PCB Fabrication for the Lighting Industry
PCBs are the backbone of the Lighting Industry. Heat management is a very important aspect of the lighting industry. Designers are working constantly to design the PCBs having good thermal management capability (temperature balancing, heat sink) with an eye for size reduction and durability. For lighting we need PCBs, that can convert direct energy to efficient optical radiation. So, the more challenging part is identifying the right type of board to be integrated into the product. Insulated Metal Substrates (IMS) are also used for higher thermal conductivity. A bendable Polyimide substrate is often used, so that the lighting output can be controlled easily. Using the PCB LED lights, it’s also possible to integrate Wi-Fi control, DMS control, software, music system, and SD card systems.
Metal-core PCBs are the primary element of today’s LED lights, as they generate less heat while in use. Such PCBs are also useful in Telecommunications (indicators, displays, high-frequency amplifiers, and filtering appliances), Medical (lights in medical examination and surgery tools), and others.
PCBs are designed using different materials to serve a specific purpose. The base material is very important, which determines how effectively a PCB can dissipate heat to meet the end requirement. In some cases, say for LED lighting, a PCB should be temperature-sensitive. The temperature-sensitive PCB can be designed using metal-backed PCBs say, Aluminum, Copper, etc. In nutshell, metal-core PCBs are very effective for applications that involve excessive and constant heat-transfer. Such PCBs are manufactured using metal-core laminated with copper that gives the circuit board improved electrical insulation and thermal conductivity.
Aluminum PCB-based LEDs are used in applications such as Telecommunication, Automotive (traffic light, indicators, headlights, brake lights, etc.), and electronic regulators & power controllers. They are also used in Medical (pacemakers, surgeries and medical examinations), recording devices (cameras, microphones), Entertainment Systems (DVD player, video-game console, television), Home Appliances, solar power products, and etc.
