PCB Basics – PCB Manufacturing, PCB Terminology


Printed circuit boards are a crucial part of electronic devices. When many people hear this word, they
feel that they have touched a knowledge blind spot and know nothing about PCB. Therefore, this article will briefly describe PCB so that everyone can understand printed circuit boards and some PCB professional terms.

What is a PCB?
PCB can also be called printed wiring board (PWB). In professional terms, PCB refers to the carrier for
the electrical connection of electronic components and is also the support of electronic components. In
simple terms, PCB is a place to put electronic components so that these electronic components are
connected to form a circuit.

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Classification of PCB
Printed circuit boards can be divided into various PCBs according to different characteristics.

According to the strength of the substrate, it can be divided into rigid PCB (printed circuit board),flexible circuit board, rigid-flex circuit board, etc.

According to the base material, it can be divided into Metal core PCB and FR4 PCB.

According to layers, it can be divided into single-layer PCB, double-layer PCB, multi-layer PCB, and high-density interconnect board (HDI).

1) Single-layer PCB
Single-layer boards are the simplest boards. One side is used for routing on the circuit board, and the
other is used to install electronic components and print logos.

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Single-layer boards are suitable for simple circuit connections because it is difficult to wire only one
side. The best feature of single-layer boards is their low price and simple manufacturing process.

2) Double-layer PCB
Double-layer boards can be routed on both sides of an insulating board, with one side as the top layer
and the other as the bottom layer. The top layer and the bottom layer are electrical connections through vias.

Generally, electronic components are installed on the top layer. However, to reduce the size of the
circuit board, components can also be placed on both layers.

The characteristics of double-layer boards are moderate prices and easy wiring. It is the most commonly used circuit board type at present.

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3) Multi-layer PCB
Circuit boards with more than two layers.

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4) High-Density Interconnect Board
Circuit board with high density using micro blind buried via technology. HDI is a compact product
designed for small-capacity users.

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Structural composition of PCB
PCB mainly consists of copper-clad laminates (CCL), prepreg (PP sheet), copper foil, and solder masks.
At the same time, to protect the exposed copper foil on the surface and ensure the welding effect, the
PCB needs to be surface-treated and marked with characters (also known as silk screen printing).

1) Copper-clad laminate
Copper-clad laminate (CCL) is the basic material in printed circuit board manufacturing. It is a
composite material composed of a dielectric layer (resin, glass fiber) and a high-purity conductor
(copper foil). FR4 is the most commonly used in the market.

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2) Prepreg
Prepreg, also known as PP sheet, is one of the primary materials produced by multi-layer boards. It is
mainly composed of resin and reinforcing materials. Prepreg will soften under heating and pressure and
solidify after cooling.

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3) Copper foil
Copper foil is a thin, continuous metal foil on the base layer of the circuit board. It is the
conductive source of the PCB. It is readily bonded to the insulating layer and etched to form a circuit
pattern.

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4) Solder mask
Printing ink on the panel surface protects the copper. The ink is usually green, so the PCB boards that
we see are green. Of course, we also can print other colors of ink, such as red, black, blue, etc.

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5) Silk screen printing
It is located on the top layer of the PCB board and is used to print text notes, etc. It is equivalent
to making a PCB label.

Silk screen printing | PCBbasics | PCBmanufacturing | PCBterminology | PCBmanufacturer | pcb fabrication | PCB quality | PCB quality control | high quality PCB manufacturers | Highqualitypcb

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