PCB Tech - PCB development trends in the Internet of Things era

In terms of PCB development, the era of the Internet of Things has come, and it has taken over almost every aspect of the digital world.

By using this technology, developers are developing smart connection platforms for innovations such as wearable devices, home automation and medical monitoring systems, smart cars, and future cities.

As the latest tech kid, the Internet of Things brings auspicious performance to the connection between physical and digital components. This article will talk about the development and future of the Internet of Things in detail. Do you want to learn more?

Internet of Things: A new way to promote PCB development

One of the main trends in PCB development today is the more and more widespread use of flexible and high-density interconnects (circuit board manufacturing. Traditional PCB routing methods cannot achieve this. Use HDI technology, such as blind and buried vias, to save valuable The HDI design also helps to reduce power consumption and improve performance, making it ideal for IoT devices.

Incorporating flex and HDI methods into PCB design, the company can manufacture miniature mobile devices that are less affected by factors such as thermal stress and signal loss, without affecting performance. IoT devices can now be smaller, lighter, and faster than ever before.

Making PCBs for the Internet of Things: What's the difference?

Although the Internet of Things does not require a complete transformation of PCB development, it brings new considerations to the design table.

Due to different design methods, the layout, manufacturing and assembly processes of PCBs based on the Internet of Things are very different.

First of all, the Internet of Things PCB is usually composed of rigid-flexible or flexible circuit components, which is contrary to the large and flat characteristics of traditional circuit boards.

The use of flexible component manufacturing requires extensive and high-precision calculations of bending ratio, life cycle iterations, signal trace thickness, rigid and flexible circuit layers, copper weight, stiffener placement, and heat generated by the component.

In addition, the development of PCBs for the Internet of Things requires designers to ensure a strong bond between rigid and flexible side layers, as well as a deep understanding of very tiny components such as 0201 and 00105 packages.

In the future, FR4 designers will need to collaborate with experts who know how to use alternative materials.

Research companies are currently the first choice for IoT developers seeking consulting and testing services for wireless autonomous sensors and flexible circuits.

Wireless modules and radio frequency circuits provide IoT products with key capabilities to communicate with the surrounding environment, collect data, and send them to online and offline servers.

Today, the market is flooded with IoT-friendly modules and RF components, all of which have a small footprint and contain as many functions as possible.

However, with the development of the world's connectivity requirements, wireless technology will enter more and more gadgets, and PCB designers will have to deal with the challenge of installing more powerful and reliable modules on smaller circuit boards.

Protocols that specify parameters such as range, data transmission speed, and security may need to be modified and updated to meet emerging needs.

What's more exciting is that as standardization becomes the norm, it is entirely possible for a major wireless protocol to rule the future IoT world.

Pay more attention to power consumption

Future IoT products may eliminate physical power ports and plug-in power supplies and replace them with batteries and energy harvesting functions to promote portability and artificial intelligence.

The IoT market is increasingly eager for smart devices that can work continuously and require little manual intervention. Therefore, PCB designers need to pay more attention to energy efficiency in order to succeed in the future.

A promising way to achieve better power consumption is to develop a power budget for each functional block on the PCB, rather than considering the product as a whole. In this way, designers will gain the much-needed flexibility to identify and improve power-consuming components.

PCB for human body

As IoT developers discover new ways to improve daily life, the number of health and fitness electronics is expanding every year. However, the human body presents some unique challenges to PCB designers.

For example, the extreme weariness of our body means that any device that is intended to be worn or put in a pocket needs to maintain a strong enough signal to overcome noise.

In addition, because moisture and circuits do not mix, designing IoT wearable devices requires developers to carefully consider the effects of sweat and water.

Mechanical engineers play an important role in the development of moisture-proof packaging, but as more uses of IoT gadgets emerge, PCB designers will need to do more to ensure that sensitive components are well protected.

Firmer reliability

Miniaturized IoT devices require very high manufacturing accuracy. Although most designers are usually accustomed to replacing deep-fried through-hole components on traditional circuit boards, the IoT market cannot tolerate failure.

Sensitive devices such as watches and hearing aids must always work.

As the demand for IoT products continues to rise, PCB designers need to ensure that their circuit boards are ready to use out of the box.

This means that before starting physical manufacturing, a lot of time is spent on simulation programs like PSpice, carefully optimizing their prototypes for optimal performance.

in conclusion

Electronic design is undergoing extensive changes to keep up with the pace of the Internet of Things. New methods are taking center stage, and PCB manufacturers are gradually considering product development as a whole, not just the design of the circuit board.

As the demand for powerful circuit boards with miniature, light-weight components expands, designers and manufacturers who have the imagination and expertise to take advantage of emerging opportunities will benefit greatly.