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The fabrication and design process of medical PCB is complex.

The entire process is broken down into different sections and explained in detail below.

1. Initial Schematics Design

The first step of the initial design of schematics is to get necessary information regarding the application of focus and creating a basic drawing of its schematics.

All details such as capturing the type of PCB, power requirement, and material to be used, etc. are incorporated in the initial design.

2. Preparing Layout

The second step is canning the initial drawing and preparing a layout through uploading the drawing to the software.

At this point, the requirements of clients are needed to be added to the PCB.

3. Incorporation of Crucial Factors

Numerous critical factors are needed to be considered while making the PCB design of the medical industry such as split planes, sequencing, and a number of pins and their selection.

4. Power Splitting

For reduction of levels of noise and crosstalk in PCB under design, diversification of power and ground planes is required.

5. Multiple Layers

The base of PCB is needed to have multiple layers helping in the reduction of levels of SNR and noise. This is also resulting in the enhancement of the reliability and performance of PCBs.

6. BOM List Reviewing

Bill of material (BOM) is a list having details of all materials and components required in the PCB design. The review of BOM is therefore a must by both OEM and PCB designers.

7. Components Checking

The components must be checked in order to know whether or not these are fulfilling the design requirements.

8. Preparation of Secondary List of Components

A secondary list of components must be there so as to be used in case if a certain component fails or does not fulfill the requirement of design. This list is critical in saving time during the design process.

9. Drawing of Assembly

Creating a drawing for the process of assembly is a must in order to avoid any kind of mistakes during fabrication. Taking notes of any necessary revisions is unavoidable to cope with changes.

10. Indication of all test points

The identification and indication of all possible test points in the PCB are of critical importance in order to reduce errors.

The PCB assembly process is referring to the procedure of adhering different components and materials together onto a single board which is known as PCB. The process of assembly is the inclusion of components together on the board in a way that it becomes able to perform a specific function. Certain factors are needed to be taken care of while considering the assembly process of PCBs.

• Classification of PCB.
• Characteristics of components.
• Application of PCB.

There is a requirement for various tools for the assembly process of PCB such as testing equipment, inspection equipment, SMT equipment, and soldering equipment. Soldering wire and paste are also necessary requirements.

Medical PCB: LED PCB

By the time all equipment is acquired, the process of assembly can be started. However, as the medical PCBs are more sensitive; therefore, DFM test conduction is a must.

DFM test is helping in the rectification of all possible issues before the assembly process is initiated.

The following are the main steps of the assembly process of PCBs.

1. Stenciling of Solder Paste

Utilization of a stencil is ensuring soldering paste to be applied to all of the parts where components are to be inserted. The mechanical fixture is utilized for holding the PCB and stencil onto a single place. Soldering paste is then applied at intended areas through an applicator and is spread. After removal of the stencil, soldering paste is leftover from desired locations.

2. Picking and Placement

A robotic gadget is utilized for picking the components and placing them on to its specific location on the board which is then soldered. The component’s position is to be accurate over soldering paste.

3. Soldering Reflow

The board is moved over a conveyer belt through the oven. Heating is undergone at high temperatures for melting soldering paste. The next step is cooling down PCB for soldering paste solidification resulting in the strongest joints among the board and components.

4. Quality Control and Inspection

The PCB is then inspected manually and through machines by inspectors for checking connectivity and floors which may result in malfunctioning. Different inspection methods are used such as optical inspection, manual inspection, and x-ray inspection.

5. Functional Test

The manufactured PCB is going to perform as per requirements under normal circumstances. However, grounded on the standards set in the medical industry a functional test of PCB is conducted to check its validity. After the test is conducted and approved, PCB is washed for removal of any flux, dirt, and oil, etc. This is also critical because of its application in the medical industry.

There are numerous features of automotive PCBs assisting vehicles in their operation.

1. Suitability for Complex System

The vehicles have numerous complex systems which continuously face different severe challenges such as high temperatures, oil, dirt, and pressure, etc. The PCBs have dedicated features that are able to withstand extreme scenarios and allows luxurious and comfortable drive.

2. Withstanding High Temperatures

The automotive PCBs are capable of withstanding higher temperatures. These work efficiently in both extreme low and high temperatures. The material used in these PCBs is able to tolerate extreme fluctuation of temperatures.

3. Chemical Resistant

The automotive PCBs are highly resistant to chemicals like organic solvent, bases, acids, and adhesives, etc. This is why automotive PCBs last longer than an ordinary one.

4. Reliability

The automotive PCBs material is stronger and has a longer life. The reliability of these PCBs makes them well-suited to be used in the automotive industry which can withstand harsh conditions without affecting its functioning.

5. Adaptability

The vehicles are driven in different places and various terrains with diverse characteristics when the environment is concerned.

