Consumer electronics continue to be innovative, from computers to smart home devices. Most consumer electronic products contain active and passive electrical components that you will need to know more about when building a product.
Whether you are doing your own DIY consumer electronics project, or developing a prototype to take to market at mass scale, understanding more about electrical components is a must. For instance, magnetic sensors are used to convert information into output electrical signals.
Overwhelming? No need to worry. To help, we compiled a number of common components that you will most likely use during your product build.
1. Resistors
Resistors are electrical components that help restrict current flow in circuits. You can also use resistors to give a specified voltage to transistors. Remember Ohm’s law from science class? Resistors play a major role in Ohm’s law. Resistors are used in every consumer electronic product that needs restricted current flow in the products’ circuits.
2. Microcontrollers
When it comes to consumer electronics, microcontrollers are key elctrical components. Microcontrollers are tiny computers that bring all features together in microprocessors.
For instance, microcontrollers contribute to I/O ports, RAM, ROM, serial ports, and more. This type of electrical component is found in auto controlled devices like electric tools, medical devices, toys, and other embedded systems.
3. Inductors
Inductors are double terminal passive electrical components that stores electrical energy as magnetic energy. An inductor in a consumer electronic product will normally have a conductor in coil form. This essentially works along the Faraday’s principle. When current passes through the coil, magnetic energy is produced and stored.
4. Motors
Motors are very important to the electrical aspect of consumer electronics. Motors convert electrical energy into the mechanical energy needed for the product to work correctly.
This electrical componenet has bearings, stators, rotors, conduit boxes, and other smaller parts for proper functionality. Most products have a motor of some kind, especially wehn mechanical movement is needed.
5. Capacitors
A capacitor is another common electrical component essential to consumer electronic products to work effectively. Capacitors are passive components that are made by combining conductive plates and insulators. The most important function a capacitor has is to store electrical energy.
Ever wonder how your favorite products hold a charge after unplugging from the power spurce? A capacitor. Capacitors are used in every consumer product that needs to store electrical energy in order to work without a direct power source.
6. Fuses
If you are building a consumer electronics product, you will need to have fuses in place. This is because a fuse protects components from damage caused by too much electrical current flowing through them.
Have you ever used a 110v hairdryer in a 220v socket? Did it fail to work after a few seconds? This is because the fuse disabled the device because of there was too much electrical current running through it. Fuses are essential to have when building an electrical product of any kind.
7. LEDs
An LED, or Light Emitting Diode, is a key electrical component in today’s innovative consumer electronics world. LEDs are used in almost every staple electrical product, such as keyboards, hard disks, and TV remote controllers. Ever wonder how a TV remote controller transmits your fingertip smashes to the TV? LEDs.
First, let’s break down the diode. A diode is simply made from a semiconductor type of material. It lets current flow in one direction and blocks any other resisting current. The electronics with AC to DC will have diodes. LED is the next level in diodes, emitting light at specific frequencies.
8. Switches
How can you turn on any consumer electronic product without a switch? Switches are among the most important electrical components for your project. Traditionally, switches have an ON and OFF setting. But today, there are multiple switch settings on products.
For instance, if your product project needs a variety of settings, like different temperature settings, you will have a more complex switch system than just ON and OFF. Product speed is also a feature that may require different switch systems.
Wrapping Up . . .
Whether building your own DIY product, or developing a new consumer electronic prototype to solve a problem consumers have in the market, you’ll need to know and understand more about the different electrical components needed for a successful build. This may seem time-consuming, but it could make for a faster, successful project.
The above eight electrical components, from magnetic sensors to switches, are only the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of different components to consider. The size and functionality of your product will help guide you in what parts to use. Happy building.
