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Why Choose PCBMay for Your Industrial PCB

PCBMay has over 500 workers in our workshop and the monthly production capacity is 40,000 square meters. Even in the peak season, when you have large demands, we can always support you.

We can help our industrial customers to produce more than 100 models per day, some models are necessary to produce as quick-turn 24h or 48h, our Shenzhen prototype plant can meet your high-mix and low-volume demands.

Do you have a large industrial PCB volume? PCBMay can offer a free sample for your test. After the test is good, then you will place large volume order with us.

We have sufficient raw materials in stock including KB, Shengyi, ITEQ, Rogers, Taconic, Arlon, Nanya, Teflon, and so on.

No matter where you are from or which language you speak, we have a different sales team to support you.

Just send your inquiry to us, our sales team will support you.

Industrial PCB: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

The structure of industrial PCBs is much more complex and is used in much more complex cases than ordinary PCBs.

Industrial PCBs require specialist designers, skilled workers, high-grade industrial equipment, and good manufacturers.

These PCBs are made for long-term use. As a result, the material used in it is more durable than the one used in ordinary PCB.

Industrial PCBs have to be made very carefully to have many specifications.

Not all PCB manufacturers can make industrial PCBs because the process of industrial PCB manufacturing is complicated.

So it is very important to find a suitable manufacturer after PCB designing.

The use of robotics and automation in the field of industrial operations is increasing day by day.

Industrial PCBs are being used extensively in areas like energy control systems, industrial smart meters and industrial lighting systems.

Industrial PCBs are built for long-term use. These cannot be changed as frequently as normal PCBs.

That is we have to focus on Quality, Reliability, and Performance at the time of manufacturing.

The main reason for this is that every company wants to reduce labor costs and try to increase precision and efficiency.

PCB is an important factor in robotics and automation. And this type of PCB must have industrial-grade reliability, precision, and flexibility.

PCBs used in industrial fields need to be flexible, durable, and ready for harsh conditions. Now we will discuss a few important points about Industrial PCB.

What is Industrial PCB?

In simple words, the PCB used in the industrial field is called the Industrial PCB.

High configuration PCBs are used in a variety of industrial applications.

These are called industrial PCBs. Like other PCBs, industrial PCBs are multi-layered and each conductive layer is separated by insulating material.

Industrial PCB

The insulating material is usually made of fiberglass, plastic, or ceramics.

The normal standard of PCB material is PIC2221A.

This standard should be maintained for all types of PCBs.

If the designer wants to use power conversion devices then the additional parameters are recommended by IPC9592.

Much of the cutting-edge technology we see today is largely dependent on PCBs. The Industrial PCB has contributed to the automation of many industries.

The robotics arms used in various product manufacturing units work smoothly and accurately because of Industrial PCBs. Now we will know in-depth about Industrial PCB.

Composition of industrial PCBs:

Many types of materials are used to make industrial PCBs.

Here layers of different materials are glued to each other with the help of adhesives under extreme heat and pressure. The side view of the PCB looks a lot like a layered cake.

Now let us analyze each of the layers in the PCB.

Our main goal will be to analyze what materials each layer is made of and what their function is.

Base Material:

The material with which the base layer of PCB is made is called the base material of PCB. This base layer is usually called the substrate.

It is usually made of fiberglass material. FR4 type fiberglass is used in almost all types of PCBs. Because it tends to be extremely tough in nature.

The reason for using such a hard material at the base of the PCB is that the base reinforces the other layers of the PCB.

In the case of flexible PCB, the base material is flexible. Their base material is usually made of flexible plastic.

The thickness of PCB varies from 0.6 mm to 1.6 mm. However, other materials can also be used to make PCB.

However, other materials can also be used to make PCB. As epoxy and phenolic are used in many PCBs.

One thing we must keep in mind is that the base material needs to be hard enough to make PCBs useable for the industrial level.

And that is why fiberglass is the most useful in all these cases.

Copper Layer:

After the base layer, the most important layer is the copper layer.

This copper layer plays an important role in keeping the PCB active.

This copper layer is laminated with the base layer with the help of adhesive under extreme heat and pressure.

