Printed circuit boards (PCB) are the most important parts of almost all electronics. With several causes of failure, they are often a headache to repair. From age to weather, almost anything can destroy a perfectly good circuit board. Circuit board manufacturing companies have been trying to discover new ways to preserve the lifespan of these systems, but still seem to have trouble finding out how to protect the product. These are often the most common causes of PCB failure.
1. Burnt Components
Most printed circuit boards run extremely fast, which makes them heat up to very high temperatures. If the space around the circuit board has been compromised, this can also cause PCB to heat up. Each component of the circuit board can only absorb a certain amount of heat before it stops working for good. This aspect is completely dependent on the size and structure of the circuit board assembly.
2. Environmental Factors
If the temperature changes to lower or higher than normal, the PCB system may malfunction. Oftentimes this failure is seen in outdoor equipment like pools or spas because their systems have high electrical currents. With the dramatic temperature change, the PCB’s board may warp and the soldering joints can become extremely damaged. At this point, it’s nearly impossible to try to fix a warped board and you may need to replace the entire product that was damaged due to the weather.
Built-up moisture and debris are also environmental factors that may cause you printed circuit board to stop working.
3. Poorly Manufactured Components
Printed circuit board manufacturers have been trying their best to only receive the highest-quality components for their systems. Sometimes having poorly manufactured components can’t be avoided and your system will suffer because of this. There are signs you can look for to determine whether or not you have good circuit board components. These symptoms can include connection issues, loose components, leftover flux, and bad solder.
A bad solder can happen because of a cold solder. This occurs when the soldering technician can’t heat the solder properly for it to mount to the connection joint. A bad connection could lead to more power issues or burnt components. If you come in contact with one of these symptoms, unfortunately, you may need to replace the entire system.
4. Age
Age is something that circuit board manufacturing can’t stop. Any product will begin to fail over time, regardless of what it is. Old parts will always need to be replaced by new ones. Age leads to a failing capacitor, which will result in power issues. Star Engineering has excellent printed circuit board manufacturing services that can fix most problems that your circuit board throws your way for a reasonable price.
