New Energy PCBs | Separate Reviews for Power, Insulation, and Sampling
In energy storage, photovoltaic inverters, charging systems, and energy monitoring, power paths and precision sampling often share limited board space. Shenzhen Jingpeng Electronics conducts manufacturing reviews based on current paths, heat transfer, isolation zones, and assembly conditions, translating system requirements into drawings that can be used for production and inspection.
New Energy-Related Exhibits | The specific scope of application will be determined on a project-by-project basis.
First, draw two paths: where the current flows and where the heat goes
Design Example: The same board functions normally under no-load conditions, but the joints overheat when a load is applied. Simply adding a large area of copper foil may fail to address the actual bottleneck.
Current Path Check
Inspect each section sequentially, including the connector, the neck of the pad, the copper surface, the vias, and the load. Local cross-sections and contact resistance determine the location of hot spots; the input current, pulse peak, and duration should be specified simultaneously—an average value cannot be used to represent all operating conditions.
Hot Path Check
Check for continuity from the device junction to the solder joints, copper layers, interface materials, and heat sinks. The copper surface helps dissipate heat, but without an effective external heat dissipation path, heat will still accumulate inside the enclosure.
An Example to Illustrate the Principle
If the resistance at a certain connection point is 1 mΩ, the power (P = I²R) is 0.4 W at a current of 20 A and 1.6 W at a current of 40 A. This example merely illustrates how power loss varies with current; it does not represent the current-carrying capacity of the sheet material, nor can the temperature rise be directly calculated from it.
Four Types of Energy Circuits, Four Sets of Key Constraints
Determine the functions the module will perform before deciding whether special materials or a thick copper structure are needed.
Energy Storage Cell Data Collection
The focus is on measurement connections, input filtering, insulation zones, and connector compatibility. The distinction between the sampling path and the equalization current path, as well as temperature measurements and wiring harness information, should also be included in the design and assembly reviews.
Inverters and DC/DC Drivers
Identify circuits with high di/dt, switching nodes, and driver circuits; design sensitive feedback circuits separately from noise sources. Power module interfaces, creepage paths, and thermal interfaces should be determined in conjunction with the structural design.
Charging and Auxiliary Power
Clearly mark the input, power conversion, control, and communication areas, and verify the heights of magnetic components, heat sinks, and connectors; clearly illustrate the high-voltage areas for assembly and testing.
Metering and Energy Management
Analog sampling, isolated communication, and control outputs have different priorities. To address accuracy issues, first check the reference, sampling, and contamination paths; the problem cannot be solved simply by using thicker copper or materials with a higher Tg.
Images related to applications and manufacturing are used solely to illustrate the scenarios.
Insulation Design: Don’t Just Ask, “How Many Volts Can the Board Withstand?”
Manufacturing reviews shall be based on the isolation plan approved by the design team. The spacing values must be determined in accordance with applicable product standards and actual conditions; no general safety distances are provided here.
Separate labeling for electrical clearance and creepage distance
Electrical clearance refers to the distance in air, while creepage distance is calculated along the surface of the insulation. Slots, board edges, connectors, and assemblies can all alter the actual path; therefore, drawings should indicate both sides of the isolation and key measurement locations.
Working conditions determine the input constraints
Conditions such as operating voltage, transients, pollution level, altitude, and material group must be specified in the product design. It is not possible to derive all PCB spacing or dielectric strength test values directly from the system’s rated voltage.
Coating Does Not Automatically Resolve Spacing Issues
The suitability of a protective coating depends on the materials, manufacturing processes, and coverage and validation requirements. No-coat zones for connectors, heat-dissipating surfaces, and test points must be defined in advance; one should not rely on “painting the entire board” as a workaround for unconfirmed insulation designs.
Items to Be Inspected on Manufacturing Drawings
Specify the thickness of the finished copper, the width of the grooves, the copper-free areas, the edge treatment, and the conditions for cleaning and withstand voltage/insulation testing. If the design relies on grooves or isolated areas, any engineering changes must be approved by the design team.
