Have you heard of the Internet Of Things? This is something which is becoming known as the fourth industrial revolution and it involves all of the devices that we use every single day. It has been reported that there are to be around 26 billion devices connected to the internet by 2020. This is a huge figure – but what does this mean for PCB designers?
Here, we’re going to discuss the impact of the revolution on PCB designers. Keep reading to find out more about this.
Space Issues
In the past, printed circuit boards were easy enough to make as the products were larger and there was less of a need for smaller boards. Now, things like wearable devices and small pieces of technology are causing problems for PCB designers who aren’t used to creating PCBs on such a small scale.
Of course, if you download this circuit design software from Altium, you can use the tools to create the PCB as small as you need. If you need to deal with this problem, make sure to invest in better circuit design software.
Designing The Product
Another IOT concern that PCB designers need to deal with in 2019 is in the way in which PCBs are designed. In the past, designers would have only had to work on the circuit board and then would pass it on to the next stage of the project. Now, PCB designers need to be involved in the entire process as there are smaller form factors to deal with. For everything to work smoothly, all stakeholders need to be involved from start to finish.
Power Consumption Planning
The final Internet Of Things concern that PCB designers will face is in the way in which these new products operate. Most electronic devices don’t come with plug in chargers these days, instead using a battery. On top of this, these batteries need to last a long time and so as a designer, you need to figure out how you are going to achieve this.
There are a few ways to do this including giving each functional circuit block on your PCB its own power budget. This can be done to give you more flexibility and ensure that your PCB will be effective in the way that it handles power.
Final Verdict
The Internet Of Things is a huge revolution and you will find that nearly every device that you use these days is connected to the internet somehow or other. As a PCB designer, you need to stay on top of the latest trends and ensure that your PCB is sustainable. Think about how you are going to handle the concerns connected with the Internet Of Things if you want to stay on top.
Take on board all of the advice that we have given you in this article and you should be able to face some of these concerns as time goes on. Who knows what sort of products we’ll be creating PCBs for in the future!
Leave a Reply