LEDs
are widely used in streetlights, car headlights, phone flashes, and industrial
lighting. At the core of these efficient light sources is the LED PCB—a special
circuit board for LED lights that provides power, manages heat, and keeps the
system compact.
This
blog will explain the basics of LED PCB assembly, including how it works, how
it's made, and common issues. It will also show how PCBasic uses custom LED PCBs
to support different high-performance lighting projects.
What is LED PCB assembly?
The general method requires placing LEDs
on the circuit board to assemble LED-printed circuit
boards. The appropriate power supply reaches
an LED correctly through this technique. Most LEDs on PCB include
heat-dispersing materials, as LEDs produce heat during operation.
The experimental production phase of LED PCB
serves several industrial areas, from motor vehicle
lights to home lights, and facilitates
separate applications from industrial lighting to electronic display units.
High-quality
LED PCB manufacturers provide better energy management to manufacturers who achieve long-term cell product
lifespans by following basic principles.
What Does an LED Board Do?
A dedicated
printed circuit board, known as an LED board, serves to secure and
connect light-emitting diode components for electrical operations. Each
operating aspect of an LED board is present.
Power Distribution: LED board
voltage distributes electricity regularly among all LED components to prevent starvation and current deficiency.
Heat Management: The
heat generated by LED operation will not appear if the methods
of heat dissipation are not present.
Aluminum LED boards serve as a cooling system.
Component stability: The
board provides LED holding features that maintain LED components within the appropriate position
and ensure their electrical
connections for the circuit system.
Light control: LED PCB
can be replaced with contrast
light color temperature
programming.
Custom LED Circuit Board meets your light needs. Thus, it is suitable
for various applications such as LED displays, medical devices, and
automotive lighting.
Types of LED PCB Boards
Depending
on how it's used, LED PCB boards can be divided into several types. Each type
has its own benefits and is made for different situations:
1.
Aluminum LED PCB
This
is the most common type of LED PCB. It has strong heat conductivity and good
cooling ability. The aluminum base helps move heat away from the LEDs quickly.
This keeps the board from overheating and protects the LEDs. It works well in PCB-integrated
LED designs for high-power lights like industrial floodlights, car headlights,
and outdoor lighting.
2.
FR4 LED PCB
FR4
is a fiberglass-reinforced material. It’s a standard type used in many PCBs.
This kind of board is good for low-power products like toys, indicator lights,
and small home devices with LED circuit board lights. It doesn’t cool as well
as aluminum, but it costs less and is fine for products that don’t get very
hot.
3.
Flexible LED PCB
These
LED PCBs use soft materials like polyimide. They can bend and fold, which makes
them perfect for tight spaces or odd shapes. You’ll find them in wearable,
curved LED strips, and small medical devices. They make it easy to place the LED
on PCB even when space is limited.
4.
Multilayer LED PCB
When
a lighting system needs more features—like remote control, motion sensing, or
wireless communication—multilayer LED PCBs are used. They can hold more
circuits and complex parts. These are often combined with an LED control board
to support advanced functions like dimming or color changes. They are used in
smart home systems, car dashboards, and stage lighting.
For
most projects that need special shapes or functions, a custom LED PCB is the
best choice. It lets you design the LED layout, control system, heat
management, and board size to fit your product needs perfectly.
About PCBasic
Time is money in your projects – and PCBasic gets it. PCBasic is a PCB assembly company that delivers fast, flawless results every time. Our comprehensive PCB assembly services include expert engineering support at every step, ensuring top quality in every board. As a leading PCB assembly manufacturer, we provide a one-stop solution that streamlines your supply chain. Partner with our advanced PCB prototype factory for quick turnarounds and superior results you can trust.
Key Components of an LED Circuit Board
A
complete LED circuit board is made up of several important parts. Each one
plays a key role in how the board works and performs:
•
LED Chip: This is the heart of the PCB LED
lights. It turns electrical energy into visible light. The brightness, color,
and lighting quality depend on the chip and how it's arranged on the board.
•
Base Material: The board is made of materials like
FR4 (fiberglass epoxy), aluminum, or flexible film. FR4 is used for regular
lights. Aluminum is great at moving heat away, so it’s good for high-power
lights. Flexible boards are used in bendable products like LED strips or
wearables.
•
Copper Traces (Conductive Lines): These
are the paths that carry power from the source to the LEDs on the PCB. The
design must support enough current and be laid out in a way that avoids heat or
signal problems.
•
Resistors: These help control the voltage and
limit the current to protect the LEDs. Different LEDs need different voltages,
so resistors must be set correctly.
•
Drivers/Controllers: Some boards have extra chips to
manage smart features. These are common in an LED control board and let users
dim the light, change colors, or control lighting through apps or timers.
•
Thermal Vias and Heat Sinks: LEDs make a lot of heat when
running, especially in high-power setups. Without proper cooling, the board can
overheat. So, designers use thermal holes, aluminum bases, or extra cooling
parts to keep LED circuit board lights working safely.
A
well-designed custom LED circuit board meets electrical needs, controls heat,
and fits well into the final product. It helps the LED system work longer and
more reliably.