In the case of double and multilayered PCBs, there are copper layers on both sides of the layer.

Industrial PCBs do not usually use one layer of copper because all these PCBs have to perform many complex tasks.

The thickness of the copper layer varies from PCB to PCB. Since industrial PCB operates at much higher power, its thickness is 2-3 ounces.

This means that in all these cases the thickness of the copper layer is 35um.

This copper layer is the main conductive layer of PCB i.e. all kinds of work are done here.

To print the desired circuit pattern on the substrate you can follow two methods.

One is additive methods and the other is subtractive methods.

In additive methods, copper will be coated on the substrate surface according to our desired pattern and the rest of the area will remain unplated. Most of the consumer PCBs are printed in this way.

In the subtractive method first, you have to coat the entire substrate surface with copper then according to the design the unwanted places have to be removed i.e. the coating material of those areas has to be removed.

Solder Mask:

The most important layer after the copper layer is the solder mask. The green color we see in PCB is due to this solder mask.

This is the topmost layer of the copper layer. It protects the various traces, vias, and components on the PCB from exposure to any external conductive material.

Also acts as a guard during soldering so that there no short connection will happen. In simple terms, it protects the PCB from any unwanted external connections.

Silkscreen:

A silkscreen layer is used on top of the solder mask. It helps to mark the names, values, positions, pin configurations of the various components above the PCB.

It is very important to mark all these important things with silkscreen. This is because all this information helps in component placement in less time and in a perfect way while assembling the PCB. Moreover, this silkscreen marking helps in specific component replacement if any PCB board got damaged.

So here we discussed the important layers of PCB. Now let’s see the different types of industrial PCBs.

Types of Industrial PCBs based on layers:

Many times PCB manufacturing is much harder than designing PCBs. As the days go by, designers are trying to figure out how to design a single circuit by bringing many circuits on the same platform.

With the innovation of new technologies, the challenge of PCB manufacturers is also increasing.

Depending on the complexity of the circuit, a PCB can range from a single layer to 8 layers.

In some very complex circuits, the number of layers is more than 8. Different PCBs are used in different cases as per requirements.

Single Layer PCB:

It has a single-layer substrate as a base. Copper foil is attached on top of it.

A solder mask is used on it as a protective layer. The names and values of different components are marked with the help of silkscreen.

Single Layer PCB

One of the biggest advantages of single-sided PCB is its low manufacturing cost.

The structure of single-layer PCB is very simple and it is used for low configuration system operations such as relay module, IR sensor module, simple led module, etc.

As it is not suitable for high configuration system operations so it is very rarely used in industrial operations.

Double Layer PCB:

This type of board has one substrate layer and two conductive layers.

The conductive layer is located on either side of the substrate layer.

The connection between the two layers is made through holes.

Double Layer PCB

In this case, most of the time surface mount technology is used to place components on both sides of the board.

Because it allows the components to be attached directly to the surface.

The structure of double-layer PCB is slightly more complex than single-layer PCB and it could handle slightly complex tasks than single-layer PCB.

It is widely used in power monitoring systems, testing equipment, and amplifiers. Double-layer PCB increases the operational flexibility and practicality which helps to build more dense circuit designs.

For its durability, reliability, and complex task handling capacity it is used in many industrial applications.

Multilayer PCB:

Multilayer PCB has more than two conductive layers.

In a multilayer PCB, there is one core Substrate and the first two layers will be attached to the core substrate with adhesive or high temperature and pressure like a double layer PCB.

The rest of the layers will be connected with them and will be insulated by thin insulating material.

Multi-layer PCBs are used to implement more complex circuit and wiring combinations. Depending on the necessity the number of layers for these PCBs can range from 3to8 layers.

In some cases, it can be more than 8 layers. Because of its higher assembly density, smaller size is preferred over the other two types of PCB.

Most of the manufacturers used this PCB format to implement super complex PCB designs. This type of PCB is widely used in almost all types of industrial applications.

One of the biggest advantages of these types of PCBs is that they can easily handle highly complex tasks and can easily run high configuration systems.

Types of Industrial PCBs based on rigidity:

In addition to layers, PCBs can be divided into different parts depending on the rigidity. There are three types of PCB based on rigidity

Rigid PCB:

Rigid PCBs are a type of PCBs which are rigid in nature.

