Component carrier now replacing flexible PCBs.

Flexible circuit boards offer numerous advantages. However, the mechanical fixation of these circuit boards is highly complex. Harting has developed a new solution based on 3D-MID technology that is capable of replacing flexible circuit boards. Thanks to component carriers, cost savings of up to two-thirds can be achieved.

Flexible printed circuit boards made of thin polyimide films have established themselves in many product areas thanks to their application flexibility. Populating and assembling them, however, is decidedly more complex. This is where a newly developed component carrier from Harting enters the picture.

A standardised component carrier for electronic components
By harnessing this all new Harting development, electronic components can be fitted directly onto the component carrier, thereby replacing flexible circuit boards. The component carrier serves as a connecting element between the printed circuit board (PCB) and electronic components such as LEDs, ICs, photodiodes and sensors.

Electronic components are mounted directly on the new component carrier in automated processes. The frequently complex processes involved in processing flexible circuit boards is dispensed with, thereby reducing costs by up to two-thirds.

The populated component carriers are delivered in tape & reel. In their standard design, the carriers can be processed in automatic assembly systems, just like other SMD electronic components. Two different sizes are currently available and can accommodate electronic components of standard size SOIC-8 and smaller. Moreover, the company can also produce the carriers in customer-specific sizes.

Three example applications where the component carrier can replace flexible circuit boards:

• Components at a 90° angle to the circuit board: The component carrier is suitable for scenarios in which electrical components, such as sensors, need to be positioned normal to the circuit board. The automatic assembly process enables the placement of temperature sensors or hall sensors on the carrier to a high degree of accuracy, which in turn results in precise, reproducible measurements. Optical components are another salient example, such as LEDs or photodiodes used to generate precise light barriers.
• Clearance from the circuit board: The component carrier also makes it possible to maintain a clearance between the circuit board and an electronic component. Consequently, a temperature sensor can be used to measure the temperature in the housing without being influenced by the waste heat from other components on the PCB. It also means that an LED can be placed clear of the circuit board, thereby avoiding the risk of surrounding components casting shadows.
• Antenna function: The component carrier can be manufactured using different base polymers. In this way, different antenna material properties can be factored in, such as dielectric constant and loss factor. The specific antenna layout can be used for various applications in the MHz and GHz frequency range, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee and 5G.

Thanks to the 3D-MID (mechatronic integrated device) technology, electronic components can be fitted directly onto a three-dimensional body without the need for circuit boards or connecting cables. The base body is produced through injection moulding, whereby the thermoplastic is provided with a non-conductive, inorganic additive. In order for this material to be able to accommodate electrical circuits, the additives in the plastic are “activated” through laser direct structuring (LDS). In this process, the laser beam writes the areas intended for the conductive tracks and creates a micro-rough structure. The metal particles released in the process form the nuclei for the subsequent chemical metallisation.

This process creates electrical traces across the three-dimensional base body. The plastic employed offers high thermal stability and can therefore be soldered in the reflow oven. Harting has been implementing the entire 3D-MID process chain in-house for over 10 years, from the project idea to the populated series product. The technology is finding use in application scenarios in areas such as medical technology, industrial electronics and consumer electronics and all the way through to safety-related components in the automotive industry. Their 3D-MID business unit is the largest provider of 3D-MID components outside of Asia. The component carrier developed by this process is suitable for various applications. It can be equipped with several sensors that, if desired, could be aligned in three directions to take measurements in three axes (X, Y, Z). Components can be fitted simultaneously on two parallel surfaces on the front and back sides, as well as on the end face. The company has submitted a patent application for the component carrier.

In an automated process, they fit electronic components such as LEDs, ICs, photodiodes and sensors directly on the component carrier. The total cost of the component carrier is two-thirds lower than those of flexible PCB solutions. This is due to the fact that it eliminates the frequently complex handling involved with flexible printed circuit boards, e.g. populating, gluing and assembling. The process even delivers benefits in small volumes, as the component carrier can be used for different applications without adaptation, thereby eliminating the costs of a new injection mould. Compared with flexible printed circuit boards, this process achieves more precise component positioning, greater repeatability and better quality.

The company has identified another advantage of the component carrier, namely the short timeframe required to deliver finished components. Since the plastic carrier remains unchanged, all that is needed are specifications for placement of the electronic components. Experts in 3D-MID can use this to create a production-optimised layout proposal. Adjustments of the laser program are all that is needed to tailor the electrical traces to the respective application. Once the customer has approved the product and components have been received, initial production samples can be dispatched within two to three weeks – and even faster, if necessary.

#PAuto #Electronics @HARTING_Group @mepaxIntPR

Improving design process

EPLAN Engineering Center One (EEC One) is a tool that offers EPLAN users the opportunity to greatly improve efficiency in the engineering design process, reducing the cost of project generation, the numbers of errors and the resultant fixes required on the shop floor. EEC One can be utilised across the entire EPLAN Platform whether used for electrical, fluid or process engineering.

EEC One automatically creates EPLAN projects by using standardised partial circuits (macros) and project-specific information. Basic data input therefore results in automatic, quick and easy project generation as EEC One combines project data and schematic macros and prepares the resulting schematic documentation in EPLAN. By using a front end configurator based on everyday office software, EPLAN makes the generation of design so simple that it can be completed by none engineering staff or trainee engineers to allow more senior staff to concentrate on other project areas.

