Medical PCB Insulation Review Checklist
Record the insulation questions that a Circuit Edge layout brief must resolve before numerical spacing can be approved.
Medical PCB Insulation Review Checklist
This medical-equipment review begins with a 230 V working-voltage entry only to make the missing decisions visible. It does not provide a required patient barrier distance. Identify applied parts, means of protection, accessible circuits, use environment and the applicable medical product requirements before selecting numerical spacings. Component isolation ratings must be interpreted within the complete equipment design.
Design inputs
01 / CONFIGURECalculation workspace
02 / EXPLOREThis is guidance, not an IEC table lookup or compliance calculator. No numerical safe spacing is generated. Confirm against the applicable edition of IEC 60664-1 and the relevant product standard. Results are estimates; confirm critical designs with your fabricator.
How it works · formula & assumptions
Clearance is the shortest distance through air. Creepage is the shortest distance along an insulating surface. No universal voltage-only formula establishes either requirement.
This is guidance, not an IEC table lookup or compliance calculator. No numerical safe spacing is generated. Confirm against the applicable edition of IEC 60664-1 and the relevant product standard.
Insulation decisions require product-specific evidence
This medical-equipment review begins with a 230 V working-voltage entry only to make the missing decisions visible. It does not provide a required patient barrier distance. Identify applied parts, means of protection, accessible circuits, use environment and the applicable medical product requirements before selecting numerical spacings. Component isolation ratings must be interpreted within the complete equipment design.
Review priorities for this case
Obtain a qualified compliance review and identify the applicable editions of the equipment standards. The checklist cannot determine MOPP or MOOP requirements from three inputs. Record leakage-current, dielectric-test and barrier-construction evidence separately, and inspect the assembled board for mounting or contamination paths.
Model and limits
Clearance is the shortest distance through air. Creepage is the shortest distance along an insulating surface. No universal voltage-only formula establishes either requirement.
This is guidance, not an IEC table lookup or compliance calculator. No numerical safe spacing is generated. Confirm against the applicable edition of IEC 60664-1 and the relevant product standard.
Compare before committing
Change one assumption at a time and save the resulting input set with the board revision. Compare the estimate with the full tool explanation, then check local bottlenecks and manufacturing tolerances. These case values describe one starting scenario; they do not replace the product requirements or the fabricator stackup.
Continue with our calculation methodology, fabrication review checklist and high-speed layout guide. For board-specific support, contact Circuit Edge Technologies.
Frequently asked questions
What does the clearance & creepage tool calculate?
Record the insulation questions that a Circuit Edge layout brief must resolve before numerical spacing can be approved. This is guidance, not an IEC table lookup or compliance calculator. No numerical safe spacing is generated. Confirm against the applicable edition of IEC 60664-1 and the relevant product standard.
Which formula does this calculator use?
Clearance is the shortest distance through air. Creepage is the shortest distance along an insulating surface. No universal voltage-only formula establishes either requirement. The Methodology page records the model and its limitations so that a design reviewer can reproduce the assumptions.
How should I check the input definitions?
Clearance is an air path and creepage is a surface path. They respond to different stresses and cannot be reduced to the same voltage-to-distance multiplier. A working voltage entry is only one part of the problem. Establish whether it is RMS, DC or a repetitive peak as required by the applicable standard. Identify the circuits on both sides of the barrier and the intended basic, supplementary or reinforced insulation function.
What is a useful worked example?
At 230 V, pollution degree 2 and group IIIa, numerical spacing remains unresolved until working-voltage definition, impulse category, altitude, insulation type and applicable product standard are known. This example is a starting point for checking units, not a universal production recommendation.
Can I use the result as a fabrication or compliance approval?
This is guidance, not an IEC table lookup or compliance calculator. No numerical safe spacing is generated. Confirm against the applicable edition of IEC 60664-1 and the relevant product standard. Obtain the required engineering and manufacturing review before releasing a critical design.
How can I save and share my calculation?
Copy Results includes the inputs, outputs and limitations. CSV provides a local record, while Download PDF creates a local engineering report. Share Link encodes the canonical input values in the URL. Anyone with the link can reproduce that input set.
What should I verify before design release?
Check distances across solder joints, component bodies, slots, mounting hardware and board edges. A slot may alter a surface path only when its geometry satisfies the relevant requirements. Contamination, coating defects and conductive debris can invalidate an otherwise careful layout. Document the exact standard edition, selected tables, environmental assumptions and verification method. For medical or mains equipment, have a qualified compliance reviewer approve the barrier before design release and production testing.