Thermal Analysis
The power consumption of the typical PCB has risen from 200 to 600 watts in just the past few years, raising thermal design from a relatively minor issue to a major design and reliability concern.
Heat affects the reliability and lifetime of electronic equipment. As processing speeds rise, functional density increases, and equipment becomes smaller, thermal problems intensify. Thermal analysis enables the engineer to identify the source of any over-heating, to devise and test appropriate design modifications quickly and easily. New concurrent electronic/thermal engineering approaches reduce the time required to identify and solve thermal problems, making it practical to address thermal issues at an earlier stage in the design process.
- Knowledge of Operating Environments
- Safety requirements
- Thermal operating conditions
- Minimum and maximum temperature
- Humidity values
- Noise restrictions
- Thermal analysis of IC packages, circuit boards and system enclosures.
- Ensure ICs and other components remain within their functional limits
- Optimally place components
- Airflow tracking
- Develop cooling solutions
- Heatsink design
- Fan and blower sizing
- Conduction techniques
- Active cooling techniques
De-Risk Thermal Challenging with Thermal Analysis