The base material of these PCBs is non-flexible. Rigid PCBs are widely used in industrial applications.

Because of its strong base material, it is long-lasting and it is easy to repair.

Rigid PCBs generally handle very complex designs. It is easy to implement and organize signal paths in rigid PCB.

The compact size of the rigid PCB guarantees that an assortment of complex designs can be made around it for an application.

As in rigid PCBs, all the components are fixed with the solder flux.

The whole process is done in such a way that all the components on the PCB do not move even if you used them in the harsh application environment.

Flexible PCB:

A flexible circuit board is a type of circuit board similar to a rigid circuit board where the required components are placed on a flexible substrate instead of on a rigid substrate.

This board is made in such a way that it flexes to any desired shape when applied.

Flexible PCB

Flexible PCB is flexible in nature.

You can bend it easily. The base material of flex-PCB is flexible.

This type of PCB also comes in a single layer, double layer, and multilayer formats.

As this type of PCB is lightweight and flexible in nature it is widely used in industrial applications.

Flexible circuit boards are of different types according to the layer and configuration.

This type of PCB is also available in single-layer, double-layer, and multi-layer forms.

Rigid-Flex PCB:

The rigid-flex PCB is a hybrid PCB of rigid PCB and flex PCB.

Many rigid PCBs are used in a rigid-flex PCB. The rigid part of the rigid-flex PCB is usually used for fitting connectors and for installing chassis.

Rigid-Flex PCB

The rigid-flex design helps to increase the capacity of any PCB.

The biggest advantage of rigid-flex type PCB design is that it does not require any compromise in the design of the device or application so that any type of design can be done keeping in mind the convenience of the user.

This type of circuit is mostly used to implement complex circuitry so it is used in those places where the space for the circuit is minimum but the complexity of circuitry is maximum.

Because of its rigid and flexible nature, it is one of the most used circuits in industrial applications.

HDI-Flex PCB:

The full form of HDI is High Definition Interconnect.

HDI Rigid-Flex PCB

This type of PCB is used in devices or applications that require more performance than the general Flex PCB.

This type of design is especially helpful in creating a perfect layout. It uses a much thinner layer than the general Flexible PCB which helps in total size reduction and uses power efficiently.

This type of PCB is chosen to create high-performance PCBs. These types of PCB are used in industrial applications as per necessity.

HIGH-Frequency PCB:

This type of PCB operates in high frequencies ranging from 500MHZ to 2GHz. This type of PCB has been used in frequency-critical applications.

HIGH-Frequency PCB

There are other types of PCBs such as High-Speed PCB, LED PCB, RF PCB, METALCORE PCB, THICK COPPER PCB, GOLD FINGER PCB, CERAMIC PCB, etc.

Materials for Industrial PCB:

PCB material selection is a very important step in PCB manufacturing.

This is because the strength and flexibility of the material have a direct effect on the quality of the PCB.

The strength and heat tolerance of the material of the PCB commonly used in industrial applications must be extremely high.

This is because industrial applications generate heat after long runs.

If the heat tolerance of the material is low then the PCB may become deformed.

In general, the PCB material should be such that it will give strength to all the layers of the PCB and the signal traces and vias can be easily etched on the board.

The most popular materials used in Industrial PCB manufacturing are fiberglass and Teflon.

FR-4 fiberglass:

The substrate of an Industrial PCB is usually made of fiberglass which belongs to FR4 material. FR means fire-retardant. FR4 offers very high tensile strength.

These materials offer:

1. Good dimensional stability
2. Outstanding insulating and electrical properties
3. Moisture-resistance
4. Excellent flammability rating

FR4 material is one of the good choices for Industrial PCB fabrications. This material is used to strengthen the PCB base.

Teflon:

Teflon is also known as PTFE or Polytetrafluoroethylene and fluoropolymer is a class of plastics offering a varied range of properties.

