There are many reasons for the overheating of PCB circuit boards. The MCU development engineer explained that in general, if design defects, failure to select appropriate parts and materials, misplaced components, and poor heat dissipation can all lead to overheating on the printed circuit board (PCB). Too much heat.
In integrated circuits, excessive temperatures can negatively affect functions, components and the board itself. The effect of high temperature is negligible in many applications, but in high performance designs the effect can be significant.
Proper heat management is therefore an important step in electrical engineering. Managing heat involves everything from the component level all the way down to the physical board system and operating environment. Below, MCU development engineers will further introduce some of the main causes of circuit board overheating.
一、Incorrect placement of components
MCU development engineers said that some high-power devices need to reserve natural ventilation or forced ventilation to dissipate heat.
Without proper airflow to dissipate heat, the PCB will accumulate most of the heat, resulting in a gradual increase in temperature, resulting in degraded or damaged circuit performance. Also, care should be taken not to place sensitive components near components that dissipate a lot of heat.
High power components such as power transistors generate a lot of heat on the PCB. However, with proper heat dissipation and natural or forced cooling, temperatures can be kept within safe limits.
二、Environmental and external thermal factors
When using PCBs in extreme temperature environments, failure to consider the temperature conditions in the target environment during the design process can place excessive stress on electronic components.
MCU development engineers said that manufacturers of general electronic components will provide specifications applicable within a specific temperature range. For example, typically the resistance value at a temperature of 20°C. It is worth noting that the parameters of components such as resistors, capacitors, and semiconductors change with temperature.
三、Wrong selection of parts and materials
Failure to follow recommended usage guidelines during electronic component material selection can result in thermal issues. When selecting materials for electronic components, it is important to review detailed data and consider all relevant information regarding power dissipation, thermal resistance, temperature limitations and cooling techniques.
Also, make sure to choose the right power rating for the application. An easy mistake is to use the same resistor over and over (perhaps because the corresponding component is already in your CAD library), although some applications may require a higher power rating. Do a quick wattage calculation on the resistor and make sure it is rated well above the maximum expected losses.
Another important issue is the choice of PCB dielectric material. The printed circuit board itself must be able to withstand worst-case thermal conditions.
四、Defects in PCB design and manufacturing
Poor layout and manufacturing process can cause PCB thermal problems. Improper soldering can hinder heat dissipation, and insufficient trace width or copper area can lead to increased temperatures.
To prevent thermal problems, designers must reduce heat dissipation and use other cooling techniques when natural cooling is insufficient. Performing a thermally optimized design requires attention to component specifications, PCB layout, PCB dielectric material, and environmental conditions.
