Multilayer PCB is made up of three or more three layers of conductive copper foils. They appear as many layers of double-sided circuit board glued and laminated together with layers of heat-protective insulations. It is arranged so that on the PCB, two layers are placed on the surface to connect the environment. Electric connections from the middle of the layers are obtained from vias such as blind and buried vias, plating through holes. By applying such methods, highly complex PCBs with varying sizes are generated.
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With changes evolving in the electronic industry, multilayered PCBs came into existence. The functions of modern electronics have become more sophisticated, requiring complex PCBs. Unfortunately, PCB faced challenges like stray capacitance, noise, and crosstalk, and thus a need for PCB redesign arose. A satisfactory level of performance was not achieved from redesigning both single and double-sided PCB.
This crisis gave birth to multilayer PCB.
Multilayered PCBs are more expensive and labor-intensive to produce, but now they have become an essential part of modern technology. This is due to the ample number of benefits they offer compared to single and double layer variety.
From a technical perspective, multilayer PCBs provide many benefits in design. These benefits include:
One of the most important benefits of using multilayer PCB is its size. Multilayered PCBs are essentially smaller in size due to their multilayered feature yet providing the same functionality level. This small size is vital in the modern electric world as the trend is towards smaller, compact yet powerful gadgets like laptops, smartphones, wearables, and tablets.
Smaller PCBs are lesser in weight. As multiple connectors are needed to link various single and double-layered PCBs, they are replaced with multilayered designs. This is essential for modern electronics as it is gearing towards mobility.
A large amount of work and planning are invested into creating multilayered PCBs that provide high-quality performance compared to single- and double-layer PCBs. Thus, they are more reliable.
Multilayered PCBs are naturally durable. These multilayered PCBs resist their weight and can handle the heat and pressure used in binding them together. Additionally, these multilayer PCBs use numerous insulation layers in the middle of circuit layers, binding them together with protective materials and a prepreg bonding agent.
This doesn’t apply to all multilayer PCB, but some utilize flexible construction techniques to obtain flexible multilayered PCBs. This becomes a highly desirable trait for application where light binding and flexing may occur occasionally. For some multilayered PCBs’ the more layer incorporated, the less flexible it becomes.
Multilayer PCBs are tremendously high-density assemblies, integrating multiple layers into a single PCB. These close-quarters allow boards to be highly connective, and these innate electrical properties provide them to obtain higher speed and capacity despite their smaller size.
Multilayer PCBs are designed to work as a single unit rather than working jointly with other PCB components. Thus, they have a singular connection point, rather than having multiple connection points to use the multiple single layer PCBs. This acts as beneficial in designing electronic products since they only need to include a single connection point in the final product. This is especially advantageous for small gadgets and electronics that are designed to minimize weight and size.
The RF designs, including antennae of high-speed signals and high-frequency signals, need a good grounding shield. A double-layer PCB with many components is unable to provide a proper ground shield to most of the RF-based designs. On the other hand, multilayer PCB permits the user to place separate ground and power planes so that RF components can receive a better ground shield.
Thus, multilayer PCB has become very useful due to its applications, especially in mobile devices and high-functioning electronics. Many industries are involved in mobile solutions in today’s time, providing multilayer PCBs their place in many industry-specific applications.
The benefits and comparisons that have been discussed above ask one question: What will be the application of multilayer PCB in the real world? The answer is it can be used anywhere.
For many industries, PCBs have become the favorite and reliable option for various applications. This preference gets its motivation from the advancement in technology towards functionality and mobility across the globe. Multilayer PCBs have achieved higher functionality with compact size through a logical progression. Now they have become omnipresent, used in various technologies including:
Consumer electronics is a broad term used to cover a variety of products used by the general public. This includes products used in daily life, such as microwaves and smartphones, and laptops. These electronics consist of PCBs, but in recent times instead of standard single-layer, multilayer PCBs are used. The reason lies in an increase in consumer trends. The modern generation prefers to use multi-function smart devices and gadgets to get along with their lives quickly. Devices like smartwatches and universal remotes are pervasive in the world of modern electronics. Due to multilayer PCB, modern devices have become highly functional with compact size.
Multilayer PCBs are used in everything from server to motherboard mainly due to their high-functionality and space-saving features. These applications are an essential characteristic of multilayer PCB, whereas the cost is very low. Thus, multilayer PCBs have become an ideal solution for various technologies in the industry.
Multilayer PCBs are often used in telecommunication devices such as satellite, GPS, and signal transmission applications. The main reason is their functionality and durability. In the telecommunication industry, PCBs are often used in outdoor towers and mobile devices. In modern applications, durability is vital in maintaining functionality at a high level.