The automotive industries are making sure to use PCBs able to adapt to dissimilar environments.

6. Dirt Resistant

Dirt is often accumulated onto vehicles. Therefore, the PCB system of the vehicle is needed to be dirt resistant enough to avoid short circuitry and malfunctioning.

Different laminations are used by manufacturers to keep dirt away from PCBs.

The prototype of medical PCB has vital importance because during the early process of design testing of different functionalities of a specific solution is needed to be conducted.

Therefore, the prototype is being taken under several runs and redesigning phases. Fewer times, a certain test is taken for checking a single functionality and sometimes more tests are performed for checking the complexity of design and its performance.

The process of prototyping is helping the designers in order to predict the success and failure of PCBs and their resultant equipment.

The prototype is hence eliminating losses that may occur because of problems being detected.

Prototyping is critical in determining the precision of a component in the medical sector.

The production of PCBs is only to be started after designers and engineers are confident with working on a prototype.

There are numerous types of medical PCBs that are sold in the market. Following are some major common types of medical PCBs.

1. Single-Sided PCBs

single-sided medical PCBs are commonly known as one-sided PCBs and are made of the single-layered substrate material.

A very thin layer of specific metal such as copper is utilized for coating one side of the substrate material. Such PCBs are having a solder mask that is applied over the copper layer.

Such PCBs are common in use because of lower costs of production. In the medical industry, such PCBs are used in circuits of power sensors.

2. Double Layered PCBs

Double-sided medical PCBs are having a specific metallic conductive layer over one of their substrate phases.

Metallic parts can also be used from either of the sides through holes of the board. This is enabling connections of dual-sided through the technology of holes.

The leads of components are inserted through the drilled holes on to board and are then soldered on opposite sides through pads.

3. Multi-Layered PCBs

multilayer medical PCBs are having more than 2 layers of copper. Such PCBs may have 3, 4,5, …, N layers. N denotes the number of layers.

The layers in multi-layered PCBs are demarcated through substrate boards along with insulation material.

These PCBs are having an advantage of space and heaviness and are utilized to make higher-speed circuits.

4. Rigid PCBs

Rigid medical PCBs are made of material that is not flexible and hence their bases are not bendable.

Medical PCB: Rigid PCB

A number of multi-faceted circuits can be built from these PCBs and its preservation is also easy when compared to other types of PCBs.

5. Flexible PCBs.

Flex medical PCBs are composed of flexible material and can be of different sub-type such as single, double, and multi-layered, etc.

Medical PCB: Flexible PCB

Flexibility is making these PCBs best suited for space usage. These PCBs are light in weight.

6. Flexible-Rigid PCBs.

These PCBs are combining the attributes of both flexible and rigid PCBs. These PCBs are entailing a certain number of flexible and rigid boards.

Medical PCB: Rigid-Flex PCB

Rigid-flex PCBs are preferred because of their lightweight and limited space usage.

What Applications of PCBs in the Medical industry

The medical industry has seen a revolutionary boom in the recent few decades especially because of PCBs.

Further research is needed to be conducted for better outcomes and to solve current emerging issues in the medical industry.

The revolution has only been possible because of the advancement in technology.

In current times, there are numerous advanced devices which are have brought the medical industry revolution.

The basic component of the revolution is PCB design, fabrication, and production.

Medical Device

The PCBs utilized in the medical industry are specifically designed as per required standards of industry e.g., considering surface plating, layer numbers, and holes, etc.

There are some major applications of PCBs in the medical industry out of which most important are mentioned below.

• Glucometers and Temperature Gadgets: Different types of PCBs are utilized in the manufacturing of glucometers and other health monitoring gadgets. Such gadgets comprise a pulse oximeter, glucometer, thermometer, and blood pressure monitor, etc.
• Control Equipment: PCBs are extensively used in control equipment such as controlled fluid infusion, dispensation, and flow rate, etc.
• Scanning: The equipment used for scanning has a large number of different PCBs performing different functions. Such systems comprise of CT-scan, MRI machine, an ultrasound machine, etc.
• Infernal Devices: Different electronic devices are implanted into human bodies such as pulse maker, prosthetic limb, and cochlear implants, etc. which all have different types of PCBs.
• Wearable Devices: Different devices are worn today collecting different types of data for monitoring the health of an individual such as a smartwatch.

The medical industry is among the most complicated and sophisticated industries in the world.

The industry has a higher level of sensitivity and requires precision in every decision.

High technology-based equipment is needed to be incorporated in the industry to maintain certain specific standards of the industry.

To deliver top-notch performance, the equipment must possess electronic equipment having advanced circuits.

This is the place where medical PCBs are playing their role in maintaining the high-quality functionality of medical devices.