More than 1000 hydraulic macros

A new, comprehensive master data package for hydraulics now bridges the gap between fluid and mechanical design. More than 1000 new hydraulic macros in Eplan Fluid speeds up and simplify interdisciplinary documentation.

The new hydraulic macros in Eplan Fluid are the basis for fast, clear documentation.

The advantages of a common set of control technology documentation for fluid and electrical engineering is well known, a look at hydraulics opens up even more potential. From the beginning, Eplan Fluid 2.0 offered users a comprehensive "fluid data package" containing more than 1000 hydraulic macros. The combination of CAE functionality and the new macros provides unbeatable advantages for hydraulic designers, especially in mechanical engineering. This combination has high standard of graphic documentation according to current standards and a modular system for sub-plates, hydraulic power units, sandwich arrangements and more. What technical data must be including in the hydraulic schematic? What pressure switch settings are needed and how are they best represented in the schematic? Eplan Fluid offers the ideal solution for high-quality documentation through a combination of macros, pressure switches for instance, and the associated data tables.

Perspective: rotating and mirroring
The new macros are all designed for intelligent rotating and mirroring of fluid elements; a function in the upcoming version of Eplan Fluid. Background: Often in a schematic, it is necessary to represent that cylinders move in opposite directions and correspondingly control them. Ideally, the user only has to design half the switch and completes the documentation using the new convenient functions for rotating and mirroring. The macros provide an excellent basis for key users and administrators.

Intelligent macros
The high diversity of filters and pump/motor combinations on power units often leads to documentation that differs only in the details. Eplan technologies, such as variant technology and project options, are the foundation of creating intelligent macros that can be immediately changed in the fluid plan. A modular system makes it easy to create different variants of collective sub-plates. This system provides the easiest way to put together sections.

Interesting for manufacturers
The macro collection is the ideal starting point for fluid power component manufacturers in the hydraulic industry. They can also use the Eplan Data Portal to make their component data available. The perfect multiplier. While the neutral macros available in Eplan Fluid can be used for different manufacturers, the component data in the Eplan Data Portal is associated with a specific manufacturer and provides a solid engineering basis when combined with additional documents such as technical data sheets, component photos and 2D and 3D data.

Control for "Gym for the lungs"

ML Electronics has successfully completed an electronic design for POWERbreathe Kinetic, a respiratory exercise system, which enables the feature-packed device to run comfortably from rechargeable NiMH AAA batteries – including driving a 12V stepper motor.

Advanced power management techniques and power efficient circuit design were key design goals. At the heart of the POWERbreathe electronics a PIC microcontroller takes values from a pressure sensor and uses them to control the stepper motor, ensuring that the ‘resistance’ is constant throughout the breath. ML Electronics leveraged the MCU’s micro-Amp real-time clocks, low power system voltage monitors, and its ability to run the CPU core at a different speed from the peripherals.

Functional circuitry was completed with differential amplifiers to provide inputs from the breath pressure sensor and a stepper motor driver linked to a low-cost off-the-shelf motor. In addition, the design provides a buzzer, LED and LCD displays, a function button and USB2.0 interface. All circuits can be switched in and out to conserve power using software developed by HaB.

Their hardware designers worked hard to minimise voltage drops everywhere, as even a 0.1V drop translates to a significant lowering of battery life. This not only impacted on the tracking and layout, but also necessitated using FETs instead of standard diodes, which resulted in a very compact printed circuit board.

“Our specifications were quite demanding and power management was one of the hardest things to crack. MLE proved to be excellent people to work with, offering a relaxed way of working as well as keen pricing and creative expertise,” said Dave Spurling, product designer, HaB International POWERbreathe trainers incorporating MLE’s innovative design are currently going into volume production and should be on sale in time for the New Year health and fitness peak.

Academic software

Simplifies Circuit Simulation for Teaching and Design
New Academic and Professional Software Versions Foster Learning and Streamline Prototyping

Some Benefits

Multisim 11 Academic

• Simplify digital circuits teaching by exporting raw VHDL from a programmable logic device (PLD) schematic
• Guide hands-on electronics experiments with new educator-requested AC single-frequency analysis
• Correlate simulated data with real-world measurements by integrating with the NI Electronic Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS) educational prototyping platform

Multisim 11 Professional

• Prototype easier and ensure design synchronisation and transparency with enhanced forward/backward annotation from the Multisim schematic to an Ultiboard layout
• Improve design communication with on-page connectors and a new WYSIWYG net naming system

National Instruments has introduced Multisim 11, the latest version of its circuit simulation software, with specialised editions for both hands-on learning and professional circuit design. The easy-to-use Multisim software delivers a graphical approach that abstracts the complexities of traditional circuit simulation, helping educators, students and engineers employ advanced circuit analysis technology.

The academic edition of Multisim 11 incorporates specialised teaching features and is complemented by circuits textbooks and courseware. This integrated system helps educators engage students and reinforce circuit theory with an interactive, hands-on approach to investigating circuit behaviour. Widely implemented throughout academia, technical colleges and four-year universities choose Multisim for its interactive components, simulation-driven instruments and integration to real-world analogue and digital measurements.

Multisim 11 Professional helps engineers optimise circuit designs, minimise errors and reduce prototype iterations. When combined with the new Ultiboard 11 layout and routing software, Multisim provides engineers a cost-effective, end-to-end prototyping platform. Its integration with LabVIEW measurement software also helps engineers define custom analyses to improve design validation.

• Simulate better with SPICE parser improvements, updated BSIM models, support for advanced parameters and enhanced digital simulation accuracy