Pre-designing Method for Evaluating the Dynamic Behavior of a Printed Circuit Board with Modelica

Electronic products are often exposed to shock and vibration during regular operation, transportation, and accidental drops. These demanding conditions necessitate the design of electronic components capable of withstanding such harsh environments. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) must be evaluated both mechanically and electrically to ensure optimal performance. Mechanical failure of electronic components is a common challenge in product development. Understanding the dynamic behavior of these systems offers critical insights for design engineers to enhance mechanical design and ensure product reliability under severe vibration conditions. The aim of this investigation was to create a model for calculating the vibration response of PCBs during the early phases of the design process. An analytical approach is employed to precisely predict the deflection of embedded electronic components (such as oscillators, capacitors, chips, etc.) relative to the PCB, induced by vibration, which can lead to failures. Via a simple modeling technique in Dymola environment, this novel method enables the preliminary definition and components positioning. The resulting simplified model can capture system frequencies, mode shapes, and representative force-displacement behavior of the PCB. The proposed models are intentionally simple, reducing computational time and effort, particularly during the initial stages of design.