Energy meters are essential devices used to measure electrical energy consumption. They play a vital role in tracking daily power usage and ensuring accurate billing. Energy meters can be classified by circuit type—either DC or AC—and by their working principle—either electromechanical or electronic.

Recently, we completed a one-stop PCBA solution for a client from Greece. This customer specializes in electricity and voltage measurement equipment, particularly electric meters and related electrical products.

Product Overview

The product comprises two different circuit boards and three custom plastic enclosures.

Circuit Boards

  • Top PCB (Motherboard):
    • Material: FR4
    • Thickness: 1.6mm
    • Surface Finish: LF HASL
    • Dimensions: 80mm x 80mm
    • Features: This is the control board featuring a power module, two main chips, switches, resistors, and capacitors.
    • Special Assembly Note: The back side includes large components such as a high-capacitance capacitor and a transformer. These are placed very close together, making soldering challenging. An eight-headed high-profile connector is also mounted from the back to the front, maintaining vertical alignment without bending, to ensure reliable communication between the top and bottom boards.
  • Bottom PCB (Base Board):
    • Also made of FR4, two-layer structure
    • Larger in size than the top board, rectangular in shape
    • Components: Resistors, capacitors, and connectors
    • Function: Acts as both a transmission path and a structural base

Enclosure

  • The casing is based on custom drawings provided by the customer.
  • Shell Design:
    • Total of three plastic shells: base, middle, and top
    • The base shell supports and protects the bottom board
    • The middle shell separates the top and bottom PCBs
    • Each shell includes five screw holes: four for fixing and one central long screw exposed externally to lock the equipment into place
    • This configuration ensures vertical alignment and structural integrity of the entire device

Working Principle

This mechanical energy meter operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction. It mainly comprises a voltage coil, current coil, and a magnetic recorder. When electrical current flows through the coils, an electromagnetic field is generated, producing torque on an aluminum disk. This causes rotation through a gear mechanism, and the rotation rate correlates with the magnitude of current and voltage—thus, recording electricity usage.

Project Outcome

We successfully delivered a fully assembled energy meter PCBA solution. The production process was smooth and efficient. Our client expressed high satisfaction with both the product quality and service, highlighting the effectiveness of our end-to-end support.

We are proud to contribute to energy-efficient solutions through our reliable PCBA services for smart measurement technologies.