With its headquarters in Minnesota, in the United States, Digi-Key Electronics is known for being a global leader in high-service electronic components distribution as well as automation products. Being the industry’s first innovator, Digi-Key offers over 14.9 million different components from more than 2,400 reputable name-brand producers, with industry-leading depth and breadth of product within stock and ready for rapid dispatch.
Digi-Key offers design engineers as well as procurement specialists a multitude of digital resources and options in addition to the products which fuel technological innovation, helping them to do their jobs more effectively.
What is Digikey PCB?
The usual term for the empty board that you provide us having your layout data and then utilized for the mounting of the components once it has been delivered to your doorstep is called the Printed Circuit Board or PCB.
Using conductive paths, tracks, as well as signal traces which are etched out of copper sheets then laminated to the non-conductive substrates, a PCB, serves to support mechanically as well as electrically link electronic components.
What are the Types of Digikey PCB?
Frequency, the amount of layers, as well as the substrate utilized are frequently used to categorize Digikey PCBs. Below are a few common types addressed.
Single-sided PCBs
Circuit boards just with one substrate layer as well as base material, are known as single-sided PCBs. The thin metal layer, for example, copper that conducts electricity properly is applied over this layer. In addition to the silk screen finish, the layer of copper on these PCBs additionally has a protecting solder mask put on top of it.
The following are some benefits of single-sided PCBs:
- Single-sided PCBs serve the purpose of mass production because they are inexpensive.
- Simple circuits like power sensors, sensors, relays, and electrical toys use these Boards.
Double-Sided PCBs
With double-sided PCBs, the conductive layer, made of metal, is present on the substrate’s two sides. The metal components can be connected through one side onto another using holes inside the pcb board.
These Boards use any of the mounting techniques—thru-hole technology or SMT technology—to link the circuitry along either side. Through-hole technology entails inserting lead components that are soldered onto the pads somewhat on opposing sides via the already-drilled holes present on your circuit board.
Electrical components are directly mounted on the circuit boards’ surface using SMT technology. The following are benefits of using double-sided PCBs:
- Comparing surface mounting to through-hole mounting, more circuits can be added to the circuit board.
- These circuit boards are used in many different applications, such as mobile phone systems, power monitoring systems, amplifiers, test equipment, and many more.
Multi-layer PCBs
PCBs boards with at least four copper layers, such as 4 layers, 6 layers, 8 layers, etc., are known as multi-layer PCBs. These PCBs advance the double-sided PCB technology. With multilayer PCBs, these layers are separated by insulating materials as well as several substrate layers of the board. The PCB come with a small size and are advantages in terms of available space and weight. Many benefits provided by the multi-layer PCB include:
PCBs with several layers provide a great deal of design versatility.
With high speed circuitry, these PCBs are crucial. They give conductor pattern as well as electricity greater room.
Rigid PCBs
PCBs that are referred to as rigid are those in which the base material was made from solid material that cannot be folded. Some key benefits they provide include:
- Because these circuit boards are small, it is possible to build a wide range of intricate circuitry around them.
- Given that every component on the rigid PCBs is clearly identified, they are simple to repair and maintain. Moreover, the signal routes are well-structured.
Flexible PCBs
The flexible base materials are used to build flexible PCBs. There are single-sided, double sided, as well as multilayer versions of these Boards available. This aids in minimizing the device assembly’s complexity.
These PCBs have a few benefits.
- These PCBs significantly reduce board weight while also saving considerable space.
- Flexible PCBs aid in reducing board size that makes them perfect for a variety of applications that require substantial signal trace densities.
- These circuit boards are made to function in environments whereby density and temperature are crucial considerations.
Rigid-Flex-PCBs
Circuit boards that combine flexible and rigid materials are known as rigid flex Circuit boards. They are made up of several stiff boards linked to numerous layers of the flexible circuitry. These PCBs were carefully constructed. As a result, it has a variety of military and medical uses. This PCB provides a 60% reduction in space and weight thanks to their lightness.
