Industrial Control Board

Board Guy Category: Industrial Control Board
Typical value: Around $4 per kg

Notes: Mid-tier logic and control boards commonly found in industrial, automation, and embedded systems. These boards contain multiple integrated circuits and connectors, moderate copper density, and professional-grade fibreglass construction, but lack the heavy chip population or gold content seen in high-grade telecom or server boards.

Overview

Industrial control boards bridge the gap between low-value power boards and high-value telecom logic boards. They are designed for automation, instrumentation, and process control, appearing in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), manufacturing equipment, and embedded system modules.

Their layout is typically clean and efficient, with multiple ICs or controller chips, crystal oscillators, and industrial-grade connectors for sensors, I/O, or power feeds. While not rich in gold-bearing components, they provide consistent metal recovery and moderate value in bulk due to their IC count and copper trace density.

These boards often come from devices built for reliability and precision rather than mass-market consumer electronics, resulting in durable construction and consistent grading potential.

Identifying an Industrial Control Board

Typical features include:

5–15 ICs, often logic or controller chips
May include small BGAs or microcontrollers
Crystal oscillators or timing modules
Industrial-grade connectors (headers, terminal blocks, or multi-pin sockets)
Clean fibreglass PCB, usually green
No gold fingers or large transformers
Often rectangular with mounting holes or standoffs

These boards are more uniform and compact than consumer equivalents, reflecting the precise and modular design of automation systems.

Preparation for Recycling

Before selling or recycling:

Remove batteries or removable modules where present.
Leave connectors, ICs, and sockets attached. They're expected for this grade.
Do not trim copper traces or mounting tabs.
Keep boards intact and dry. Broken or water-damaged pieces reduce payout accuracy.
Separate any boards with BGAs or gold-plated connectors, as these may qualify for telecom-grade classification.

A complete, unbroken industrial control board typically grades at $4/kg in The Board Guy system, with cleaner, denser examples occasionally commanding higher rates. They represent a solid middle-ground value category: not low enough to discard, and not high enough for chip recovery, but consistent and reliable for bulk processing.