a PCB will operate in a high ambient temperature environment, and the board needs to remove heat from components to prevent even higher temperatures from being reached in the system. Active cooling measures are important for aiding heat flow, but not all products can accommodate active cooling. Instead, designs can rely on passive cooling that relies on choosing the right PCB materials.
4-layer PCBs are the workhorses of many low-density digital and RF PCBs that still require some controlled impedance routing. 4-layer boards are also very useful for diverse power connections, and they can be used in power electronics that require many varied components and power levels.
Many times we discuss complex boards with unique features and sensitive routing on this blog. But the reality is that most PCBs that are mass manufactured have lower layer counts and less complexity. 2-layer boards will continue to be high-volume products, and they are almost always the starting point for a new designer learning about PCB layout.
Fabrication capacity for high density PCBs and packaging is currently increasing, especially in North America and Europe. These platforms still use standard via styles, namely through-hole vias, blind and buried vias, and core vias in HDI PCBs. But the electronics assembly and packaging world is no stranger to innovation, and there are alternative via options that can offer much more flexibility in routing and layout.
One of the biggest design requirements in HDI PCBs is designing via stacks. Vias in an HDI PCB give you much more freedom than a standard board with through-hole vias, but the vias are also a big driver of manufacturing costs. These are also a big driver of reliability in the finished HDI build, especially when you look at challenges with stacked microvias.
PCBs for commercial products must pass a set of reliability tests in order to prove their capabilities, which goes well beyond the standard functional testing found in many products. Functional tests are the starting point, but reliability tests are where a design is proven for operation in its intended environment. To help designers plan a path forward for reliability assessments, we have compiled a set of reliability tests for PCBAs.
With the growth of the semiconductor industry, the density of circuits within integrated circuits (ICs) has increased. Even with the increase in density, the number of input-output pins remains unchanged, which is one of the reasons for the increased complexity in IC packages.
Ceramics used in electronics are everywhere. For instance, ferroelectrics are used to create high-dielectric capacitors and non-volatile memory devices. Ferrites play a crucial role in storing data and information. Solid electrolytes are instrumental in the storage and conversion of energy. Piezoelectrics are essential for sonar technology, while semiconducting oxides have been pivotal in monitoring environmental conditions.
Sensors and transducers play integral roles in PCBs by enabling electronic systems to interact with and respond to the surrounding environment. Sensors detect physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, light, and motion, converting these analog signals into electrical signals that PCBs process. Sensors are used in various applications, from environmental monitoring and industrial automation to consumer electronics.
In printed circuit board (PCB) design, the choice of pad type plays a critical role in determining the durability, reliability, and performance of the final product. Through-hole pads, which are designed for components with leads that pass through the PCB, offer superior mechanical and electrical connections compared to surface mount pads.