3 Key Takeaways for IoT-Compliant PCB Designs

By Embedded Advisor | Monday, December 02, 2019

By knowing the specific requirements necessary to build connected IoT devices, PCB designers will have a better sense of how to design the most effective PCBs on the market.

FREMONT, CA: The Internet of Things (IoT) is a buzz word that is hard to avoid in today’s technological world. Known as the most significant thing since the internet, IoT increases connect-ability between the physical and digital worlds. These connected devices can be sensed and controlled remotely, improving efficiency, accuracy, and economic gain. As a result, innovative approaches to PCB design have emerged. Here are three pillars of PCB design for successful IoT products.

• Collaboration

Mechanical and electrical engineers should be in touch when working on an IoT product. Whenever there is a change on the electrical side, it impacts mechanical design, PCB designing need to maintain alignment at every step. Collaboration is especially important when the device runs on a battery. Power consumption can be demanding, and the thermal output from microcontrollers and processors must be kept in check.

• Connectivity

There are so many different wireless technologies and standards to choose from when building an IoT product. The connectivity decisions PCB designers make will impact power consumption, compatibility, and certifications, among other things. So it is essential for designers to take connectivity into account in the developmental stage. And the earlier designer can choose the right technology the better.

• Time to Market

Being the first to market with the IoT product can help IoT device manufacturers establish a solid customer base before competitors flood the space. However, everyone wants to be the first to market. Even a couple weeks of delay in development can drop brands to second or third, giving them a smaller share of the market. Also, if manufacturers take too long to get to market, they risk seeing the technology become obsolete before they even hit production. The obvious best practice for accelerating time to market for brands is to avoid mistakes in development. It all comes down to spending more time in the planning stages to avoid extra design cycles down the road.

As IoT continues to evolve, PCB designers have a responsibility to stay current on trends in order to understand its impact on PCB design.