We are the generations who are lucky to witness the amazing improvement in technology and we are required to update ourselves in the constantly evolving world. It is a wonder that once unimaginable is now invented, and people are working on it to create more and more possibilities. Do you ever wonder how daily usable devices like your mobile phones, laptops, remotes, television, etc., are they operating non-stop with constant supply of electrical energy? It is because of the thin layer of Printed Circuit boards (PCBs) placed inside the gadgets. To understand this, first, you should know about PCB. There are PCB layout services offered by companies out there to make quality circuit boards
Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
A printed circuit board is an electronic circuit that generates a pathway to all the electronic components interconnected in the board to serve as mechanical support to the electronic consent products. This interconnectivity helps to function in electronic products. PCB comprises laminated copper sheets and sheets made from non-conductive substrate materials like plastic or fibreglass. There will be one or two layers of copper sheets in the board, and the copper sheets can be added to fifty layers depending upon the high-density applications. This circuit board is majorly used in all electronic products and the components are attached to the sheet by soldering. The following are the major components used in printed circuit boards.
Resistor
Resistors are the essential components of PCBs. Resistors are made up of copper wires rolled around a ceramic rod coated with insulating paint. Resistors provide resistance to the flow of electric current. It restricts and limits the amount of current passing through the board. Resistors also generate heat by converting electrical energy into heat energy. It is also used to lower the voltages. Both the series and parallel resistors can be used in the PCBs. Different color codes are added to the resistors to determine the resistance value since the resistors are too small to print the resistance value. It is noted that each color denotes each resistance value.
Transistors
Transistors are semiconductor devices used to amplify electronic signals. It acts as an amplifier and a switch. The semiconductor material in the transistor usually has three terminals that connect to the electronic circuit. A current or voltage applied to one pair of transistor terminals generates a higher outcome in the other terminal because of the amplification. The bipolar junction transistor is the most widely used and the three terminals in the bipolar junction transistor are the base, collector and emitter. In this, the collector and emitter serve as positive and negative lead of the transistor where the base activates the transistors.
Capacitors
The capacitor is the component used after the resistor. A capacitor stores the electrical energy and releases it depending on the power’s need. Therefore it passes an alternating current. Like resistors, parallel and series capacitor combinations are used. The capacitor comprises two metal plates separated by a dielectric layer. And the terminals of the capacitors will be spread out from the metal plates to make the external connections. Capacitors are connected to the circuit board in different sizes and shapes and there are two types of capacitors: fixed capacitors and variable capacitors. Also, the fixed capacitor is further classified into polyester capacitors, paper capacitors, mica capacitors, etc. The usage of dielectric between the two metal plates differentiates the type of capacitors.
Inductors
The inductor is a two-terminal electronic component which transforms the electric current and stores it as magnetic field energy. Whenever there is a sudden increase in current, it temporarily slows down and stores as an electromagnetic field and then, it is released back into the circuit. The inductor is an electronic component made up of insulated copper wire with two terminals which are wound into the coil. The inductor is also called a coil, reactor or choke. They are directly etched into the PCBs by a spiral pattern. They are used to block interference from another piece of equipment.
Transformers
Transformers are used to transform electrical energy from one circuit to another one. It is used for circuit isolation in which it isolates the device from any of the power grids and separates from the earth, which protects electric shock from any loose wires and other electrical equipment. It converts the voltage and current without affecting the power. The PCB transformer comprises three parts: the primary coil, the secondary coil and the core.
Diodes
Diodes are electrical components which make the electric current flow in one direction. This is used to block any currents flowing in the wrong direction. If the current flows in the wrong direction, the entire device will be damaged. As it generates current flow in a single direction, it has high resistance on one end and lowers on the other. It also protects the PCB by lowering the voltage. Diodes are usually made of semiconductors like silicon and germanium. There are different types of diodes namely, Light Emitting Diode(LED),Laser diode, Avalanche diode, Zener diode, Schottky diode, Photodiode, PN junction diode. In this LED are mostly used diodes which are used to emit light.
Sensors
Sensors detect the changes in the environmental conditions and generate an electrical signal to inform the detected change to the other components in the printed circuit board. Sensors are the ones that protect the entire circuit from any environmental issues by sending an alarm to the circuit. Sensors have the capability to convert any physical issues in light, air or sound into electrical energy.
These are the commonly used PCB components which are used to produce high-quality printed circuit boards. It is also so important in the placement of components in the circuit boards. You can also use CAD drafting services to visualize the design before manufacturing. Now you have a little knowledge regarding the components used in PCB designs. Let’s now concentrate on the types of printed circuit boards.
Types of PCB
There are various types of Printed circuit boards depending on the manufacturing process, product design, and applications. The below are basic and commonly used PCBs
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Flex PCBs
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Rigid PCBs
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Rigid-Flex PCBs
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Single-Sided PCBs
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Double-Sided PCBs
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Multilayer PCBs
Single-Sided PCB
Single-sided PCB is the basic and common type of PCB. The board comprises a single copper layer above the substrate. And then, the electrical components are fixed on the board. These are used in simple instruments like calculators, FM radios, power supplies, printers, etc.
Double-Sided PCB
In double-sided PCBs, the copper layer is added on both sides of the circuit board. Also, the metal parts are connected from one side to the other. It is applicable in UPS systems, cell phone systems, amplifiers etc.
Flex PCBs
Flex PCBs, or printed circuit boards, are made of printed circuits and components arranged on a flexible substrate. Flexible boards are made using polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or transparent conductive polyester film. They are used in cameras, cellular telephones and laptops.
Multilayer PCBs
These printed circuit boards have more than two copper layers. These are bonded and laminated under high pressure and temperatures to make sure there is no gap between the layers. These boards are applicable to computers, laptops, GPS trackers, mobile phones, etc.
Now you have a basic understanding of the Printed circuit boards, their components and their types. There are PCB design services for developing good-quality boards.
