In that sense, the continuous need for technological advancements and implementation will inevitably call for the advancement of PCBs. In this post, we’ll cover three of the most likely future trends of the circuit board.

What does the future hold for the circuit board?

3D printed electronics

3D printing technology is one of the most interesting and innovative technological advancements in recent years. From 3D printed tools to complex digital designs, 3D printing technology is traversing almost every industry, and PCB manufacturing is no different.

The technology is already being used in PCB manufacturing and is predicted to revolutionize how future electrical systems are designed. The technology allows PCB manufacturers to print a substrate item layer by layer, then add liquid ink on the parts that contain electrical functionalities. Future advancements in this mode of PCB manufacture will pave the way for the innovation of circuits that can take any shape imaginable.

Flexible PCBs

Between flexible displays, wearable electronics and medical applications, the electronics industry is pushing increasingly toward flexible PCBs. Flexible PCBs can handle more stress than their rigid counterparts. They can even be folded into awkward 3D spaces. This makes them very useful in applications where bending is a common occurrence.

Biodegradable PCBs

Electronic waste is one of the biggest environmental concerns in the modern era. Considering the number of electronics a person goes through in a decade, coupled with the industry’s trend for short-lived electronics, we’ll need a drastic solution to minimize electronic waste.

Some scientists are proposing that we attack the pollution problem by changing the PCBs themselves. This would mean switching from traditional PCB manufacturing materials to more environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials. There is also talk about switching up the harmful etching chemicals used in today’s assembly process with more environment-friendly alternatives.

The bottom line

PCBs have come a long way since they were invented. What was once a big rigid blocks is now the slim, compact designs we know today. As the future unfolds, we’ll see further advancements in PCB technology. Are you ready to embrace the future? Call us today for all your PCB needs.

It is no secret that the market for wearable technology continues to grow at a fast rate. Smartwatches, fitness trackers, biometric readers and more are all sought after for their ability to connect consumers with their existing devices. However, while wearables continue to add in new components and features, the fact remains that consumers demand high quality data that they can then analyze. High quality printed circuit boards are required in order to make this happen.

Zulki Khan’s article of September 28, 2015 in Embedded.com, Fundamentals guide wearable PCB designs, discusses finding the ‘sweet spot’ with PCB laminate materials that are cost-effective and that deliver the characteristics necessary in today’s wearables, such as low dielectric loss. Khan also points out: “Wearable PCBs require much tighter impedance control, which is an essential element for a wearable device, resulting in cleaner signal propagation.” Khan continues with a comparison of FR4 and Rogers 4000 Series laminates and declares: “Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) for Rogers 4000 Series has exceptional dimension stabilities.” This discussion continues on EETimes.

Since the market for wearable technology is also exploding for first responders, aerospace firms and defense applications, it is necessary to tool your product to provide the most value to the end user. Due to the size of the product, PCBs must be made smaller and thinner than ever before while delivering accuracy that older generations of technology failed to accomplish. As the market for wearable technology expands, expect more focus to be put on biometric sensors and accuracy over calling and texting features.

Looking Toward Future Printed Circuit Boards

As with all technologies, printed circuit boards continue to evolve over time. From the earliest PCBs, which were made from materials like Bakelite, Masonite and even layered cardboard, to the advanced laminates used today, a lot has been done to improve PCB design, function and performance in the last century. New printed circuit board technologies, such as flex circuits and those created from 3D printers, are being tested as engineers continue to look for ways to maximize value while minimizing costs. Stay up-to-date on the newest capabilities for PCBs and learn more about the laminates and materials available for your next order by contacting an expert at Advanced Circuits today.

As the end of 2014 approaches, electronics professionals start to take a look at what 2015 will bring in terms of new consumer trends and areas of focus in the industry. Printed circuit board technology is allowing product designers and engineers to introduce new computers, smartphones and wearables that have greater performance levels than ever before. Based on sales numbers this year and the growing buzz around consumer electronics that are in the pipeline, forecasters expect varied levels of success for the industry in the year ahead. According to TrendForce and as reported by Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine, notebook computer shipments will grow 0.6% in 2015 while table shipments will decline 3.5%. This may be due to a number of factors, including:

• Organizations in the market to update workplace computers and laptops
• Updated software and features for notebooks offer something new for consumers
• “Phablets” pushing for more market share
• Notebook prices are lower, creating more direct competition

Opportunities for Printed Circuit Board Designers

The benefit of looking ahead at emerging market trends is that a printed circuit board designer can anticipate consumer demand for certain products and features. This way, organizations can incorporate the information into their research and development processes to ensure that they remain on the forefront of the industry. Whether it is with smartwatches, smartphones or notebooks, understanding the technological capabilities in front of you and taking steps to deliver for your consumers help ensure your continued growth moving forward. To learn more about the latest developments in printed circuit boards, contact an expert at Advanced Circuits today.

