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KINGFORD has provided high-quality, competitively priced pcb assemblies (PCBAs) for over 20 years. One of the key markets we serve is the automotive industry.
The Role of PCB Assemblies in Automobiles
Modern cars are complex products that require essential electronic components for daily operation. Diverse accessories and functions require powerful electronics and systems. Quality manufacturing of complex printed circuit board designs is key to the efficiency and safety of vehicle operation. As a critical component of nearly every electronic device and system, PCBs used in the automotive industry must be designed and constructed carefully to ensure they meet performance goals and relevant industry standards.
Types of Automotive PCBs
- Flex PCBs: These boards are made of flexible plastic substrates. They are composed of PEEK, polyamide, or transparent polyester films. These boards can be twisted and bent. Find their applications around bends and corners in an automobile.
- Rigid PCBs: The rigid boards are made of FR4. These boards aren’t flexible. They are usually found in display monitors and reverse cam screens.
- HDI PCBs: These boards feature higher wire density per unit area, finer lines and spaces, and high pad connection density. The HDI boards accommodate more components and play a prominent role in miniaturization. These boards are widely used for infotainment systems.
- Aluminum-based metal core PCB: MCPCB is common in automotive electronics products that contain bright LED lights. These bright LED lights draw a large current from the battery to provide high-brightness white light. In addition, a small electric motor hidden inside the car body can control the car’s heat sink, windows, rearview mirror or any part in motion, and they draw enough current from the battery.
Applications of PCB Assemblies in the Automotive Industry
- Automotive communication devices provide drivers with information such as safety warnings or traffic patterns. They typically use flexible, multi-layer, and HDI PCBs.
- Dashboard communication systems provide drivers with information about vehicle conditions or performance. They typically use flexible, multi-layer, and HDI PCBs.
- Navigation systems provide drivers with location information and directions. They typically use embedded PCBs.
- Vehicle power controllers balance the flow of energy within an electric vehicle. They typically use embedded PCBs.
- Self-driving vehicles drive with little to no human driver involvement. They typically use HDI PCBs.
- Security systems prevent vehicle theft by providing auto-lock or remote locking capabilities and sounding an alarm if a potential theft is detected. They typically use flexible, multi-layer, and HDI PCBs.
- HVAC systems allow drivers to adjust temperature and airflow conditions within the vehicle. They typically use single-layer or double-layer PCBs.
Substrates selection
Automotive PCBs, before being installed on the vehicle, must pass a series of stringent tests, such as thermal cycling, thermal shock, and temperature humidity. The choice of the substrate material most suited to the specific application is therefore fundamental.
Heavy copper PCBs, for instance, use layers with a thicker copper, in order to better withstand critical conditions such as high temperatures, frequencies and current variations. While normal boards have a thickness between 25µm and 50µm, heavy copper PCBs have a thickness between 150µm and 200µm. These PCBs are used in systems intended for security and signaling. Ceramic substrate PCBs, obtained by high temperature combustion of alumina and aluminum nitride, can withstand extremely high temperatures and are therefore used in the engine compartment. Metal core PCBs, where the metal core is an aluminum alloy base layer, are particularly suitable for heat transfer applications. The aluminum base layer, in fact, acts as a heatsink, providing electrical insulation and thermal conductivity. An example of application is the Antilock Braking Systems (ABS). Finally, PTFE PCBs, based on the polytetrafluoroethylene material, are particularly suitable for high frequency applications, such as safety, anti-collision and radar systems.
KINGFORD PCB Services for Automotive PCBs
KINGFORD provides the world's top one-stop PCBA services for the automotive market, including one-stop PCBA services for PCB design, DFMA services, PCB manufacturing, PCB assembly, component procurement, assembly testing, and we adhere to the highest level of quality and traceability. , to meet your unique needs. We have been specializing in the production of low-volume and automotive PCB assemblies for the automotive industry, with a focus on "prototype and low-volume production". We have successively obtained IATF16949, ISO9001 and other system certifications, and the quality is guaranteed.