When placing a PCB design order, one required option on our website is the selection of the usage environment. This information is of critical importance for our design process. By knowing the intended environment, we can determine the functions the product must meet, ensuring that the design is more reliable, better adapted to real-world conditions, and capable of extending its service life.

Usage environment refers to the actual operating conditions of the PCB. Common options include the following:

• Indoor: Typically mild conditions (room temperature, low humidity, low dust).

Design focus: cost optimization, compact size, and basic thermal management.

• Outdoor: Exposed to wide temperature variations, UV light, rain, and dust.

Design focus: waterproof and dustproof coatings (conformal coating / IP rating), UV-resistant materials, and anti-corrosion measures.

• High Temperature: Common in industrial equipment.

Design focus: high Tg PCB materials, effective heat dissipation, high-temperature-rated components, and thermal cycling reliability.

• Low Temperature: Seen in aerospace and extreme cold environments.

Design focus: prevention of material brittleness, solder joint reliability, and condensation control to avoid short circuits.

• Humidity: High humidity may cause leakage, corrosion, and mold.

Design focus: moisture-resistant coatings (conformal coating), anti-fungal measures, and low water absorption materials.

• Vibration: Typical in automotive, railway, and aerospace systems.

Design focus: mechanical strength (thicker copper, stiffeners), secure component mounting, vibration-proof soldering, and avoiding floating traces.

• Chemical Exposure: Possible contact with oil, acids, alkalis, or cleaning agents.

Design focus: corrosion-resistant PCB materials and surface finishes (e.g., ENIG, OSP) with protective coatings.

• EMI/EMC: Common in high-frequency or sensitive electronic applications.

Design focus: differential pair routing etc. For more details on EMI/EMC design considerations, you can refer to this article.

In PCB design, the choice of usage environment directly influences material selection, stack-up design, and electrical reliability, helping the product perform more consistently in its target environment.

Beyond simply choosing an option on the order form, we also recommend describing the environment in detail in your project notes—for example, operating temperature, humidity, and voltage range. Our design team will then refer to industry standards (such as IPC-2221, AEC-Q100, MIL-STD) and recommend the most suitable materials and design solutions.

Feel  free to contact us if you have any question.