Source

1. Drysdale, Chelsey, “Report: Tablet Shipments to Decline 3.5% in 2015,” Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine, 1 December 2014, Web, 10 December 2014.

With the amount of mobile devices in the world growing faster than the global population, a serious question must be addressed. What do we do with all of the consumer electronics and other products when they are no longer in use? It is clear that piling devices up in landfills has a drastic effect on the environment and our economy. Researchers at the University of Illinois are working to tackle this problem by developing printed circuit boards that are soluble and will essentially dissolve completely over time. This technology is primarily aimed to assist the medical industry, but would also do wonders for the world of consumer electronics. There is still much to be developed and worked out in terms of ensuring that components work the same, if not better, than what is available now.

Potential Applications for Soluble Printed Circuit Boards

In order for soluble printed circuit boards to succeed on the market and earn worldwide adoption, product designers and engineers in all industries must find ways to integrate the technology into everyday applications. Potential uses for this new technology that could be seen in the coming years include:

• Medicine – Brain monitors and other medical devices that need to be implanted can be made form these components so that once they have served their purpose they do not need to be removed.
• Cell Phones – Cell phones and other portable electronics end up in landfills or desk drawers when people stop using them. Instead, they will now be able to safely and responsibly recycle.
• Machinery – Machines that rely on PCBs can have their parts easily swapped out as needed without needing to start from scratch, saving time and money.

Learn more about the capabilities of PCBs and how you can ensure your next project reaches its full potential by contacting an expert at Advanced Circuits today.

For many, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about printed circuit boards is consumer electronics. Computers, phones, entertainment systems and more have the features and performance we’ve come to expect due to the quality of PCBs housed inside each product. However, emergency responders around the country are beginning to test new products and processes that rely on PCBs to help save lives.

• Firefighters – Imaging tools allow fire crews to map out the size and location of a fire so that they can plan the best course of action moving forward. Firefighters can also use existing geography and topography to predict when locations are most vulnerable for fires and how they may spread.
• Police Officers – Technology is being developed that will allow officers involved in shootings and other emergencies to signal for the help they need. For example, PCBs can be placed in gun grips or other equipment that will register when an officer has fired his or her weapon. That can then alert other units nearby or a dispatcher.
• Paramedics – Mobile technology allows paramedic teams to get information they need to assist crash victims or others that require medical attention during transport to the hospital. These are life-or-death situations that depend on high quality computers, communication systems and medical equipment to save lives.

Quality Assurance for Printed Circuit Boards

Due to the rigorous demands of each individual application, it is important that printed circuit boards be designed and tested to withstand every requirement. Especially when it comes to medical equipment and gear that assists emergency crews, product designers and engineers must ensure that their PCBs will perform as needed. To learn more about the manufacturing and assembly processes of PCBs and how Advanced Circuits tests that all of your boards meet the highest standards, contact a representative today.

Sure, it is easy to build a robot and program it to carry out routine tasks. But what happens when you increase the sophistication of the technology and it is able to make decisions for itself based on its environment? This question is being addressed by engineers at MIT who are working on a system that will allow them to read robots’ minds as a decision is being made. To do this, the team set up an experiment that asked a robot to navigate a course with a moving obstacle – a human pacing back and forth. Normally, the robot evaluates its environment, detects where the object is and charts a path that allows it to move safely around it. In this experiment, engineers used printed circuit boards with motion-capture components and other technology to set up projectors that showed the real-time intentions of the test subject. This technology can help scientists and researchers better understand the “thought processes” of robots to be able to predict how they perform in certain conditions.

Integrating the Right Software with Your Hardware

When you are working on a project you want to be able to create something that can perform as you need it to, especially under pressure. Without the right hardware – printed circuit boards, components and product casing – your robot or other machine will not be able to carry out the functions that you need. To ensure that your hardware and software match up it is important to design your PCBs with your end result in mind. What components are critical for your project to succeed? How can you maximize the space you have on your PCB while also reducing energy consumption and eliminating instances of overheating? To get your questions answered and place your order for the exact PCBs you need for your next project, contact an expert at Advanced Circuits today.

