PCB PER APPLICAZIONI AEROSPAZIALI

PRECISIONE, AFFIDABILITA' E RESISTENZA ESTREMA

In the aerospace industry, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are at the heart of critical systems, where any error can compromise costly missions or crew safety.

Let's look at the main characteristics of PCBs intended for aerospace

Reliability…in the long term

Aerospace PCBs must operate reliably for years, often without maintenance, requiring zero failure rates, rigorous burn-in and thermal cycling tests, and complete traceability of materials and production batches.

Operation… under extreme conditions

The operational capabilities must be suitable to withstand very severe conditions such as

Temperatures from -55°C to +125°C (and above, in space launches)

Strong vibrations and mechanical shocks

Empty spaces or rarefied atmospheres

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

In environments with the presence of radar, RF systems, high frequency digital signals, signal integrity is fundamental, hence the need to use PCBs where noise and interference are minimized , integrate ground planes and shielding and use layouts optimized for signal and power.

PCB Materials

Usually, “standard” FR4 laminates are not the most suitable and used materials in these applications.

The required PCB base materials must often possess superior properties such as a low dielectric constant ( Dk ), a low dielectric loss factor ( Df ), and still be flame retardant to UL94 V-0 and sometimes withstand cosmic irradiation (in space environment)

Examples of specific materials are Polyimide , Ceramics and PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) based laminates.

For those who would like to delve deeper, this topic has been covered by Tecnometal in the recent E-Day Seminars 

Conformal coating is often required in aerospace products.

Conformal coating, in addition to protecting the electronic board from environmental conditions, reduces corrosive and degradation effects.

The application of the Conformal coating requires a careful verification of the ionic and organic contamination values present on the board which must be within the required limits, in addition to a correct energy and surface tension of the soldermask and the coating, to guarantee good adhesion.

Certifications and standards

There are several specific certifications and regulations that characterize this sector.

The main ones that are usually referred to are:

IPC-6012DS Aerospace-specific version of the IPC-6012 standard, defines the acceptability and inspection requirements for rigid PCBs intended for avionics, space and defense

ISO AS9100 (industry-specific quality system)

IPC-A-600 - IPC-A-610 Class 3

NASA-STD-8739…… Mandatory only in NASA projects, but often used also in ESA or military programs

The “ESA certification” for PCBs is the recognition of ECSS QST7060 C compliance.

It is not required by law but only for ESA projects, it is recommended in critical space contexts in Europe, optional or not required for other programmes.

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), the US civil aviation agency, does not directly define technical standards for PCBs, but issues and enforces mandatory regulations and guidelines for everything related to the safety, certification, and airworthiness of aircraft systems, including electronic ones.

PCB design for the aerospace industry

The design of PCBs for the aerospace sector requires compliance with a series of rigorous rules and standards, aimed at ensuring the reliability, quality and traceability of the product in extreme environments, the main guidelines undoubtedly remain those indicated in the

IPC-2221 : General standard for the design of printed circuit boards and

IPC-2222 : Specific standard for rigid PCBs

Another important requirement to consider is the thermal management of the card, in particular for heat dissipation.

Further key attributes are environmental testing (burn-in, thermal shock, vibration) and complete traceability, FOD (Foreign Object Debris ) management

In particular, this last feature was explored in depth in a speech on the topic by Mr. Gabriele Sala at the E-Day Seminar 2025

Tecnometal Srl has always been attentive to technological innovation in PCB production processes. Made in Italy , offers its customers not only consolidated technical skills but all the soft skills required by Italian companies, such as flexibility, creativity, and active listening.

Know-how based on relationships, reliability, and adaptability, combined with the specific experience essential to meeting the product reliability standards required in this sector.

Applications we serve

• Private Aviation (photo)

• Civil Avionics (photo)

• Space Equipment (photo)

• Radio Communications Systems (photo)

• Airport Ground Lighting Systems (Photos)

Guglielmo Martinelli

Tecnometal Srl

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