1. Insufficient Width of High Power Traces When designing a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), one must consider the current that the traces will need to carry. If a PCB trace needs to house currents greater than 500mA, the minimum PCB trace width threshold may not be sufficient. This is because the trace width plays a crucial role in determining the amount of current it can safely carry without overheating. The location of the trace also matters. A trace located on an outer layer of the PCB can carry more current than an internal trace of the same thickness. This is due to the superior airflow and thermal dissipation of external traces. In other words, external traces can cool down faster because they are exposed to air, which helps dissipate the heat generated by the current flow. The width of the trace also depends on the amount of copper used for that layer. Copper is the primary conductor material used in PCBs, and its amount is measured in weight per square foot. Most PCB manufacturer
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