The world of electronics, digital devices, and most computers have long relied on the printed circuit board (PCB) to function. The traces and circuits on the electronic board are the only way that different hardware components can be connected and integrated. They come in a number of different shapes and sizes, but the defining feature is that they have all got smaller and yet more powerful over time.
The PCB is a critical hardware element and one that the modern electronic interconnected world, that is the global village, will cease to exist without. It’s thus important for anyone interested in tech of any sort to understand the basics of this relationship between power and the PCB that drives and runs our world.
The Context:- every single electronic device that you can think of contains at least one PCB.
The Main uses of PCBs
Communication and connectivity
The PCB is the main means of communication between various hardware components. It functions somewhat like a switch in that the electrical power or current is capable of triggering a series of hardware functions or actions. It’s thus important to use a PDN analyzer when designing a PCB to ensure that exactly the right amount of power triggers the precise communication required between specific components.
Safety
The PCB provides a layer of electronic safety for the user of the device, in that the design of the PCB makes it impossible to touch or connect any live contacts. The PCB also has a protective layer that serves to protect the components and parts that are attached to it. Lastly, in terms of safety, the PCB is built to withstand heat, moisture and even physical force, making it one of the safest components to use in the automotive and aerospace industries, where a malfunction could mean the difference between life and death.
Size
The small size of most PCBs has been the defining feature in the downsizing of the handheld mobile device. The ability to make smaller microchips and resistors that can then be surface or through mounted on the PCB and then tested and retested even before manufacture using readily available software is now the norm for hardware developers, allowing them to be made smaller and smaller, and yet more powerful and efficient.
The PCB has been the main means of internal device connectivity. Getting all the tiny electrical components working together and in sync has only been achievable on a PCB thus far, and for the reasons aforementioned, this is likely to continue.
However, and in conclusion, it is for this very reason that the PCB design market or sector is a great one to engage in. The development of alternative systems and processes is a must, and based on the recent shortage of microchips that adversely affected the PCB sector and the entire electronics world has shown the faults in the current reliance on the PCB as a building block for all of our tech and electronics.