A growing trend in consumer electronics is the desire of the customer to get a customized product tailored to their individual needs. This is either accomplished with a completely custom product that is built from the ground up, such as a home computer, or with a semi-custom product, which adds or changes features and components on a mass-produced item. An example of a semi-custom product is a digital camera, which can be modified with new hardware or software. To support this new functionality, device manufacturers need to be flexible in the design and manufacturing process, especially when it comes to printed circuit boards. While offering customized versions of your products may require more lead time for production, it can also help smaller companies compete directly with larger organizations by bringing in more business and notoriety.

How do Custom Products Affect Printed Circuit Boards?

When your customers or clients request a customized product or changes to an existing offering of yours, your team will need to ensure that you can deliver. Designing base printed circuit boards that you can use and add onto can help you lower production costs without sacrificing customization options that are popular with your audience. Working with the largest component library when designing PCBs allows you to incorporate the features and options that will take your products and applications to the next level. This is also true if you’d like to add new hardware or functionality to your finished product later on. Learn more about the PCB design process and how to maximize the efficiency and performance of your circuit boards by contacting an expert at Advanced Circuits.

The PCB West Conference & Exhibition, a major tradeshow for the printed circuit board design and manufacturing industry, took place in Santa Clara, California, at the beginning of September. PCB West is a great place for manufacturers and designers to come together to share new ideas, show off the latest in product and processes, and collaborate on the future of the industry. In addition, companies flock to PCB West and similar shows in order to see the latest trends in various sectors that rely on electronic and especially circuit board design in order to succeed.

After PCB West 2014, it is clear that demand for flexible circuit board technology is on the rise for end-user products such as wearables. While wearable technology is on the rise, so too is the demand for multilayer PCBs that can display increased productivity and quality while being mindful of budget and product space restrictions. Product designers and engineers can take lessons learned from tradeshows and integrate new processes and products into their methods in order to create unparalleled results.

PCB Forecast for 2014-15

Based on the amount of wearable devices hitting the market this year and already planned, it is safe to say that consumer electronics will rely heavily on PCB manufacturers to deliver circuit boards that are smaller and faster than ever before. Advances in production processes and improved assembly procedures will help to keep costs down in order to allow for investment in higher quality materials for engineers. As always, a balance must be found between including all of the necessary components and wiring on a PCB with heat and performance limitations in order to ensure that the finished product works as planned and is accepted by the consumer or client. Learn more about PCB capabilities, materials and manufacturing by contacting an expert at Advanced Circuits today.

Every year, new smartphones and portable devices hit the market promising to take customers to the next level in terms of functionality and features. This is most notable for consumers when they hold and use their new devices, but it is the printed circuit board and hardware inside the product that work together to make this happen. New near field communication (NFC) chips and technology are helping device designers make the most of PCB space so that the product as a whole improves. For example, Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 4 is expected to deliver boosted NFC performance at high radio frequency. This is done with a chip that is smaller in size yet operates with double the range in reader and card emulation modes. Updates to the devices software are expected to be safe and secure so new features can be added to the NFC chip. Increasing PCB functionality with each new generation of devices will continue to make products smarter and more useful.

Maximizing Printed Circuit Board Power Efficiency

The dilemma for product designers is finding ways to incorporate the latest components while reducing energy consumption and heat production. Tweaking your printed circuit board design to find the perfect solution will allow your team to create PCBs that work as needed in your finished product. Via hole construction, PCB laminate choice and placement of components on your circuit board all play a role in efficiency. To get the PCBs you need for your project, follow these steps:

• Use PCB design software to perfect your layout
• Submit your design files for manufacturability checks
• Correct any DFM errors
• Complete your order

Contact an expert at Advanced Circuits today to learn more.

Although robotics is undoubtedly helping advance society and unlock new possibilities with technology, there is a debate taking place about whether or not this is a good thing. The question arises when manufacturing printed circuit boards, as more and more companies replace human operators with robots and machines. This is due to increases in the cost of operators for manufacturing test, according to an article for EE Times. This increase is forcing PCB assembly line managers to look for ways to reduce expenses in order to stay competitive. While a solution for many has been to replace manual operators with automated systems, the machines at times need the human element in order to maintain quality. As scientists and engineers work to find a perfect system for PCB manufacturing and assembly, expect a balance to be found between machine precision and human design and functionality in the future.

Simplifying the Structure of Printed Circuit Boards

When you are designing your printed circuit boards a main goal is to maximize the quality and output of your PCB while expending resources such as money and product space efficiently. For example, size or packaging restrictions may force you to get more creative with your PCBs in order to ensure desired functionality. Refining your PCB designs to ensure that you have a simple and effective structure will allow you to get the circuit boards you need that will work in the intended application. During the design stage, consider operating temperature, material and laminate requirements and necessary components so you can seamlessly create and order your PCBs. Get started by contacting an expert at Advanced Circuits today.