The basic properties of PTFE that make it an interesting material for industrial PCB fabrication:

1. It has exceptional chemical resistance
2. Good electrical insulating power in hot and wet environments makes it useful for the Industrial environment
3. Good resistance to heat and low temperature
4. Good resistance to light, UV, and weathering
5. Low coefficient of friction
6. Low dielectric constant/dissipation factor
7. Strong anti-adhesion properties
8. Flexibility
9. Good fatigue resistance under low stress
10. Low water absorption

Metal:

One of the major parts of Industrial PCB fabrication is the use of traditional metals such as copper, aluminum, and iron.

This type of material is preferred in industrial PCB fabrication because of its superconductivity and these types of materials also help to apply surface mount technology during the assembly process.

Metal Core PCB

We know that this type of material is durable so when we use it in PCB fabrication the resultant PCB will be durable.

Most of the PCB manufacturers used aluminum-backed PCB to maintain the highest quality.

Ceramic PCB:

Ceramic can be a good choice for industrial PCB fabrication.

The basic properties of ceramic that make it an interesting material for industrial PCB fabrication:

1. High hardness
2. High elastic modulus
3. Low ductility
4. High dimensional stability
5. Good wear resistance
6. High resistance to corrosion and chemical attack
7. High weather resistance
8. High melting point
9. High working temperature
10. Low thermal expansion
11. Low to medium thermal conductivity
12. Good electrical insulation

But as ceramic is quite expensive it is not possible to use it in all industrial applications.

One thing we must have to remember is that different types of materials are used in Industrial PCB fabrication and they all have different types of advantages and disadvantages.

At the time of manufacturing, we have to choose materials according to the application requirement.

Quality:

PCB manufacturers should maintain the quality of materials used in  PCB fabrication.

Because the Quality PCB allows you to change or replace components without the hassle and it doesn’t harm the other components of the board.

Quality PCBs are long-lasting therefore in the industrial application you don’t need to change them again and again.

Cost:

The cost of Industrial PCBs depends on various factors. If you prefer Gold tabs to solder tabs it will be expensive for you.

Similarly, the cost of a board using blind and/or buried vias is significantly higher than a typical multilayer- board with the same number of layers.

Even line/width spacing causes cost variations. If you go for the spacing above 6mm incurs then it will cost more than below 6mm incurs.

Power and Heat:

Thermal capacity is a big factor for industrial PCB material.

How useful a PCB depends on this factor? The reliability of the PCB can also be determined depending on this factor.

Also, we have to know the rate at which the material turns the wattage power into temperature.

Industrial PCB Component Sourcing:

PCB component sourcing can be done in two ways.

Industrial PCB Component Sourcing

First, you can give the manufacturer the freedom to source key components. Secondly, you can source the components yourself.

Giving freedom to the manufacturer to source all your components can save you time and money.

However, there are some risks involved in sourcing components with the manufacturer, such as the possibility of choosing the wrong components.

Moreover, the low-quality component can also be provided by the manufacturer. Moreover, since there are many variations of electronics components, there is a higher chance of getting the wrong version than the desired version.

Many copy components of some expensive electronic components are available.

Many times it is seen that the manufacturer has given the component of the copy version instead of the original version. Caution should be exercised in these cases.

Although there are some difficulties, it is best to source your own components.

This is because in all PCBs where privacy and security are vital if the components are sourced from the manufacturer, privacy and security may be compromised.

If you do not have very important components in your PCB, you can source from the manufacturer.

So both of the processes have some advantages and disadvantages. You have to choose one of them according to the situation.

But one thing that is common of both the processes is that industrial PCB components sourcing requires a detailed BOM file.

What is BOM & the Importance of BOM in component sourcing?

The full form of BOM is a “ bill of materials”. A bill of materials is a list of the name and quantities of components, parts, raw materials,sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies required to manufacture your PCBs.

This list helps to communicate with your manufacturing partners. Try to make your BOM list accurate and clear so that manufacturers can easily read it out and take action according to the list.

Industrial PCB Manufacturing Process:

Industrial PCB layout:

When it comes to industrial PCB manufacturing the PCB design and layout is the most crucial stage.

Industrial PCB layout

The step of designing in manufacturing industrial PCB is significant because the design is the thing that will decide how well your PCB will look or how it will function.

You have to hire a designer who can design your PCB in such a way that it will meet all the requirements for your Industrial applications.

