Learn how to remove heat from your PCB designs


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The expansion of technology into every aspect of our lifes requires propers thermal management of integrated electronic components to achieve higher permormance and efficiency.


The key to achieving good reliability and requisite service lifetimes in modern electronic devices has long been associated with the quality of the solder joints used in assembling components onto substrates. Originally, the electronics industry used leaded components with through hole mounting and solder joints that were much larger than are found today. The solders were also typically made of tin and lead, in compositions that had both modest melting points and good mechanical properties.


High-power LEDs can draw over 1 watt in a single LED. Most of the electrical power in a LED generates heat rather than light, approximately 70% heat and 30% light output. If the heat generated is not effectively removed, the LEDs will run at higher temperatures, which lowers their efficiency and decreases their lifespan, making the LED de-sign less reliable. Thus, thermal management of high-power LEDs is a crucial area of the PCB designer’s research and development.


The latest design in automobiles and other vehicle lumination is the exciting decorative shaped LED lighting. The curved and stepped design of the LED lighting, utilizes a conformable aluminum backing strip with a heat conductive thin insulative printed circuit material and copper traces for the current. These elaborate looking light strips are made to fit sloped and decorative shaped car lenses, creating an eye-catching stunning lighting display to enhance the cars visual look.

The electronic design capabilities with Flextherm offer designers an enormous amount of possibilities due to the possibility to design in 3D reducing cables and connectors between different PCBs.

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