A printed circuit board is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive tracks that connect sheets of copper to other layers of a non-conductive substrate. They are the foundation of most modern electronic devices and are widely manufactured by companies like PCB manufacturer China.
Many of them are used in our everyday activities and for a large number of activities in various industries. You can find them everywhere, from ordinary consumer devices to complex machinery.
What then are the common applications of PCBs? There are so many of them, but we will highlight the five most common uses here.
Five everyday uses of PCBs
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LEDs:
PCBs are used in Light Emitting Diodes to transfer heat away from bulbs to prevent the shortage of the bulb’s lifespan, which is usually caused by high temperature.
The type of metal used to make PCBs for LEDs is platinum, known for its effectiveness in transferring heat better than other metals.
LED can be found in the following;
- Residential properties: Bulbs used in houses help owners light up rooms when it is dark and ward off intruders.
- Medical institutions are often used in surgical and emergency wards because they provide bright light that does not cause discomfort from heat emission.
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Basic Electronics:
Manufacturers require PCBs of consumer electronics to produce relatively smaller electronic systems. This requires smaller PCBs with high volumes of connections. The PCBs used to have to be low cost to ensure that the outputs do not have outrageously high prices.
PCBs can be found in consumer electronics like:
- Communication devices: they include smartphones, tablets, radios.
- Home appliances: Refrigerators, microwaves
- Computers: Gaming system, televisions.
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Security equipment:
PCBs are relied on to keep our homes, businesses, and properties safe. Even government properties are protected by security systems that also rely on PCBs. PCBs used for security purposes have to be operational and functionally practical all the time.
Some safety devices that use PCBs are:
- Security cameras
- Electronic door locks
- Sensors
- Smoke detectors.
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Medical devices:
PCBs play a significant role in devices used for diagnostics, imaging monitoring treatment, etc. With the advancement of technology and the use of more sophisticated instruments in the health care sectors, the number of PCBs in demand keeps growing.
PCBs used in health care should be reliable, efficient and must undergo strict standard check-ups to ensure that they can function properly, which is critical to the patients’ health and well-being.
PCBs are used for medical devices like:
- Monitors
- Imaging systems like ultrasonic scanners, CAT, CTs.
- Pacemakers
- Infusion and patient-controlled pumps.
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Industrial equipment;
PCBs are applied in manufacturing equipment like power drills, DC to AC converters, solar power generation equipment. They also power appliances that measure and control pressure, temperature, and other factors in the industrial environment.
The PCBs used are durable and thermal resistant materials that withstand harsh, extreme, and unpleasant conditions and hazardous chemicals. Because there is a lot of rough handling done, these PCBs assembly services will require through-hole technology to increase and boost durability.
