What Is A Pcb?
A PCB (printed circuit board) mechanically supports
electronic parts that are electrically connected with the help of conductive
pathways, traces etched from copper sheets which are laminated onto a
non-conductive substrate. Much of the electronic industry's assembly, PCB design
and quality control needs are set by standards which are set by the IPC
organization. The main generic standard for the design of a printed circuit is
IPC-2221A, regardless of the material used to manufacture the board.
Circuit boards consist of an insulator which consists of one or numerous
layers of material glued into a single entity. The additional layers serve as
grounding to the board. The copper traces on the circuit board are either
created by laying down individual lines mechanically or by coating the entire
board in copper and stripping away the excess. By stripping away the excess, the
needed printed circuits are left which connect electronic parts.
Many
printed circuit board shops can help with the design process and offer high end
features such as an auto router and trace optimizer which can drastically
decrease the layout time Rigid flex
PCB. However, the best results for laying out a circuit board are achieved
by at least some manual routing.
Custom PCB
These days, there are
various kinds of circuit boards available in variety of materials and finishes
Prototype PCB, including FR4, FR4
High Temperature, Polyimide, GeTek, Rogers, Arlon, Nelco, Alumina, Ceramic,
Bakelite, FR1, CEM1, and CEM5. The thickness of a circuit board varies based on
the number of layers and can be as thin as 1.0mm (0.0394"). They can be single
sided or multi-layered with cooper clad of 1-oz or higher. Although these are
standard PCBs available in the market, yet you can get a customized circuit
board to suit your needs. The key is to find the right PCB manufacturer to make
the boards to your specifications.
A custom PCB can be made in several
ways. For instance, flex circuit boards are designed to be very flexible. This
allows the circuit board to be placed in positions which are otherwise not
possible or to be used in wire systems. A PCB can also be used in satellites,
spaceships and other machines in outer space. Rigid copper cores are designed in
a way that conduct heat away from the sensitive parts and protect them in the
extreme temperatures they experience.
Some circuit boards are designed
with an interior conductive layer to transfer power to various parts without
using extra traces. These customized needs are circuit boards that are ordered
by companies to fulfill specific requirements with limited space. In addition,
PCBs are also used by students and electronic hobbyists for their custom
projects and applications.
Advantages
* Are cost-effective and
highly reliable.
* Economical for high-volume production.
* Have color
codes for different connections and are therefore easy to install.
* Mention
the rating of the device which helps in their
maintenance.
Disadvantages
* More layout effort.
* Higher
initial cost as compared to point-to-point constructed circuits or
wire-wrapped.
* Etching of circuit boards generates chemicals which are
dangerous for the environment.
* Cannot be updated once it gets
printed.
PCB prototypes and low volume PCBs are available in the market
which are inexpensive and meet the majority of needs. Free PCB software can
easily be found online these days. It is simple to use by an amateur and
efficient for a professional. PCB circuit boards are designed especially for
each circuit and make construction very easy.
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