Due to their durable property, multilayer PCBs have become the preferred choice over other market options. Their application may have rough handling in day-to-day life. From control systems to computers, multilayer PCBs are used in manufacturing industries to run pieces of machinery.
Electronics are widely used and have become an important part of the healthcare industry, functioning in every corner of the industry from diagnosis to treatment. Multilayer PCBs are generally used in the medical sector due to their lightweight, small size, and intensive functionality as compared with single-layer options. These advantages of multilayer PCBs are used in the modern CAT scan, X-Rays, heart monitor equipment, and medical testing devices.
Their exceptional functionality, durability, and low weight property multilayer PCBs have made their way to military applications requiring high-speed circuits. Its demand has been increased in the defense industry as this industry is advancing towards compact engineering design. The small size of multilayer PCBs allows other components to flourish while maintaining their high functionality.
With the introduction of the electric car, the automotive industry also relies on electronic components. From computers, GPS to engine sensors and headlight switches are controlled by electronics; thus, using correct elements becomes essential for automotive design. Therefore, many automobile manufacturers have opted for multilayer PCBs over other options. Multilayer PCBs are durable, highly functional, small in size, and also relatively heat-resistant. This quality makes them a preferable option for the interiors of the automobile.
Just like the automobile industry, the aerospace industry also relies heavily on the modern electronics industry. From computers used in the control room to those used in the cockpit. For aerospace, PCB applications must be reliable as it requires handling the atmospheric journey’s stress while making space for other surrounding equipment. Multilayer PCBs come as an ideal solution as there are many protective layers made from flexible materials to safeguard the connections from getting damaged from heat and outside stress.
A lot more to go! Multilayer PCB is also used in many other industries, including securities, home appliances, and even the science and research industry. From weather analysis equipment to atomic accelerators, fiber optic sensors, and alarm systems, multilayer PCBs are used due to space and weight-saving properties and their high functionality.
As compared to single-layer alternatives, the benefits of multilayer PCBs are more prominent. There are some vital improvements multilayer PCBs offer include the following:
The density of single-layer PCBs is restricted to their surface area, while multilayer PCB possess high density through layering. High density provides greater functionality, improving speed and capacity despite the compact size.
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Generally, multilayer PCBs are smaller in size as compared to single-layer PCBs. Multilayer PCBs expand surface area but decrease the overall size through adding layers, while single-layer PCB increases the surface area by increasing the size. This property of higher-capacity multilayer PCBs can be used in a smaller device, while single-layer PCBs with higher capacity have to be installed into large products.
The amalgamation of components in multilayer PCB requires less need for connectors and other applications. Multilayer PCBs perform the same level of work as multiple single-layer PCBs. Being smaller in size and with fewer connecting components, it reduces its weight. This is an important property where weight is a concern for smaller electronics.
Multilayer PCBs are more capable than single-layer PCBs. With more electric-resistance features, higher EMI shielding, and overall improvement in design quality, multilayer PCBs can achieve more despite their small size and lightweight.
So, keep these benefits in mind while deciding between a multilayer and single-layer construction. Especially if you’re looking for a lightweight, small size, and complex device where quality is more important, a multilayer PCB can be the best choice. However, if weight and size are not a part of your product design concern, then a single or double-layer PCB may be more cost-effective.
With the advancement of electronics towards miniaturization with multi-functional options, the electronics’ internal components also must follow the same trend. While single and double-sided PCBs have limited functionality and size, multilayer PCBs prove to be an all-rounder.
There are several drawbacks to using multilayer PCBs over single- and double-layer options like production inputs, design times, and increased costs but these impediments are more acceptable in today’s world. Functionality is given more importance over price, and people are ready to pay more cost for higher capacity electronics. Additionally, when the technology becomes the core, machinery and production techniques will become less costly, specifically when new technologies arrive in the industry.
With the advancement in technology utility of multilayer PCB is expected to increase; this increasing trend demands your company to invest in those trends and enhance your focus towards multilayer solutions. This increased focus should include dealing with a high-quality multilayer PCB manufacturer and assembler. With these solutions, your company will be completely ready to handle any multilayer PCB project that comes your way.
Author Bio:
Laura Stevens works as a digital marketing manager at PCBGOGO. PCBGOGO is a high-quality PCB manufacturer and provides the best PCB assembly services that are affordable and effective. In her free time, she writes informational blogs and articles that aim at helping people.
There are several types of printed circuit boards, chief among them being single-, double-, or multi-layered. While most of the simple boards in use are typically single- or double-layered, complex circuit board manufacturing is mainly multi-layered. Simple PCBs have their own advantages, but as they have only one or two layers, they cannot meet the demands of complicated circuits and high-density, close-pitch components. Modern equipment trending towards sophisticated functioning requires multi-layered printed circuit boards for superior performance. Designers and PCB fabrication services have their own grounds for multi-layered PCBs. Nevertheless, they must adhere to certain guidelines when stacking individual layers for achieving the overall PCB thickness. For this, they choose to use different materials for constructing the layers in their boards.
