As mentioned earlier, PCB design is a process that involves multiple factors working together. Now that we know what PCB design is, we must further understand the factors that affect PCB design. Some of them are:
Electrical performance
The most important factor affecting the quality of printed circuit board (PCB) design is its electrical performance. The electrical performance is determined by the following factors:
Signal integrity: Signal integrity is a standard for measuring the quality of the signal transmission path on the PCB. High signal integrity ensures that signals on the PCB do not lose power or introduce any noise on the PCB.
Power allocation: Power allocation ensures that all components have sufficient power to operate effectively. Poor power distribution can cause component failures and PCB board overheating.
Material selection: Using appropriate dielectric materials and a suitable amount of copper can affect the electrical performance of the PCB.
Due to poor electrical design, it can cause signal noise, PCB heating during normal operation, voltage fluctuations, etc.
Mechanical requirements
Mechanical considerations are one of the key factors in the design of printed circuit boards (PCBs). The factors that affect the mechanical performance of PCB include:
Specifications: The size of PCB refers to its length and width. Longer PCBs are prone to bending, resulting in mechanical stress on the edges.
Thickness: The thickness of PCB is an important factor in mechanical integrity. Thin PCBs are prone to breakage and bending. Thick PCBs not only increase the weight of the PCB, but also reduce its mechanical integrity.
Flexibility: The flexibility of PCB depends on the material and thickness of the PCB. Polyimide and other materials are flexible to a certain extent, so they are used for PCBs that require bending. It must be noted that rigid PCBs must not be bent before design requirements.
Other mechanical properties include core wire materials, dielectric materials, through-hole types, surface smoothness, etc.
Economic considerations
A very important part of custom PCB design is to maintain the economy of the PCB. The economy of PCB is determined by the following factors:
Materials and characteristics used: The materials and characteristics used to manufacture PCBs directly affect the cost of PCBs. The general trend is that the more advanced the features or materials used on the PCB, the more expensive the PCB will be.
The complexity of design: The cost of irregularly shaped and stacked PCBs is usually higher than that of simple shapes such as rectangles and circles.
The supply chain of PCB design companies: The supply chain of PCB design companies is usually the final stage of printed circuit board PCB design and the main factor in PCB cost. Factors such as delivery time, quantity scale, and supplier's geographical location are all included in the supply chain.
The above factors are only a small part of the many factors. If the economic situation is good, even advanced PCBs will become much cheaper.
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