However, from the materials available to heat resistance, from transfer rates to size, circuit boards have evolved a great deal over time. They also continue to change as our demands do. Not sure what that change might look like as we move forward? Let’s take a few minutes to explore some of the most important current and emerging trends in circuit board design.

Medical Devices

One of the most notable trends today is the spike in demand for medical devices. These run the gamut from hospital and medical clinic equipment like ventilators to devices used by EMTs and paramedics and those designed for consumer use. Circuit board design for medical devices must meet stringent requirements in terms of safety, reliability, heat resistance, and more.

Wearable Devices

From medical devices to fitness trackers, there’s a massive shift toward wearable devices. These must contend with a broad range of stressors that other devices do not face, although mobile devices, such as smartphones, come close in some cases. These factors range from dramatically decreased footprints to how to safely discharge heat and even water resistance in some cases.

Embedded Antennas

Today’s low-profile electronics demand something more than massive mast antennas, and designers have offered up embedded antennas right in the circuit board. Of course, this requires some advanced materials and unique design considerations to ensure full functionality. They play a role in Wi-Fi enabled devices, IoT devices, and much more.

Lead-Free Designs

Another important trend is the shift away from lead-containing laminates. Lead has played a role in circuit board design for decades, but it appears to be slowly falling by the wayside. Why, though? It’s largely to do with the higher heat levels that some of today’s devices must contend with, which would reduce lead to a toxic puddle at the bottom of the device. New lead-free laminate materials are being introduced to cope with those high heat levels and maintain their structural integrity at all times (not to mention eliminating those toxic fumes).

High-Power Boards

Just as circuit board designs must contend with higher heat levels than ever before, they are also being designed for higher and higher power levels (which also affects heat, of course). Most of these boards are above 48 volts, and they can be found in a wide range of applications. Many of them harness solar power, while others are intended for use within electric vehicles. IoT devices, battery-powered devices, and those with additional components – all of these are high-power applications.

The Growing Role of IoT Devices

As touched on above, IoT devices are having a profound impact on circuit board design. One interesting trend here is that the PCB industry is expanding. In the past, it was largely focused on consumer electronics. Today, that is still the case, but there is a growing focus on serving industrial needs because this is where the vast majority of IoT devices can be found. While Alexa, Siri, Ring doorbells and the like are all being integrated into homes, the real demand is within the manufacturing and industrial sector where entire production lines are now integrating internet connectivity and being networked together.

Not only does this mean that there is an increasing demand for circuit board design and manufacturing, but that PCB designers face some unique challenges. One of those is the change in what “protection” and “security” mean. Previously, it was really all about protecting the circuit board against environmental changes. Today, though, it is becoming more about prevention against tampering.

Flex and Rigid Flex

Previously, both flex and rigid-flex boards were relatively rare in the PCB world. Today, that’s increasingly not the case. That’s due to a couple of the trends that we have already discussed. One of those is the rise of medical devices – ideally suited for flexible circuit boards. However, flex boards are also well-suited for consumer electronics, for use in a range of different sensors connected to IoT devices, and even medical implants.

On the other hand, rigid-flex boards combine the benefits of both flexible circuit board design and rigid boards. The result is a board that “plays well with others,” which makes these well-suited for use as sub-boards and for creating additional layers.

Waste Control

Waste is a growing problem. This is particularly true of e-waste. Finding ways to deal with the growing mountain of disposed-of electronics is a challenge, but one option is to use biodegradable circuit boards. Biodegradable PCBs offer some light at the end of the tunnel and a way to start greening up the industry. While workable circuit board designs using biodegradable materials are still some way off, they are coming. It will require the design of new substrates, as well as a shift away from chemical-based etching processes in many cases.

A Full-Service PCB Manufacturer

From IoT devices to wearables to future-looking technology, Advanced Circuits delivers critical capabilities. With over 30 years of experience, our team helps bring circuit board designs to life on any scale. We understand that each client’s needs are different, and we’re happy to produce everything from a single prototype to massive production runs. We work with clients in the defense industry, IoT, automotive technology, and virtually every other sector, as well.

Advanced Circuits: Your Go-to PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Resource

Whether you need end-to-end assistance, or just want to create a test board to explore your designs, we can help. With the best turnaround time in the industry; weekend turns; same day turns and more, it’s no wonder our clients keep choosing Advanced Circuits for everything from prototype PCBs to large PCBs runs. Contact us today for an instant quote or to learn more about our capabilities.

Designing a wearable product can be difficult for any design engineer, because the rules for most electronics don’t necessarily apply to the world of wearables. PCB companies are acutely aware of the difficulties and hurdles that must be overcome in order to create a proper PCB for the wearable market. When they are approaching the problem of wearables, PCB companies are considering quite a few factors.

Size

One of the most obvious differences between wearables and other devices is the size. The comparably small screen of smart watches, in relation to smartphones, creates a special difficulty for PCB companies. These companies must consider the fact that customers want to use their wearable much like any other device, but smaller. This means adding the abilities for all of the same functionality in a fraction of the size.

Temperature

Many places across the globe can become blisteringly hot while many locations are frigid. Companies that design and manufacture PCBs are required to take this fact into account when designing their PCBs. This means they have to design and manufacture PCBs with both of the extremes in mind; the wearable must work as well in winter in Moscow as it does in the summer in Mesa, Arizona. This task is no easy feat, as it requires a great deal of precision to ensure that components are able to take the elements.

Humidity

PCB designers and manufacturers are always required to keep humidity in mind in addition to temperature. After all, the smallest amount of moisture can wreak havoc on a PCB not designed to handle the elements. And when they speak of humidity, PCB designers and manufacturers aren’t simply talking about conditions in the rainforest, they are also referring to the minute amount of humidity that the body gives off. As the device itself is being designed to be worn on the body, PCB companies must always keep in mind aspects of the human body that many people don’t even consider.

Insulation

Improperly insulated components can surge electricity through various parts of the device, which is especially pertinent when considering the fact that wearables are sometimes flush with the wearer’s skin. Improper insulation can lead to electrocution, battery leaking, or overheating, which may cause significant injuries to the wearer.

Power

Wearables are small, therefore their batteries are tiny. Depending on the technical capabilities of the wearable itself, the device can last for a range of time. Some of these devices last for days while others only last for less than one day. Making a note of how much power these batteries put out is of great importance to a PCB designer. Not only will it affect what the PCB can do, it actually affects how the PCB is built as the designer wants to create the most efficient path through all of the necessary components so that no energy is wasted in the process, prolonging the life of the miniscule battery powering the wearable.

Sources:

http://electronicdesign.com/embedded/engineer-s-guide-high-quality-pcb-design

http://www.instructables.com/id/PCB-making-guide/?ALLSTEPS

http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/all-aboard-/4429390/Ten-best-practices-of-PCB-design

http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1327821

http://electronicdesign.com/digital-ics/wearable-technologies-present-packaging-challenges

http://www.academia.edu/6418802/Design_of_Wearable_Antenna_System_on_Different_Materials_and_Their_Performance_Analysis_at_the_Off_and_On_Body_Environment_in_terms_of_Impedance_Matching_and_Radiation_Characteristics