern automotive industry, vehicles now feature a range of advanced electronics and electrical parts which provide more functionality. Whereas, compared to the past when vehicles only had a few electronic circuits for the essentials, circuit boards have come a long way and have found many uses in this sector.

Here are some of the common applications of PCBs in vehicles:

Navigation: Navigation systems such as satellite navigation have become more commonly incorporated into vehicles. These systems all use PCBs.

Media Devices: Modern vehicles may have advanced dashboards that are able to connect to the vehicle’s radio or media player. All of these utilise electronic parts.

Control Systems: Advanced car control systems such as power supplies, fuel regulators, and engine management use circuit boards to monitor and manage these parts of the vehicle.

Proximity Monitors: Newer models of cars may include built-in sensors to help the driver monitor their blind spots and judge distances. These systems require high-quality and reliable PCBs to function as intended and prevent failure.

These advanced electronics can improve the safety on the roads whilst also providing a better driving experience, which makes these systems very popular in vehicles today. However, not just any circuit boards can be used in vehicles. The environment in which these boards operate in will be demanding and they will need to be able to withstand high vibrations. Boards such as flexible PCBs are much more resistant to vibrations than your standard PCB and the challenge for PCB manufacturers is to meet the needs of the extensive industry.

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