Printed Circuit Board (PCB): Highlighting the Importance and Application

Introduction:

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) plays a vital role for making connections between electronic components or appliances. PCB is manufactured using non-conductive materials. It consists of pads, lines, and other features etched from copper sheets to connect the electronic components. There are various kinds of PCBs, such as single-sided, double-sided or multilayered. It can be flexible, rigid, or contain both flexible and rigid parts.

In today’s modern electronic devices, different PCB configurations provide different purposes with various capabilities. The improvement of PCB is related to the update and innovation of the technology.  There is a huge application of PCB in all kinds of industries. The application of printed circuit boards in electronic devices is very extensive. In this article, we will discuss the importance and various applications of PCB in detail.

Importance:

1. Integrated Design:   The integration of electronic components onto a single board allows PCB to optimize the space and enable the compactness of portable devices

2. Reliability: PCB can provide high quality and reliability for electronic devices to operate under different conditions.

3. Improved Assembly: PCB assembly of electronic devices provides a standard platform for mounting and interconnecting components. It simplifies the manufacturing process, lowers production time, and reduces costs.

4. Adaptability: PCB can be designed and fabricated with different size and shape to maintain the requirements for different applications. It provides adjustability with its single layer board or complex multi-layer design to meet the different requirements.

5. Innovation: PCB plays an important role for innovation in the electronics industry. It allows researchers and engineers to prototype, test, and enhance useful electronic knowledge and technologies.

Applications:

• Consumer Electronics:  One of the major applications of printed circuit boards is in consumer electronics. PCB in consumer electronics has various shapes and sizes according to the requirements of the device. The integrated circuits and other components are directly connected with PCB in the electronic products. Some of the most common devices, such as smartphones, computers, and IoT, require PCBs. Since more devices are becoming IoT-based, those will need to use PCBs.  PCBs used in devices need to be tiny with a high density of connections due to the complexity of the device. Due to the high reliability of PCB, consumer electronics have been highly popular for the customers. 

Figure 1: PCB of a smartphone

Source: https://www.ourpcb.com/pcbs.html

• Automotive Components: PCB is important for modern automotive applications, such as engine control module, transmission controller, heads-up displays, backup camera etc. Reliability is an important issue for automotive PCB. Automotive manufacturers use PCB to make driving safer and easier. Automotive PCBs are used for navigation, audio and video system, engine management system, resource monitoring and management, and fuel regulator.

PCB is able to handle extreme temperatures or vibrations. Automotive manufacturers use high-temperature laminates, aluminum or copper substrates, or thru-hole mounted components. They also use flex-rigid PCBs because of their ability to withstand vibrations.

 

Figure 2: Application of PCB in automotive vehicle

Source: https://www.mokotechnology.com/applications-of-printed-circuit-boards/

• Medical Devices: PCB has numerous applications in the healthcare industry. It plays a vital role in medical devices used for diagnostics, monitoring, treatment etc. It is widely used in medical imaging systems, such as ultrasonic, CT and CAT scanners, and monitoring technology for blood pressure and heart rate. PCB is used in blood analyzers, infusion pumps, ventilators and hearing aids. To ensure reliability, the role of PCB embedded in medical devices is quite significant for a patient's health. 

Figure 3: PCB used in medical devices.

Source: https://www.mokotechnology.com/applications-of-printed-circuit-boards/

• LEDs:  Light Emitting Diode, LED, is a favorite lighting technology used for residential and commercial purposes. It is excellent for its energy efficiency, higher life span and compactness. The role of PCB in LED application is to keep the heat away from the bulb. High temperature lowers the average lifespan of LEDs. PCB is used in LEDs to increase the average life of LEDs made with aluminum that can transport heat better than other metals.

• Aerospace Components: PCB is an essential device in the aerospace industry. It has a wide range of aerospace applications, such as monitoring equipment, communication equipment, and power supplies. It is used in planes, space shuttles, satellites and radio communications systems.

Since PCBs can resist vibration, high temperature and tough conditions, it is widely used in the aerospace industry. Anodized aluminum in PCB is used to increase resistance against oxidation. PCB boards made with lightweight materials such as aluminum are good for use in aerospace.

• Power Electronics:  PCB is integrated in the power supply unit (PSU) including linear and switching power supply. It regulates voltage and current to deliver constant power to electronic devices. It is used in motor drives and inverters to transform and adjust electrical power for driving motors in industrial automation and electric vehicles.

PCB is applied in Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems to switch between utility power and backup power sources.  It is used in the Power Distribution Unit (PDU) to provide power to many outlets or devices in data centers, industrial and commercial areas. Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuit is blended into PCB to enhance the effectiveness of power supply and minimize harmonic distortion.

PCB in Battery Management System (BMS) observes and handles charging, discharging of batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.  PCB used in Switched-Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) has applications in telecommunications, consumer electronics, and industrial machineries to adjust voltage and current effectively.

• Industrial Equipment: Different types of PCBs are used in industrial equipment with the requirements of different types of application. Durable PCB is crucial for driving the industrial equipment with efficiency with less human errors. PCB used in industrial equipment is usually high powered and durable to handle the tough conditions that exist in industrial facilities. PCB is an excellent resistance against rough handling, vibrating machinery, extreme temperatures or harsh chemicals. It is made with enduring or thermal-resistant elements for its high durability. Industrial PCB assembly includes thru-hole technology for higher durability.

• Computer Hardware: High-density PCB is used in modern computers to connect and power CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage devices. PCB design provides effective heat dissipation and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to improve performance and reliability. Improved multi-layer PCB is useful to regulate complicated layouts, high-speed data exchange, and power delivery.

