Why Board Level Shielding Suits the Best with New Age Electronic Appliances

The electronic devices are changing rapidly and so, the shielding requirements. Amongst the various techniques used in modern devices for Electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression, board level shielding is one, which holds a special place, due to its high compatibility with the latest technologies. Below are some critical aspects of this technique, which make it a perfect fit for contemporary gadgets.

Ideal for Complex Circuits

The traditional shields do not vary much regarding size and shape and thus, often fit poorly or need additional space with the irregular printed circuit boards (PCBs). Here come the board level shields (BLS). These five-sided cans are available in many shapes, sizes, heights, and configurations that make them perfect for complex circuit boards. For example, the 2-piece BLSs provide the designers with more flexibility for aligning components because of their belatedly attachable cover. Additionally, it reduces the risk of getting any part of the circuit damaged during inspection and repair by eliminating the need of removing the entire shield. Multi-cavity BLS is another effective solution for the small and complicated circuits. These shields maximize the board space and reduce weight, allowing designers to place multiple inner walls strategically under one standard cover.

Allows Adequate Standoff Space

New technological developments are making electronic devices more versatile every day. It, in turn, is posing challenges to the circuit designers, as they need to implement large circuits in a small enclosure. Ideally, the tallest component on the PCB should not touch the inner surface of the shield to avoid short circuit. The thermoformed metalized plastic BLSs can resolve such issues effectively using their z-axis flexibility. If there is a need of accommodating taller elements, designers can adjust the height accordingly which is not possible in case of the items with fixed height. Moreover, the insulated plastic base eliminates the need for maintaining any gap between the shield and component and reduces the component-to-component distance as well. It frees up space on the circuit boards, facilitating the development of versatile circuits for smaller devices.

Better Protection against On-Board EMI Sources

Shielding a circuit becomes challenging when the EMI occurs due to an element present on the board. There is an array of BLSs including metal can types and surface-coated plastic covered products, which ensure component level isolation. To get the optimum result, the shielding cans or barriers need to have proper grounding arrangements using conductive surfaces nearby and board traces. Designers use EMI shields to protect the amplifier stages, high-speed components such as oscillators, inputs, and outputs, as they are more susceptible to interference.

Better Heat Control

Thermal management has become a key consideration for shielding the faster devices that produce more heat. The BLSs use heat sinks and thermal pads for keeping a PCB cool. BLSs made with thermally conductive materials such as aluminum or copper also keeps the temperature in control by pulling the heat away from the circuit or transmitting it into the surrounding environment.

When done professionally, the board level shielding can be one of the economical ways to solve EMI problems. However, factoring in some design considerations such as partitioning circuit components, high-frequency grounding, board stack up and filtering techniques levels up the effectiveness of this technique further.

Elvis Moore is an active blogger with an extensive industry experience in the field of electronics and technology.