Are you using USB connectors the right way? If so, you may encounter USB connectors issues like all other hardware. Then now about the different USB PCB problems will create an efficient and high-performance design or work without hiccups.
Today, we will find out all about USB PCB problems and how they affect your project.Let’s get started!
What is electronics?
USB or Universal Serial Bus is a popular connector found in electronic devices. You can find them everywhere. Find them on computers, printers, pen drives, mobile phones, or even digital cameras. All the devices have a USB connector. It helps establish a connection with other accessories like computers and peripherals.
You can find different connectors like USB-A, USB-B, and USB-C based on the versions of USB. Connectors also come in male and female genders to ensure accurate connections. You will find the USB connectors fixed on the board or PCB of the device. It helps to form a connection between boards or devices.
Components of USB PCB connectors
USB PCB connectors can have different components that include-
Contacts:
All USB PCB connectors come with a minimum of four contacts. Some connectors, like USB 3.0, feature five or more contacts to create a connection. The contacts include ground, power, and two data lines. USB connectors can transmit 5Volts, up to a maximum of 500mA.
You will find the contacts over a plastic bar.
Shielding:
USB PCB connectors can perform in environments that involve a lot of electrical noise. The shielding is of metal covering, which doesn’t form part of the electrical circuit.
Terminations:
USB PCB connectors may have pins or terminations at their bottom. It helps to fix them to the PCB without any trouble. Manufacturers use various methods like soldering to fix the pins on the board.
What USB PCB thickness should you use?
You will need to choose the right thickness of the USB PCB board to ensure smooth functioning. The standard PCB thickness of 1.6mm will work fine for most cases. However, a 2 mm thickness can be better for some applications.
Want to save the costs of a 2mm board? You can design the backside to accommodate additional shims to increase the thickness. Remember that the theoretical height of the plug to the contact from the outer shield is 2.235mm.
Types of USB PCB connectors you can choose from
A wide range of USB PCB connectors is available to suit various applications. Some of the common types of connectors include：
Vertical mount plug
You will find vertical mount USB PCB connectors made to fix them to a PCB vertically. You can mount these vertical plugs through various methods like through-hole or soldering. These plugs are ideal for cradle mounting applications. You can use them for charging multiple devices like smartphones and computers.
Vertical through hole
These connectors have a vertical orientation, just like vertical mount plugs. The terminations of the USB connectors pass through the plated through holes of the PCB before fixing. Vertical through-hole connectors offer a narrow footprint for space-restricted applications.
Mid-Mount
Mid-Mount PCB connectors are suitable for low-profile consumer electronics. You find them useful when you are concerned about the height over and below the PCB. You can mount the connectors in the middle portion of the PCB using surface mount or through-hole method.
Top mount
You can fasten the top mount USB connectors using the terminating leads on the top side of the PCB. Generally, you find the Top mount connectors onto the contact pads.
Bottom mount
You will find that the bottom mount USB connectors are fixed to the bottom side of the PCB. These mainly use surface mount technology.
Benefits of using USB PCB
You may elect to use another type of connector or port for your electronics or PCB project instead of a USB. For instance, you could integrate an Ethernet (RJ45 connector) or FireWire port. Both these connectors offer faster speeds than USBs (depending on the version). So, if you run into problems with your USB connector and port, why shouldn’t you replace it with an alternative?
USB can supply power
The most obvious advantage that USB ports and connectors have over FireWire and Ethernet ports is their ability to supply power. FireWire and Ethernet, in their original forms, can only transfer data. As such, you cannot use the older forms of these connectors to charge or power devices.
Even ethernet enhanced with Power over Ethernet (PoE) cannot deliver the same amount of current over wire. The maximum current that the latest PoE standard can deliver is 600 mA, whereas the latest USB standard offers as much as 900 mA.
Most (if not all) Android devices feature a USB port and connector of some sort. Some computer speakers can be powered using USB. The number of devices that support charging or powering through PoE pales in comparison to the number of devices that support USB. This all ties into the next point.
USB is well supported
A vast number of devices have USB support of some sort. From modern TVs, computer screens to smart fridges and mobile devices. This makes it easier to find USB cables and connectors for your project.
In addition to this, USB ports are generally easy to connect and use. Depending on the security of the device, you can simply plug and play and connect your USB device.
Modern USB ports are super fast
At the time of writing this guide, the latest USB specification was USB4 2.0. It can deliver transfer speeds as fast as 80 Gbps over USB-C. This makes it faster than 10 Gigabit ethernet and the latest FireWire standard.
Conclusion
We have discussed the most common problems. Don’t worry about USB PCB problems while using, designing, or manufacturing. You can avoid most of these problems by adopting a careful approach. Double-check to make sure you are committing no mistakes. It’s also equally important to ensure that your USB connectors are of high quality. You need a durable material for maximum performance and safety. Ensure your USB PCB components are from a reliable manufacturer so that you can get complete peace of mind.
We can help you with high-standard USB PCB connectors with precision and quality.