PCB integrates higher levels of cooling solutions like heat pipes and thermal pads. Solid-State Drive (SSD) and Hard Disk Drive (HDD) depend on PCB for data warehouse and recovery. SSD, NVME (Non-Volatile Memory Express) require high-speed PCB. Routers, switches, and network cards rely on PCB for data routing and communication.

• Internet of Things (IoT) Devices: PCB is an integration of microcontroller, wireless IC, sensor and other components used in IoT devices. It acts as the main part of sensor nodes in IoT devices. Sensor gathers information and transmits it to the PCB for processing. Communication modules, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Zigbee are integrated in PCB to make wireless connection.

PCB integrates power management circuits to adjust voltage and maintain power sources.  It includes flash memory, EEPROM or storage interfaces. It incorporates wireless charging coils and control circuitry to be used in IoT devices. PCBs used in IoT devices are connected with sensors with minimum power dissipation and extend battery life.

• Audio Equipment: PCB is a basic component in an audio amplifier. It connects and regulates transistors, capacitors, and resistors to expand audio signals. It is quite important for signal routing, channel controls, and equalization. It is used in audio processors for the execution of numerous types of sound effects, such as reverb, delay, distortion, and modulation.

The weak microphone signal can be amplified through the use of PCB. Audio equalizer uses PCB to regulate the frequency response of audio signals. PCB in headphone amplifiers provides enhanced audio quality and volume for   headphone or earphone. PCB separates the audio signal into frequency bands in a multi-driver speaker system. 

• Telecommunications Equipment: Printed circuit board is very useful in the telecommunication industry. The telecom industry uses various kinds of PCBs because of different types of equipment used in the industry. Cellular base station, router, and switch are relied on PCB to maintain network traffic and secure constant connection. Improved PCB elements and designs are used in high-frequency electronic uses like 5G technology to assist quicker data exchange rates and less latency.

• Renewable Energy System: PCB is used in solar inverters to transform DC power from solar panels into AC power for domestic and grid uses.  PCB improves power generation and observes system activities. Wind turbine controller depends on the PCB to maintain blade pitch and generator synchronization for effective energy generation.

 

Figure 4: PCB used in Renewable Energy System

Source: https://rewireenergy.com/category/events/

• Maritime Applications: PCB is widely used for maritime applications to resist harsh conditions. PCB has a high reliability that is essential for the electronic components that are used for the safety purposes by maritime manufacturers. Marine vessels and systems, such as small vessels, large cargo ships, submarines, communications systems and navigation equipment rely on the operations of PCB.

• Military and Defense Applications:  PCB is used for different types of military and defense applications, such as communications equipment, computers, vehicles, firearms and more. Due to the high reliability of PCB, it can act against extreme conditions.

The military uses high-temperature laminates, aluminum and copper to resist high temperatures. Anodized aluminum is used to resist oxidation. Some military printed circuit board applications may also benefit from the enhanced reliability of thru-hole technology.

• Safety and Security Equipment:  PCB plays a vital role for the safety and security systems at commercial or government buildings. The high reliability of PCB makes it effective for the safety and security purposes.

PCB continues to play an essential role in a large scale of security and safety equipment. Electronic door locks, smoke detectors, and security cameras are some of the safety and security appliances that use printed circuit boards.

• Wearable Technology: PCB can be used in wearable cameras for image sensor, storage, and video processing. It is used in VR and AR headsets that can perform difficult roles including motion tracking, display synchronization, and audio processing.

Wearable biometric devices, such as fingerprint scanners or vein authentication bands, depend on PCB for authentication and data security. Wearable GPS and location tracking devices use PCB to connect to satellite networks and deliver real-time location data.

Assembly Technology for PCB Applications: 

There are two main assembly techniques used for PCB applications, such as thru-hole and surface mount technology.

1. Through-Hole Mounting Technology: Through-hole mounting technology is applied to products for high reliability with the advantage of strong firmness on connection The assembler places component leads into holes drilled into a bare PCB in a thru-hole mounting technology. Thru-hole mounting technology is essential for testing and prototyping uses that need manual adjustments of components.

2. Surface Mounting Technology (SMT): Components are mounted on the PCB surface using solder by the surface mounting technology. Tiny components known as vias are used by surface mount boards to connect the various layers of the PCB. The assembler can attach components to both sides of the board through the use of surface mounting technology. Surface mounting components are tiny that allow more parts to fit on a single board. It can minimize costs and make electronic devices to be tinier.

Figure 5: Difference between Through-hole mounting technology and SMT

Source: https://www.pcbaaa.com/7-common-applications-of-pcb-you-must-know/

Opportunities:

1. High requirements: Since the requirements of electronic devices are being increased, the PCB assembly industry is prepared to meet those requirements. The industry is expected to experience significant growth in future due to the demand for PCB devices in a wide range of applications.

2. Innovation:  Significant innovation is being made in the PCB assembly industry in some areas, such as automation and application of flexible PCB. Innovation is making it possible for manufacturers to make high quality, reliable products at a lower cost with higher efficiency.

Conclusion:

The printed circuit board (PCB) has been a crucial part in the electronics world for decades. It provides mechanical support for fixing and assembling components such as transistors, integrated circuits, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. PCB connects electronic components and aids in the functionality of an electronic device. PCB has a wide range of applications including automotive, power, aerospace, medical, military industries etc.  With the rapid advancement of technology and increasing demand for electronic devices, the PCB assembly industry has been able to make significant growth.

External Links:

1. https://deltaimpact.com/blog/what-are-the-applications-of-pcbs

Key word: Applications of PCB.

2. https://www.mokotechnology.com/applications-of-printed-circuit-boards/

Key word: Top 8 Applications of PCB.

3. https://finestpcb.com/what-are-the-main-applications-of-pcb-boards/

Key word: Main applications of PCB.