To avoid all kinds of errors in your design try to use the latest automated software which can assist you to detect error and solve it quickly.

Industrial PCB Prototyping:

After successfully completing the first step (designing and layout) try to find a manufacturer who specializes in industrial PCB prototyping.

Because prototyping is a vital step of industrial PCB manufacturing.

Once the prototype is ready to use, send it to the third-party companies to test it as much as possible and find out the faults and errors.

After getting the test result sent it to your designer so that he can make the changes according to the result.

Now send the edited design to the manufacturer for final production. Once it is done proceed to the next step.

Industrial PCB assembly:

Once the final PCB manufacturing is done we have to assemble components on it.

You can make PCB assembly from any manufacturer.

Industrial PCB Assembly

However, before choosing a manufacturer, it is important to check its past history and assembly capacity. Check reviews of that company.

Find out if they have enough experts to assemble. This will give you a good idea of their quality.

Lastly, find out the cost of assembly per board. The quality to cost ratio of the manufacturer should be high. Learn in detail about delivery time and other charges.

For industrial PCBs performance and quality is the main factor so try to maintain them even if you need to bear the extra cost.

You will see the industrial PCB assembly:

Features of High-Quality Industrial PCB:

Strong Base Material:

The base material of a quality PCB should be durable and reliable especially as it is used in high-power industrial applications.

The quality industrial PCB should have the capacity to tolerate high current flow.

Quality base material helps to prevent deformation in high temperatures and resist moving components in high jerking.

It is also easy to repair and easy to replace components when it is needed.

Thick solder mask layer:

It is mandatory to have a thick solder mask layer in a high-quality PCB. It helps to protect it from corrosion.

Not only that a thick layer solder mask can save the whole board from unwanted connection during soldering and component placing.

Testing:

Testing is necessary for the process of PCB manufacturing. Before launching the final product it is mandatory to run a test with the prototype PCB.

After testing, try to find out the error and try to solve it in the final product. Once it is done you can launch your final product which contains quality PCB.

Defected PCB can ruin your branding as it is not able to provide quality products. So focus on testing.

Copper cladding:

Frankly telling you that copper cladding is vital to make high-quality and reliable industrial PCB. Before choosing your manufacturer always ensure that they can provide you with a final PCB with copper cladding. If they are not ready to do it do not choose them for your PCB manufacturing. This could be under quality criteria IPC4101ClassB/L.

Quality Components:

A High quality industrial PCB should contain high-quality components.

Before assembling components you should ensure that all of them are high-quality components and originally belong to the actual manufacturer.

Industrial PCB applications:

Manufacturing Equipment:

Industrial PCBs are widely used to build industrial equipment that handles high configuration systems in industrial areas.

Industrial PCB Applications

Measuring Equipment:

In an industrial setup, there are many types of equipment that need power up with different powering equipment.

This powering equipment largely depends on industrial PCBs.

Industrial Robots:

In this age of artificial machine learning and robotics, many robots are used in the industrial area to reduce time and cost in manufacturing.

These robots are run by so many active industrial PCBs. The central processing system of these robots are made up of industrial PCB with so many important components such as a high configuration processor, expensive microcontrollers, a number of resistors, capacitor, led, etc.

Industrial Automation Systems:

Industrial automation systems are useful for automating the whole process of manufacturing and controlling a manufacturing unit from a remote device.

This type of automation system is made up of complex Industrial PCBs. Because of its high configuration operating power industrial PCBs are used to operate such complex systems.

Industrial PCBs have many more uses. Industrial PCBs are widely used in various industrial applications.

Conclusion:

So in the above discussion, we provide you with some important information about Industrial PCB.

Hopefully, all this information will help you a lot in industrial PCB design and manufacturing.

We have already given you some guidelines on how to choose the best manufacturer.

Keep in mind that PCB designing and manufacturing is a very complex process.

With the help of the above information and analysis, you have to follow each and every step with attention and patience.

Every manufacturer and designer needs to be careful at the stage of designing and manufacturing so that they can provide perfect PCBs to the clients.

If everyone becomes more responsible then the demand for industrial PCB will increase more.