The top thing that comes into your mind when you hear about the printed circuit boards is what they are. The printed circuit boards commonly referred to as the PCBs, are electronic circuits that quickly generate a simple pathway to reach their electronic components and offer mechanical support to the device. They can be sued in laptops or desktops, especially in the computer’s internal components such as controller cards, expansion cards, video cards, and network interface cards. Moreover, every component is connected with the motherboard, which is a printed circuit board as well. Apart from computers, printed circuit boards are used in many other electronic devices such as digital cameras, cellphones, televisions, tablets, among different PCBs.
If you need more information on printed circuit boards, this article gives you detailed information on what you should know:
Characteristics of printed circuit boards
The printed circuit board was first designed in the early 1930s. An Australian engineer Paul Eisler who worked in the United Kingdom, developed the first PCB that was used in a radio system. The following are the features of the PCB as per the inventor:
- One can develop a high-density PCB using the enhanced and more progressed installation technology with an integrated circuit.
- To ensure that the printed circuit boards in electronic devices work for an extended period, always conduct various tests and inspections.
- The properties and other requirements of the printed circuit boards can be attained by standardizing and normalizing the design with high efficient methods within a short period.
- Several test equipment and instruments were developed to evaluate or test the various PCB products and lifespan qualifications.
- PCB products are automated and also enabled to facilitate the final product of assembled various components.
- If several PCB components are assembled, they can form more extensive systems, components, and even whole machines.
How printed circuit boards are made
These are small-sized devices, but their functions are unlimited; therefore, you might be asking how this happens. They are available in a wide variety; the following are the types of PCBs available; rigid PCBs, Flex PCBs, Double-sided PCBs, Single-sided PCBs, Rigid-flex PCBs, and multi-layer PCBs.
There are various techniques used to design the PCBs in that they can perform well on the devices they are used in. PCB designs are in four layers: substrate, silkscreen, solder mask, and copper; these need to be aligned to ensure that the final product will be active. Immediately one has designed the PCB; they send them to the manufacturers.
The PCB layers components and functions
You can choose the printed circuit boards as per the needs you want to be met; the following are the functions of each layer in the product:
- Substrate layer – it is produced from fiberglass, thus its rigidity, addition it can also be made from epoxies and such kinds of materials.
- Copper layer – copper, is essential in many electronic devices as it creates a better connection with other devices or components through the drilled holes.
- Solder mask layer – this is where components are perfectly soldered into the board.
- The silkscreen layer – is meant to enable users to understand the board; it has various letters and numbers that give instructions.
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