What is Board Level Shielding
Board-level shielding is a metal shielding structure directly mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). It isolates specific circuit modules on the printed circuit board to prevent your product’s circuits or components from being affected by external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). Simultaneously, it prevents the shield itself from generating electromagnetic noise that could interfere with other circuits or equipment.
GALLOP INNOTEK board-level shielding can help you solve electromagnetic interference problems, ensure the reliability and compliance of your equipment, and enable electronic devices to operate normally.
The Materials of Board Level Shielding
GALLOP INNOTEK offers a wide range of materials for board-level shielding. Choosing the right material will directly affect the shielding performance, mechanical properties, processability, cost, and reliability of your product. The following are common materials used for manufacturing plate-level shielding, along with their characteristics.
Alloy
Alloys of copper, nickel, and zinc are currently the most widely used plate-level shielding materials. Their excellent electrical conductivity ensures outstanding shielding performance. In addition, its surface is easy to weld, it exhibits good elasticity and ductility, and it also has relatively good corrosion resistance; however, the cost is correspondingly high. The plate-level shielding made of this alloy by GALLOP INNOTEK is applicable to almost all types of plate-level shielding covers, particularly those that require welding and those that need elasticity.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is extremely strong, impact-resistant, and not prone to deformation, which can better protect the components beneath. Moreover, it has excellent corrosion resistance and a relatively low cost. However, it is very difficult to weld and usually requires additional surface treatment. GALLOP INNOTEK’s plate-level shielding, made of stainless steel, is primarily used in situations with high requirements for strength and corrosion resistance, or as a shielding cover that does not require welding.
Conductive Plastic
This material is primarily formed by filling conductive fillers, such as carbon fiber and nickel-coated graphite, into engineering plastics. It is extremely lightweight and offers high design flexibility, enabling the production of complex shapes through the injection molding process. This facilitates cost reduction during mass production. However, its shielding performance is poor, and its heat resistance is also poor. Generally, plate-level shielding made of this material by GALLOP INNOTEK is suitable for weight-sensitive equipment, such as unmanned aerial vehicles.
Non-magnetic electronic cover with low conductivity for safety measures. Customization available.
Shielding frame with non-conductive metal for electronics, Din rail mounting type.
Ideal circuit shield cover or frame crafted with anti-erosion materials, Customizable for brands.
Tin plated surface and best application for electronics with stamp process.
Frames made with durable and lightweight material, Board covers are available for customizations.
Metal cover with non-conductive stainless steel shield for various electronics.
Alternating modern shielding frame and non-conductive plate, Finishing surfaces are available.
Anti-rust and erosion frame in unbendable materials, with unscratchable surface.
Two Main Types of Board Level Shielding
GALLOP INNOTEK board-level shielding is available in two primary types: integrated shielding design and two-piece shielding design. The following will introduce the structure, advantages, and disadvantages of the two types of board-level shielding to help you better choose the type of board-level shielding that suits you.
Integrated Shielding Design
Structure: The GALLOP INNOTEK integrated shielding design typically consists of a metal shielding frame and a metal shielding cover, permanently fixed together by welding or riveting, to form an inseparable sealing body. This shielding cover is then directly soldered onto the ground pads of the PCB through its bottom frame using SMT surface-mount technology.
Advantages: As GALLOP INNOTEK’s integrated shielding design features a completely continuous metal structure with no seams or openings, it provides the best electromagnetic shielding performance and also prevents dust and moisture to a certain extent. Moreover, the integrated shield is extremely sturdy, capable of withstanding mechanical shock and vibration, and is not prone to deformation.
Disadvantages: The GALLOP INNOTEK integrated shielding design has extremely poor maintainability. If the chip beneath the shielding cover needs to be repaired, replaced, or tested with a probe, the entire shielding cover must be disassembled and welded off with tools such as a hot air gun. This process is destructive and generally difficult to restore. In addition, a completely sealed structure is not conducive to heat dissipation. Therefore, additional heat dissipation channels must be designed, such as using thermal pads to conduct heat to the top of the shielding cover.
Two-Piece Shielding Design
Structure: The GALLOP INNOTEK two-piece shielding design consists of two independent components: the shielding frame and the shielding cover. Typically, the shielding frame is first soldered onto the PCB using SMT soldering, and then the shielding cover is clamped onto the shielding frame using spring pins, clips, or friction to form a complete shielding cavity.
Advantages: Outstanding maintainability and testability are the core advantages of the GALLOP INNOTEK two-piece shielding design. It can easily remove the shielding cover without the need for any tools, making it convenient to debug, test, troubleshoot, and replace components below. Additionally, this design facilitates the easy installation and removal of the shielding cover on the automated test line, significantly enhancing production efficiency.
Disadvantages: The contact between the shielding cover and the shielding frame in this design is achieved through physical clamping rather than continuous welding, which may result in small gaps. Theoretically, its shielding performance would be slightly inferior to that of the one-piece shielding design. In addition, the GALLOP INNOTEK two-piece shielding design has a more complex structure and higher processing accuracy requirements, resulting in a higher overall cost. Moreover, in extreme vibration environments, poor design may pose a potential risk of loosening.
Key Considerations for Board Level Shielding
Grounding: The shielding cover must maintain a 360-degree, low-impedance electrical connection with the grounding layer on the PCB through the shielding frame, as any poor grounding will cause a sharp decline in shielding effectiveness.
Open Ventilation: Some shielding covers may require the design of tiny hole arrays for heat dissipation; however, the size of the openings must be significantly smaller than the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves to be shielded. Otherwise, energy will be leaked.
Height Restriction: In highly compact equipment, the height of the shielding cover directly affects the thickness of the equipment, so it is necessary to limit the height of the shielding cover.
Calorie Management: Shielding covers usually impede heat dissipation. Generally, you need to use heat pads, thermal gel, and shielding covers in combination. This way, the heat from the chip can be conducted to the external heat sink or the device casing through the shielding cover.
Applications of Board Level Shielding
Mobile Devices: Shielded wifi, Bluetooth, GPS, cellular radio frequency, processor, and power management modules for smartphones and tablets, and computing modules inside smartwatches and headphones.
Automotive Electronics: radar sensors, ADAS controllers, ECU, and infotainment systems.
Network Devices: routers, switches, optical modules.
Medical Equipment: portable monitors, diagnostic devices, and medical imaging equipment.
GALLOP INNOTEK board-level shielding has been widely applied in modern compact electronic devices. If your product also requires board-level shielding to control electromagnetic interference issues, you can contact us for a detailed consultation & tailored design service.
