To our no surprise, LEDs have emerged as a popular lighting option in numerous industries such as domestic, commercial, and industrial, thanks to the beneficial features they offer. As we all know that PCBs are an integral part of various electronic products, and with PCB technology evolving, they are now integral to LEDs, as well. Printed circuit boards, abbreviated as PCBs, are widely used in the LED lighting industry. The surge in demand for PCB manufacturing is directly related to the growth in demand for LEDs. This blog post will help you learn about the basics of LED PCB, covering its definition, benefits, applications, and the main considerations for LED PCB design.
Meaning of LED PCB
The first thing you have to keep in mind is what LED PCB means so that you can understand how the board works in its entirety. LED, referred to as Light Emitting Diode, features semiconductor diodes that are embedded in the circuit board. Generally speaking, a circuit board with LED components soldered on is called LED PCB. For the LED PCB to function properly, a thermal heat sink and a ceramic base are used to bond the chip, which creates light when connected to a power supply. The basic construction of an LED PCB is fairly simple, which is generally composed of a PCB board, LED chips, and heat sinks.
It’s worth paying attention to the cooling heat issue when manufacturing LED PCBs. This is because LED PCB, as the core of LED lighting, tends to generate much more heat energy than other electronic parts. Since it is difficult to dissipate the heat on a LED PCB with traditional methods, it’s imperative to use the materials that perform well in this regard. Due to their excellent heat dissipation capabilities, metal core circuit boards, especially aluminum-based PCBs, serve as the main materials for PCB manufacturing. Compared to the usual PCBs, aluminum PCBs utilize their thin layer of thermally conductive dielectric material to help the circuit board cool down quickly.
Benefits of Using LED PCBs in Electronics
As electronic products get smaller and smaller, using LED PCBs is becoming more and more popular across various industries. The advantages of using LED circuit boards are listed below.
Lightweight, low profile
Compared to traditional PCBs, LED PCBs are smaller in size and lighter in weight. This means that less circuitry is required to run without adding weight to the overall circuitry. Therefore, they are ideal for projects that require small-sized, lightweight LED PCBs.
Efficient power consumption
Thanks to their low power and voltage consumption, LED PCBs are highly preferred in consumer and industrial applications. A study has shown that LEDs waste no less than 75% energy as compared to traditional bulbs, so using LED PCBs will help you save a lot on electricity bills.
Better heat dissipation
LEDs do not generate a great amount of heat like traditional lighting options because most of the heat they generate is absorbed by the core of the PCB.
Easy to integrate
LED PCBs can be integrated into complex interface assemblies with just a basic circuit without any hassle. To be more specific, you can simply connect the positive and negative terminals on the LED PCB board to the power supply without much expertise related to the circuitry.
Available in a variety of sizes, colors, and intensities
At MOKOLight, there are a variety of sizes and colors of LED PCBs for you to choose from. We offer LED circuit boards in custom dimensions and multiple LED colors according to your requirements. In addition, you can adjust the light intensity by calibrating and controlling the chip or by embedding LEDs of distinct colors in the circuit.
Dust and moisture resistant
Circuit boards are known to be susceptible to dust and moisture. To prevent dust particles and moisture droplets from damaging your LED PCB boards, the high-quality LED PCBs manufactured by MOKOLight are rigorously tested and reach an IP65 rating.
No radiofrequency emission
Since LED PCBs don’t emit any RF waves while operating, RF interference is not a concern when using them. Therefore, other devices or components can work well without interference from RF waves.
Applications of LED PCB
Telecommunications
Owing to the outstanding heat transfer capabilities, LED indicators and displays are always used in telecommunication equipment. Using LED PCBs will help drastically reduce device malfunctions because of overheating. Thanks to their low cost and design flexibility, they can help enhance the functionality of devices.
Medical
On the one hand, high-power LED lights often serve as lighting tools for surgeries and medical examinations. These lights usually use aluminum PCBs because they are durable and dissipate heat efficiently. This means that medical equipment can always keep functioning properly, no matter how many patients visit the medical office. In addition, aluminum PCBs are also frequently used in medical scanning technology.
Automotive
Aluminum LED PCBs are mostly preferred by the automotive industry for their durability, enhanced efficiency, and competitive pricing. They are commonly used for indicators, brake lights, headlights, and other automotive uses.
Computer
LED displays and indicators are commonly used in computers. To cope with the thermal sensitivity of computer devices, aluminum LED PCBs are often chosen as an ideal solution. Due to their good thermal conductivity, they are also suitable for use in computer components such as power supplies and CPU boards.
Other application cases
In addition to the above four main applications, you need to know several other application cases of LED circuit boards. They are as follows:
- LED Grow Lights
- LED Street Lights
- LED Vehicle Lights
- LED Decorative Lights
- LED Concealed Lights
- LED Elevator Lights
- Traffic and Signal Lights
- Solar Power Products
- Air Landing and Running Lights
- Flashlight and Camping Accessories
Key Considerations for Designing LED PCBs
When designing LED PCBs, you may need to follow certain rules or standards. It’s not as simple as placing some LEDs on the circuit board as you suppose. Here are some key considerations for designing LED PCBs:
Component placement
Placing the component in the right spot is critical when it comes to designing efficient LED circuit boards. Some components of the LED PCB such as connectors, resistors, and thermistors need to maintain proper distance. To prevent the consequences of overvoltage, the creepage, referred to as the shortest distance between two components, together with the clearance should be taken into account in the design.
LED PCB materials
The numerous materials available on the market add to the difficulty of choosing the right LED PCB material. You can find out the right material for your application based on the merits and demerits of each material. If you need professional help, you come to the right place at MOKOLight where we can offer free and professional advice.
Thermal management
LEDs and other components soldered on PCBs generate a high volume of heat energy. The heat energy needs to be channeled properly, otherwise, it will probably damage your board. The experts at MOKOLight know exactly how to manage the heat generated by electronic components. The heat present in the board can be effectively dispelled by adding vias and heat sinks.
Tracking
The tracing process begins after the components are placed. The purpose of this process is to examine if there are open or short circuits present in the net. At the same time, the flow of current in the circuit is also monitored to ensure that the circuit does not generate a lot of heat energy.
MOKOLight Experts in LED PCB Manufacturing and Assembly
As we have seen, LED PCBs can be used in a wide variety of applications across multiple industries and are almost suitable for every circuit. If you are looking for good-quality PCBs for your lighting system, you should opt for MOKOLight, a reliable PCB manufacturer and assembler who provide you with end-to-end services. With a leading industry reputation, we can provide a full spectrum of PCB services including PCB design, prototyping, assembly, and mass production. Moreover, we offer custom LED PCBs to meet the needs of various LED manufacturers. To benefit from our expert industry knowledge, cutting-edge technologies, competitive pricing, and quick turnaround times, you can upload your Gerber file and BOM now for a free quote.