intro_pcb
Table of Contents
PCB
System definition - Goal and scope
Definition
What is it used for?
- PCB = Printed Circuit Board
- Other name: printed wiring board (PWB)
- It is used to connect components to one another in an electronic circuit.
Are there different types/technologies?
They are various types of PCBs.
They can differ in terms of technology:
- Through-Hole Technology (THT), old technology. Still used for power electronics.
- Surface-Mount Technology (SMT), used in most digital equipment
They can have different structures:
- Rigid
- Rigid-flex
- Flex
They can be very different depending on their specialization too:
- High temperature
- Heavy copper
- High frequency
- Metal core
- High density
- Substrate-like
If different types, what are the differences in terms of materials, process, use consumption?
Is there a generic component that represents a family of components?
How many sub-parts does the system consist of?
Perimeter
What is included?
- Naked PCB
- Rigid
- Double-sided or multilayer
What is excluded?
- ICs on top of the PCB, without any electronic components on it
- R&D activities to develop the PCB
Functional unit and reference flows
What is the functional unit?
What are the reference flows?
Life cycle - Inventory
⇒ Goal: Define state of the art on life cycle stages to be considered.
Database and tools
What are the already existing data (dataset, parametric model, paper, etc.)?
Raw materials
⇒ Goal: List the technical information needed for the LCI.
What is it made of?
- Raw materials
- FR-4 = glass-reinforced epoxy laminate material (epoxy resin + glass fiber)
- copper
- Chemicals
- potassium carbonate
- dicyanoaurate
- sodium hydroxide
Who are the main mining? Where are they located?
Is there mining processes information available?
Manufacturing
⇒ Goal: List the technical information needed for the LCI.
For each system sub-part:
What are the manufacturing processes?
- laminating
- drilling
- etching
- plating
What are the assembly processes?
For each process, what is the energy consumption?
For each process, what are the inputs (water, chemicals, etc.) ?
For each process, what is the yield? Are they co-products and/or losses?
How the “main” manufacturers can be characterized: by the number of components manufactured, the market share (€), other?
Who are the main manufacturers? Where are they located?
Distribution and packaging
⇒ Goal: List the technical information needed for the LCI.
What are the packaging? Made of which materials?
Which are the transport modes?
What are the transport distances?
Use
⇒ Goal: List the technical information needed for the LCI.
What is the service lifespan? (durée d'utilisation)
Is there a reparation factor?
Is there sub-parts replacement?
Where is it used?
Who are the users?
Which + how much energy does it need?
Is there emissions from use?
End of life
⇒ Goal: List the technical information needed for the LCI.
What is the lifetime? (durée de vie)
Is it different from lifespan and why?
Is it refurbished? + Where?
Is it recyclable? Can it be dismantled? Which material can be separated? + Where and how?
Is it incinerated with energy recovery? Just incinerated? Buried? + Where?
Which part of waste can be considered as mismanaged (neither recycled, nor incinerated, nor buried)?
Environmental footprint
⇒ Goal: Define state of the art on environmental impacts.
What are the impact assessment methods used (EF, ReCiPe, others)?
What are the known environmental impacts associated to the system (indicators)?
What are the known hotspots? Which raw material? Which life stage?
- Processes
- PCB factory
- Energy use
- Electricity
Data needed from manufacturer :
- production volume
- line capacity
- installed power
- water usage
What are the potential parameters affecting environmental impacts?
Impactful parameters :
- Technology: Through-Hole Technology (THT) or Surface Mount Technology (SMT)
- Substrate material: FR4 (mostly used), bio-based material, etc.
- Number of layers (1 to 16 generally)
- Surface (m2) → yield
- Type of surface finish
What are the main source of uncertainty?
Bibliography
⇒ Goal: Source every data we cited previously
List of our sources
Data origin: bibliographic source / consortium hypothesis / expert opinion - required if a Data Quality Rating (DQR) must be completed
Next steps
⇒ Goal: List challenges and clarify priority areas for action
What do we know we don't know?
What are the identified challenges?
What paths/ideas should be explored?
intro_pcb.txt · Last modified: by louise