The printed circuit board is widely used in medical electronic equipment and can meet the requirements of high precision, high stability, miniaturization, etc. PCB manufacturing can provide innovation for medical-grade electronic equipment, including electron microscopes, photometers, control systems, gas analyzers, digital cell counting equipment, cardiovascular stent detectors, ultrasound equipment, photon therapy equipment, water level controllers, nervous system stimulators Equipment, data temperature monitoring, heartbeat sensors, temperature detection, EKG, EEG, MRI, X-ray, CT scan, blood pressure check-in, blood sugar level measuring equipment, incubator, etc. Breakthroughs in PCB manufacturing technology can help identify and treat diseases quickly and more accurately, and provide advanced medical electronic device monitoring during patient recovery

1. Medical PCB fabrication Requirements

● Medical Standards  

Medical printed circuit board design involves strict requirements. It must comply with regulations and standards such as ISO 13485, IEC 60601, and RoHS directives to ensure that medical device quality management system standards are safe and reliable.

● Durability

Medical equipment usually needs to run long and requires extremely high reliability. To avoid failures, the long life requirement should be considered during PCB design and manufacturing.

● Safety

The circuit board design and manufacturing of medical equipment require extremely high safety to ensure the safety of patients and operators while ensuring the reliable operation of the equipment. In PCB fabrication, optocouplers and transformers achieve electrical isolation, especially between high-voltage and low-voltage circuits to prevent electric shock. Leakage current protection measures should be considered in the design to prevent dangers caused by leakage and ensure the safety of patients and operators.

● Component Selection

Choose high-reliability components that have been medically certified to reduce the failure rate, consider flame-retardant components in the design of medical circuit boards, and use flame-retardant materials that meet the UL 94 V-0 standard to prevent fire risks.

● Signal Integrity

Medical equipment must operate stably in various complex electromagnetic environments, and medical PCB board design must have good electromagnetic compatibility. Signal integrity should be considered in the design to prevent signal distortion, especially for sensitive analog and high-speed digital signals.

● Testing

Since medical equipment is directly related to patients' life safety and health, medical PCB boards must pass rigorous tests and certifications to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Each PCB must undergo comprehensive functional testing before leaving the factory to ensure all circuits work properly. Test under different environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and vibration to verify PCB reliability.

2. The Most Common Medical PCB Applications

● Monitors

Monitor and record the patient's ECG activity; PCB is used to process and display data. Such as blood oximeters, blood pressure monitors, and heart rate monitors

● Imaging Equipment

Circuit board is responsible for controlling sensors and signal and image processing. Such as ultrasound machines, CT scanners, and MRI scanners

● Treatment Equipment

PCB board is responsible for equipment operation control and parameter monitoring. Such as infusion pumps, dialysis machines, and laser surgery equipment

● Laboratory Equipment

PCB is responsible for sample processing and data analysis. Such as automated analyzers

● Implantable Devices

PCB is responsible for signal processing and energy management, used for drug infusion control and patient status monitoring. Such as pacemakers, insulin pumps

● Patient Monitoring Systems

PCB controls the movement and feedback system of the device. Such as electrical stimulators, gait training equipment

● Diagnostic Equipment

PCB is responsible for image acquisition and processing. Such as endoscopes, dynamic electrocardiogram monitoring

● Advanced Monitoring Equipment

PCB provides real-time monitoring of patients' vital signs data. Such as remote patient monitoring, mobile health applications

3. Medicine and PCB Manufacturing Technology  

Advances in modern medical technology, especially in PCB fabrication and micro-diagnostic equipment, have significantly improved the quality and efficiency of medical care and the quality of life for everyone. By providing high-performance circuit boards, medical devices are more reliable and efficient, directly improving the treatment results and quality of life of patients. Advanced PCB technology supports the miniaturization, intelligence and networking of medical equipment, providing a foundation for the research and development of new medical technologies. The application of high-reliability PCBs in critical medical devices, such as pacemakers and life support systems, can directly save lives. We live in an era of advanced technology, especially in the fields of medicine and electronics, which has created many amazing achievements. Every PCB technology breakthrough and innovation is providing medical personnel with better tools to help them provide safe and effective care to more patients.