Thick copper, metal-core, and conventional multilayer boards—what problems does each one solve?
Refer to the following panel types and process inlets to further verify the specific structure, drawings, and acceptance requirements.
Thick-Copper PCB
This approach is suitable for designs that require a reduction in the resistance of certain copper traces; however, increasing the copper thickness can affect etching clearance and the thermal capacity of the assembly. The narrowest cross-section, via connections, and trace spacing must all be verified together.
Metal Substrate
Suitable for evaluating heat transfer from a concentrated heat source to a metal substrate; however, the performance of the insulating layer at the interface with the heat sink still needs to be clarified, and it is not appropriate to rely solely on thermal conductivity as a substitute for a complete thermal isolation and thermal design.
Flexible PCB
For data acquisition connections, FPC adapters can be used with batteries or modules. It is essential to verify the contact points, connection fastenings, insulation coverage, and assembly stresses; quotes should not be based solely on the external dimensions.
PCB Materials
When selecting a substrate material, consider heat resistance, dimensional stability, electrical insulation, and processing conditions. Tg, thermal conductivity, and CTI characterize different properties; therefore, it is necessary to use the complete grade designation and corresponding data.
PCB Manufacturing Capabilities
Standard multilayer boards are suitable for functions such as control, communication, and precision data acquisition; if they are mounted on the same board as the power section, the copper distribution, stack-up balance, isolation, and return paths should be verified.
PCBA Manufacturing
When assembling power devices, the soldering method, thermal capacity, fasteners, and thermal interface must be confirmed in advance; during the testing phase, the scope of responsibility for board-level electrical testing, load operation, and system protection functions must be clearly defined.
From no-load testing to load verification, gradually resolving issues
The load, instrumentation, and safe operating conditions for each phase are specified in the project test specifications; the following sequence is used to organize the evidence of delivery.
01
01｜Bare Board and Assembly Verification
First, verify the netlist, electrical isolation, vias and slots, and dimensions; after assembly, check the polarity, solder joints, fasteners, and thermal interfaces to ensure that the test subject matches the drawings.
02
02｜Operating Conditions and Temperature Rise Records
Record the temperatures, voltages, and currents at key points under the specified input, load, environmental, and installation conditions; retain the measurement point diagrams to avoid directly comparing samples that were tested under different thermal conditions.
03
03｜Sampling, Protection, and Long-Term Missions
In accordance with system specifications, verify sampling errors, abnormal inputs, protective actions, and applicable environmental tests. Specify the items that require revalidation following material changes or modifications to the heat dissipation structure.
能源项目报价前，先标注这些数据
裸板、装联和整机测试分别报价与约定，避免将转换效率或电池寿命作为裸板承诺。
功率工况
额定、峰值与持续时间；输入输出范围、开关相关信息和热源分布；标注各连接器与主要铜路。
绝缘图与机械图
高低压分区、槽和禁布区域、适用要求、散热器接触面、固定点与机箱条件。
验证与供料
板级及系统测试分工、验收值来源、功率器件供料、专用治具和样板阶段数量。
新能源 PCB：具体问题解答
铜厚翻倍，允许电流也会翻倍吗？
不能直接这样换算。线路宽度、层位、连接、周围铜分布和散热条件都会影响温升，需按实际结构评估并验证。
开槽后就能满足隔离要求吗？
应核对槽的尺寸、位置和适用规则，以及连接器和装配件是否形成更短路径。开槽本身不是整机绝缘合格证明。
高 Tg 与高 CTI 能互相替代吗？
不能。两者对应不同材料特性，应分别依据热过程与绝缘设计选型；供应资料需对应具体材料牌号。
The reference materials are intended to help you understand the relevant technical principles; specific parameters and applicable conditions are subject to the project documentation and the corresponding device and material specifications.
ADI：开关电源的关键电流回路布局TI：爬电距离与电气间隙提交功率与绝缘分区，评估制造可行性
请附工作电压与电流工况、散热安装图、隔离区域、叠层及装配文件；由深圳敬鹏电子与您逐项确认工艺、检测和交付条件。
