By now, we’re all familiar with light-emitting diode (LED) lights. From bright, efficient bulbs that
replace old incandescent to gorgeous, colorful light strips that fit behind TVs and monitors.
But when it comes to industrial and automotive lighting, special attention should be paid to LED
PCBs for fire safety.
LEDs generate a lot of heat, and removing the heat from the LEDs is critical to maintaining the
structural integrity of the component.
Read more to understand the most important design considerations for LED PCB Assembly:
Why use an LED PCB in your project?
LED PCBs have become the best choice for many lighting applications for a variety of reasons.
Their light weight and small form factor make them more suitable for use in modern
electronics.
LEDs reduce energy consumption by up to 80%
They are suitable for any industrial lighting that requires protection from moisture and
dust.
Their long service life makes them attractive to car and home appliance
manufacturers.
HOW EASY IS IT TO DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE LED BOARDS?
Electronics manufacturers must consider not only LEDs when creating a board, but other
components as well. How close are the LEDs to other components? Marking a solid structure
prior to fabrication reduces board errors by ensuring proper tolerances between each
component.
One of the issues with LED PCB design is heat dissipation, as LEDs can generate a significant
amount of heat. The standard FR-4 board material of epoxy and glass does not transfer heat
well, which means that LEDs can damage the connections on the board.
MCPCB is a metal core printed circuit board that can dissipate heat from sensitive components.
Aluminum is the most popular type of metal used in these applications.
If you want to mount LEDs on a board, you need to determine what type of PCB to use. Ready-to-
use modules have already been designed and tested, but fully custom designs require careful
consideration of the different temperature ranges of materials and their heat resistance
standards.
HEAT DISTRIBUTION
The need for proper heat dissipation in LED PCB design cannot be overstated. LEDs generate a
lot of heat and you need to dissipate that heat or you risk melting PCB parts or damaging heat
sensitive components.
LEDs are usually made from transparent resin based on polyurethane. It is a poor conductor of
heat, so heat often escapes directly to the back of the chip. There are several options for heat
dissipation, including:
Radiator
Heat pipes and steam chambers
Printed circuit board (PCBS) with metal core
Use of fans to remove hot air.
HEAT SINKING
Lowering draws heat away from sensitive parts of the dashboard. For example, in a computer, a
heatsink is usually placed on top of the CPU, drawing heat from the CPU to the fan. The
efficiency of the heat sink depends on the
Material
Shape / Form
Surface finish
Installation / Mounting
Sometimes there is not enough room on a circuit board or in an electronics enclosure to place a
heat sink, so electronics manufacturers use other cooling techniques.
Metal core PCB
MCPCB is one of the simplest cooling methods. When the LEDs are mounted on a metal core
board, the metal significantly improves heat transfer, especially when compared to standard FR-4
boards.
Because metal conducts heat, it’s easy to direct it to a metal plate and then to a heat sink.
If you are looking for a reliable PCB assembly services that utilizes PCB inspection throughout all
stages of production, East India Technologies. Call us on +91 9810336561 or you can email us at
info@eitpl.com and WhatsApp & Text +91 9810336561