The Process of LED PCB
assembly
The pre-defined phase leads the assembly
process of the LED PCB to achieve quality results
and operational efficiency. The process required to assemble an LED PCB contains
the following sequence:
1. PCB Design and Prototyping
Custom LEDs create LED PCB layouts using
special software programs in custom LED PCB design and manufacturing processes
to produce engine-made LED PCBs. Production includes plating equipment while
placing elements, followed
by thermal control
before making prototypes, which requires verification
before manufacturing starts.
2. Component Sourcing
We choose better,
high-quality components, including
LED, resistance, and cap, as
they are both for the operating lifetime and performance.
The board lifespan,
dependent on the use of the original
material components, increases.
3. Solder Paste Application
PCB receives accurate
mixture paste transfer
through stencil delivery. Before permanent attachment, there
is a placement of components on the board through the paste.
4. Pick and Place
PCB receives accurate placements of LED components
through automated machines that follow design specifications. The correct
position of all components depends
on the execution of this process.
5. Reflow Stitches
The panel enters a reflow oven, where its temperature reaches a higher level to melt the mixing paste by
securing electronic devices.
6. Inspection and Testing
The PCB requires
several quality screenings until the final
manufacturing phase reaches.
The automatic optical
system confirms the status and mixing quality
of all electronic components.
The test process
ensures the operational capacity of the PCB that the
system acts as specified before release.
Major Challenges in LED PCB
Assembly
The advantages of LED
PCB assembly are important compared
to other challenges that
product manufacturers should solve.
1. Heat wastage
Proper
management of heat conditions results
in improved LED service period and operational
performance. The managers use aluminum-supported PCBs as a solution to achieve better thermal
conductivity.
2. Component placement precision
Technicians should accurately place
all LEDs within
tolerance to produce uniform lighting and eliminate
alignment problems.
3. Material selection
PCB material plays an important role when
deciding between material strength and operating
performance levels. The selection of appropriate
materials forms the main variable to determine the product longevity because
some materials excel at heat transfer, which benefits the LED operation.
4. Stitch quality
Combined electrical failures with poor mix
joints reduce the product's lifetime. A high standard of stitch methods
should be used to increase the LED PCB assembly.
PCBasic’s Expertise in LED PCB
Assembly
PCBasic
is a leading manufacturer of high-quality LED PCB assembly products. Innovation is joint with quality and efficiency, which
distinguishes the
The company from others in its field. PCBasic acquires
confidence in the industry for three main reasons.
More than 10 years of PCB design experience.
The team of engineers
at PCBasic has been designing PCBs for more than ten years, so they especially
solve engineering solutions based on customer requirements.
Project Management Experience. 10+ years
Employees
of the company's engineers handle project management responsibilities and maintain high-quality standards at each stage, from prototype development through mass
construction.
Cooperation with PhD research
teams
PC transferred valuable technology to basic academic
researchers as they
collaborated on important LED development projects dedicated to board-level
assemblies.
Many factories for various production needs
PCBasic conducts
factories in various
places to meet basic, diverse production requirements.
Shenzhen Small-Batch Factory: Low Valley Production and Prototype.
Huizhou large-batch factory: large amounts of production efficiently and at low cost.
Self-rolling stencil
and stability factory
PCBasic handled both stencil
production and stability assembly to ensure
the accurate distribution of these items.
CNC Machining
Fine Parts Producers
Details of machining operations result in components that are successful in performing PCB assembly
applications.
Distribute the stencil quickly.
The PCBasic
can build a stencil within
an hour, which
makes it ideal for rapid
distribution requests.
Larger central
warehouse for smart
electronic parts
A streamlined warehouse helps to run the production smoothly
by storing the original parts required firmly.
Easy imports,
quotes, and setups
with one click
With only one click, this system automatically processes
the bills of the
material (BOMS), allowing
quick quotes and easy setups.
This helps in generating basic purchasing quotes
efficiently.
Onsite manufacturing certification
Our
company follows important international quality and safety standards,
including:
IATF 16949: management for motor
vehicles
ISO 9001: Quality Management
System
ISO
14001: Environment Management System Ul Certification: Ensures
Product Safety
IPC
Membership: Part of the Global Electronics Association
Conclusion
LED lighting systems and electronic equipment use PCB assembly as a
fundamental operating component during the current time. The correct power distribution with heat management and extended product
lifespan is operated through the use of all LED-based products. These
challenges should be addressed before success is possible, such as challenge
number one, which is the material selection for heat disruptions, and challenge number
two, which is an accurate
placement.
LED PCB
manufacturer (PCBasic takes the region
through its high-technical
solutions, which arise from strong research participation with manufacturing approval). PCBasic's' professional LED provides PCB
assembly services that cover the design of all production volumes, from prototypes to high
volumes. You need an LED circuit board solution for your
project. PCBasic should be your first choice if your project needs LED circuit
board services. PCBasic LED stands as the optimal solution for the construction
of custom LED circuit boards, with PCB products being the lead manufacturer.