High-Frequency PCBs
In the range of frequency of 500MHz to 2GHz, high-frequency Digikey PCBs are employed. Several frequency-critical applications, including communication systems, microstrip PCBs, microwave PCBs, etc., use these PCBs.
Aluminum-backed PCBs
Due to the aluminum construction’s ability to dissipate heat, these Digikey PCBs are employed in applications requiring considerable power. The high rigidity level and low amount of thermal expansion that aluminum-backed Circuit boards are recognized for providing makes them the perfect choice for applications requiring a high level of mechanical tolerance. Power supply and LEDs are both used with PCBs.
Applications of Digikey PCBs
Consumer electronic devices
Among the most popular products that use PCBs include Smartphones, PCs, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices like smart speakers. PCBs are widely used in household gadgets like refrigerators and microwaves.
More and more IoT-compatible devices will require PCBs as well. Due to the numerous and intricate requirements of such device, PCBs used in gadgets like Smartphones as well as home assistants must be compact and have connections of high density.
Automobile components
Compared to earlier models, modern cars depend far more on electrical operations. These systems employ a variety of distinct PCBs in order to function properly. Parking as well as proximity sensors, video and audio systems, navigation systems, engine management system, resource management and monitoring, as well as fuel regulators are all implemented using automotive PCBs.
Modern automobiles include a large number of intricately coupled sensors that are dependent on numerous complex high frequency circuit boards to operate. PCBs would be increasingly more in demand as the industry development continues, particularly with the advent of the electric vehicles.
Medical equipment
Many uses for Digikey PCBs can be found in the healthcare sector. They are utilized in implants as well as internal devices like pacemakers, as well as in systems for medical imaging like ultrasound, CAT and CT scanners, as well as in monitor technology measuring vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure. Since these PCBs must be extremely compact and adhere to stringent sanitary standards, they are high-density interconnect or HDI types.
LEDs
Because of their small size, high energy efficiency, as well as extended lifespan, LEDs are indeed the preferred lighting technology in many industries. LEDs are used in smart lighting, electronic billboards, car displays, including laptop screens.
Using LED technology, Circuit boards are used to transmit heat out of the light source, which could also otherwise reduce the lifespan of the LED. In all these applications, PCBs are often created using aluminum that helps in the effective transfer of heat compared to the remaining metals.
Aerospace
Boards that are flexible are crucial to aerospace technology. Rigid PCBs are easily harmed by the intense turbulence that aerospace vessels experience when in flight. Contrarily, flexible PCBs were made to be lightweight and damage-resistant to vibration.
A variety of aircraft applications, including monitoring equipment, power supplies, and communications equipment, use these highly functional and precise Circuit boards.
Industrial equipment
PCB electronics are used to drive industrial equipment like powerful presses and drills, as well as machinery used to monitor and regulate factors like temperature and pressure throughout manufacturing.
An Overview of Digikey’s PCB Manufacturing
Making or manufacturing PCBs is a sure difficult procedure which starts with the product idea and finishes with a very functional circuit board assembly.
During the process, the schematic is made to represent the network connectivity, a Circuit board design is constructed, and electronic parts are purchased. This circuit board is going to go into the entire system after these components are soldered on to the board as well as after assembly, tests, and verification are finished.
There are numerous complex steps which have to be done for a PCB to be successful. The creation of the blank board is one step in the process which doesn’t receive the credit it merits. Due to this sophisticated software tools required for its construction, the PCB design attracts much attention. Manufacturing would receive equal praise for producing the end product.
The enigmatic process of pcb board fabrication, which is frequently unknown outside the design community, is however somewhere inside the center of this.
Conclusion
Expert application engineers are employed by Digikey to assist clients with the design phase. They concentrate on frequent problems that can increase costs and decrease productivity when engaging with clients. All Digikey PCB offerings are eligible for their services, which guarantee that each customer obtains high-quality items within their price ranges.