Although it is simple to assemble and use single- and double-layered boards, the size of the circuitry they can handle is rather limited. With large and complex circuitry, one or even two layers are inadequate for handling the interconnections of the components. PCB fabrication services offer designers several benefits with multiple layers for printed circuit boards. These include:
When a designer translates a large complex circuitry onto a single-sided PCB, they often need a board with huge dimensions to adapt to all components and their interconnections. Although a prototype circuit board using two sides can cut the board dimensions largely, it will continue to remain unmanageable.
For practical purposes, a multi-layered board from a PCB fabrication service is more appropriate, as the designer has more space to route the interconnections between components via intermediate layers, with the components mounted on the topmost layer. This practice helps not only to shrink the physical dimensions of the board, but also allows it to retain the complexity of the circuit.
Complex circuits, being more closely spaced, require isolation and shielding to prevent cross-talk and leakage between sections, thereby permitting the board to achieve as intended functions. Isolating sections of the circuit is possible in single- and double-sided boards also, but this requires increasing the physical distance between the circuits, resulting in an increase in the overall size of the board.
In multi-layered boards, designers often introduce a power or ground layer in between to act as an isolation or shield. The introduction of an additional layer or layers does not increase the overall size of the board.
For printed circuit boards working with high-speed signals, it is imperative there is no degradation of the signal as it travels through the traces on the board. If there is a mismatch between the impedance of the track and that of the signal source or the receiver, the signal will most certainly lose its integrity.
To maintain the desired impedance on one track or a pair of tracks, designers enclose them to form a proper transmission line. PCB fabrication services offering multi-layered boards is the most suitable way of creating transmission lines using adjacent layers.
Apart from handling high-speed and high-frequency signals, modern printed circuit boards may also have some tracks with high currents running through them. A printed circuit board may also have a few electronic components generating substantial amounts of heat. Miniaturized printed circuit boards often require thermal management, an important factor to keep them operational without damage.
Circuit board manufacturing services offer multi-layered PCBs that can effectively handle such power scenarios. Designers use thermal vias to transfer the heat from a hot component to the outermost layer of the board on the other side, making it easy to remove the heat. They often add a layer with heavy copper for carrying the extra current. As the entire board need not have heavy copper, this helps to optimize the cost of the printed circuit board.
Using a single- or double-sided board for a complex circuitry may require several wire jumpers for completing the interconnections between components. The designer may also need to break up the board into different sections, and connect them via wire harnesses and connectors.
For a complex circuit, using a multi-layered printed circuit board takes care of the above problems, as the designer can place tracks on various inner layers for the interconnections. While making assembly considerably simpler, the possibilities of errors also reduces.
Multi-layered printed circuit boards have many additional advantages. Designers can distribute the interconnecting tracks among multiple layers. This results in achieving higher precision for track width and spacing. In comparison to single- or double-layered boards, multi-layered boards offer the designer considerably better flexibility, improved control over differential impedance, and higher signal integrity.
Because of their higher flexibility in design, OEMs prefer using multi-layered boards widely in their electronic products. Modern PCB fabrication services offer more reliable electrical performance along with the advantages of higher stability. Multi-layered boards therefore offer a better economic performance. With the trend towards use of large-scale integrated circuits, OEMs prefer multi-layer boards for achieving high-density, high-precision, and high-level digitization in their products. With multi-layered boards featuring fine and closely spaced tracks, various types of vias like blind, buried, in-pad, and with high plate thickness to aperture ratio, circuit board manufacturing can easily meet their market demands. The above features offered by multi-layered circuit board manufacturing services has resulted in their becoming a preferred option for numerous industries including:
Applications listed above require equipment with:
Only multi-layered printed circuit boards from modern circuit board manufacturing services can meet all the above criteria. Most applications need printed circuit boards to also comply with several international functional, operational, and safety regulations. This is only possible when using multi-layered printed circuit boards of the highest quality.
Several other industries also use multi-layered printed circuit boards from quality PCB fabrication services as the foundation for their products. In fact, it is impossible to realize an electronic product that does not have a multi-layered PCB assembly inside. With modern circuit board manufacturing services offering various types of multi-layered PCBs, OEMs can easily meet the requirements of different technologies and applications. For instance, they may use rigid boards made of glass-epoxy, flexible boards made of Polyimide, metal clad boards with Aluminum backing, high-frequency boards made of Teflon, and many more.
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