Printed Circuit Boards _ What & Why - Miracle Electronics

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Printed Circuit Boards (or PCBs) are seen in
almost every electronic device that small
green board with tiny black and golden components
and connections. These tiny boards are capable
of supplying electrical signals by connecting all
the mounted electronic components together.
There are a variety of PCBs available in the
market, which can be selected depending upon the
application it needs to be used in, and the
purpose it needs to serve. Some of the most
common PCBs seen are single-sided, double-sided ,
through-hole, and surface-mount. Lets take a
look at the types of PCBs and their applications
below. Types of PCBs Single-sided PCBs A
single-sided PCB is the most basic type, which
consists of a flat sheet of insulating material
and a layer of copper foil laminated to the
substrate. The copper is etched to divide it
into separate conducting lines called traces.
Then, there are all sorts of connections and
electromagnetic shielding made possible
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with the help of insulated wires. The copper
layer is finally coated to reduce the chances of
shorts and prevent it from corrosion. Double-sided
PCBs These PCBs are just like single-sided
boards, but with copper layers and components on
both sides of the substrate layer , which allows
the traces to cross over each other. This
results in high-density complex circuits that are
more difficult to produce. Double-sided PCBs can
have their components connected using two
technologies through hole and surface mount.
But, both these technologies come with their own
benefits and limitations. Through-hole PCBs This
is the most basic technology that has been used
since initial times to produce PCBs, wherein the
electronic components are mounted by leads
inserted through holes on one side of the board,
and soldered onto the copper traces on the other
side. The leads are bent at 90 degrees to
horizontally install the through-hole parts with
two axial leads, inserted into the board,
soldered, and trimmed off at the ends. The
through-hole technology requires many holes to be
drilled, limiting the available routing area for
signal traces. Surface-mount PCBs Surface-mount
technology came after the through-hole technology
to enable mounting of very small-sized
components on the board, with small metal tabs or
end caps that can be soldered directly onto the
PCB surface, instead of wire leads passing
through holes. With this technology, it became
possible to mount components on both sides of
the board easily thus allowing very small PCB
assemblies with much higher circuit densities.
The technology is also automated, which reduces
time and costs related to manual labour, thus
increasing production rates. Applications of
PCBs Electronic devices PCBs are highly used in
electronic devices, providing channels and
pathways for electricity and signals to follow,
thus allowing functioning of the
device. Computers PCBs are very popularly seen
in motherboards of computers, which makes
complex functions possible too.
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Medical devices PCBs can help in the medical
industry by performing a variety of functions
like diagnosing, monitoring, and treatment. For
instance, PCBs are used in the medical field in
equipment like medical imaging systems, monitors,
and infusion pumps. However, the PCBs to be used
in medical devices should strictly comply to
stringent standards for sanitation and
functionality. Automotive components Automotive
components need to withstand extreme
temperatures and vibrations and with the
advancement of technologies, PCBs are not
limited to windshield wipers and headlight
switches only rather they are also used in many
other automotive components like control systems,
stereo systems, navigation systems, and
sensors. Aerospace and military components PCBs
are also used in the most critical applications
like aerospace and military. In the aerospace
industry, PCBs are used in planes, satellites,
space shuttles, and radio communication systems.
And, in the military industry, PCBs are used in
communication equipment, control systems in
military vehicles, firearms, and more. No matter
what the application, you can always get the most
appropriate PCB assembly for your equipment.
And, when youre looking for perfect products,
you can always opt for Miracle Electronics
customized solutions to get seamless PCB
assembly manufacturing from India.