A printed circuit board or PCB is a type of electronic circuit board on which the components, often called “components”, are etched and laminated. The circuit board provides mechanical strength and electrical connections between its components.
The most common PCBs are made of fiberglass-reinforced epoxy laminate called FR4, which is largely composed of glass and epoxy resin. Other types of PCBs include ceramic, flexible or rigid-flex circuits, printed wiring boards and multilayer boards. PCBs can be single or multi-layer.
In the past two decades, a lot has been done to improve the process of creating PCBs to meet the needs of ever smaller devices and more complex circuits. In fact, it is possible that you have never seen a real printed circuit board at all — they are now often hidden inside devices like smartphones, laptops or even cars.
The uses of a PCB
Printed circuit boards have many uses:
1) They provide mechanical strength to protect against shock damage and vibration
2) They provide electrical connections between components
3) They make it easy for technicians to repair or replace damaged parts with relative ease
PCBs are used in a variety of industries, including the following:
Consumer electronics – Printed circuit boards are used in consumer electronics, from cell phones to televisions. They are also used in other devices, such as radios and stereos.
Industrial equipment – Electronics are used in many types of industrial equipment, such as robots and factory automation systems.
Medical equipment – They are used in medical equipment such as patient monitors and blood analyzers.
Military hardware – They can be used to build circuits for military hardware like missiles and drones.
Printed circuit boards are used in a variety of applications, including telecommunications, aerospace, and automotive. They are also used to assemble electronic components into complex systems with multiple functions.
The industrial market is the largest consumer of printed circuit boards (PCBs), accounting for more than 80% of their total value. The transportation industry is the second-largest consumer of PCBs.
The most common types of PCBs are single-sided and double-sided. Single-sided boards have one layer of copper traces on one side, while double-sided boards have two layers of copper traces on both sides (one for each layer). Double-sided boards are typically more expensive than single-sided boards because they require more time and effort to produce.
The main benefits of using PCBs are:
High reliability – Printed circuit boards can be manufactured with very low tolerances and tested thoroughly before they leave the factory. This means that you will have fewer failures over time due to manufacturing defects or poor assembly techniques.
Easy production – They can be made quickly and inexpensively in large quantities because they require little labor compared to other methods of building electronics such as through-hole construction where each part must be soldered manually onto its own individual terminal pad on the circuit board’s surface.
Cost-effective – You do not have to break a bank to produce PCBs. There are several PCB production companies in the market that can manufacture PCBs at a low cost.
