Things You Need to Know About Aerospace PCB Assembly
In Aerospace and Military applications, PCB’s are required to be highly reliable. It is because of the harsh and stressful conditions in which the equipment is operated. Contrary to the regular PCB, military PCB assembly is exposed to very harsh environmental conditions and the presence of harmful chemicals. Therefore, IPC-A-610E standards are set to meet high expectations. These standards require continuously high performance in the harsh environment. Aerospace PCB assembly requires special consideration in terms of:
- Fabrication
- Design
- Assembly
Design Considerations for Military and Aerospace PCB Assembly
All and any PCB assembly is designed in pre-defined steps. Aerospace PCB Assembly is no different either. Listed below are some of the special design considerations to meet the standards of IPC.
Mil-spec grade components:
Use of equipment is different in Military and Aerospace users. Equipment may be exposed to hard conditions. That is why commercial PCBs cannot be used. The electronic components used in the manufacturing of PCB should be military graded. This means they should have tight tolerance 1-2 percent.
Current load:
PCB should be able to withstand high current loads.
High & Low-frequency components differentiated:
There should be a clear difference between high and low-frequency components. High-frequency yield waveforms which can be dangerous for the low-frequency components. This affects the quality of the signal which is absolutely unacceptable in aerospace and military products.
Clock signal:
The signal of the clock should be protected from outside interference. This can be done by physically enclosing it in aluminum.
Heat resistant material:
Good quality heat resistant material must be used that can endure extreme temperatures such as FR408, Pyralux, and other metallic core components.
Thermal compounds:
Must be used where dissipation of heat is required.
Pre-tinned wires:
For increased solderability, the braided and stranded wires must be pre-tinned.
Press-fit components:
To avoid vibration and faults occurring because of that press-fit components should be used.
Finishing material:
The material used should be such that it helps the PCB in its performance even in the most demanding conditions. Some of the materials that can be used are:-
- Lead-free HASL
- Immersion silver
- Electrolytic Nickel and gold
- Electro less Nickel with gold coating
Coating of PCBs:
Sprays (Acrylic based) should be utilized for the coating of boards to add an extra protection layer.
Software checking:
The software used for studying the PCB design makes a great difference in the quality of the board. It helps in finding load calculations in different sections and changes that are required along the process of designing.
PCB Routing angle:
Routing to be maintained at 45 degrees angle for smooth flow of current through the circuit.
Maintenance of standards:
Aerospace and Military grade PCBs must be manufactured in the light of MIL-50884, MIL-PRF-31032 & MIL-PRF55110 standards.
Aerospace Industry Applications Using PCBs
High-grade PCB is demanded in the Aerospace Industry. Some of its uses are mentioned below:-
- Application in Ground stations.
- Used in the detection system.
- Equipment used in satellites.
- Full Authority Digital Engine Control System (FADEC)
- Central Air Data Computers (CADC)
- Electronic Flight instrumental system
Military Industry Applications Using PCBs
Some of the examples for the use of Military graded PCBs in the military-related application is given below:
- Computers and laptops that are rugged specially designed to withstand rough handling.
- Robotics systems in the military are advancing and military graded PCBs find their applications in it.
- Mortars and Artillery guns.
- Communication systems and Defense navigation.
- UAVs and unmanned vehicles.
- Base security and camp protection.
Key takeaway:
The manufacture of Aerospace PCB is different compared to the commercial PCBs because their user application is completely different. This requires that the manufacturing process be carried out on an entirely different set of rules. More care and effort is required because the final product is to serve the purpose in a harsh environment.
Absolute Electronics: Manufacturer of PCB Assembly for Military & Aerospace
If anyone is planning for a startup with the manufacturing of Aerospace PCB board assembly, then Absolute Electronics Services is the ideal company to know every detail. There are several reasons to support this point. First, it is the leading manufacturer of the PCB Assembly for Military & Aerospace.
