Different Types of Printed Circuit Boards

The acronym of the printed circuit board is PCB, it is a self-contained board with interconnected electrical and electronic components found in various devices ranges from beepers to pagers, radios, radar, and computer systems. The circuits are produced by a slight layer of conducting material deposited on the outside of an insulating board called the substrate. Separate components are located on the surface of the substrate & soldered to the connected circuits. The construction of the PCB can be done in three ways, namely single-sided, double-sided, and multi-layered. The components on a PCB are connected electrically to the circuits by two different methods such as hole technology and surface mount. In hole technology, every component consists of thin leads, which are pressed through tiny holes in the substrate & soldered to connection boards in the circuits on the reverse side. In surface-mount technology, J-shaped or L-shaped terminals on every component get in touch with the PCB directly. A solder paste includes a glue, solder and flux are applied at the contact point to grip the components in position until the solder is liquefied. This article discusses an overview of printed circuit boards.

Different Types of Printed Circuit Boards

PCBs have copper tracks to connect the holes where the various components are located They are specially designed for each and every circuit and build construction very easy. Though, making the PCB necessitates special tools. The different types of printed circuit boards mainly include the following

• Single-Sided PCBs
• Double-Sided PCBs
• Multilayer PCBs
• Rigid PCBs
• Flex PCBs
• Rigid-Flex PCBs

Single-Sided Printed Circuit Boards

This single-sided printed circuit board includes just one layer of base material or substrate. One end of the substrate is coated with a thin layer of metal, usually copper because it is a good electrical conductor. Generally, a protecting solder mask is seated on the peak of the copper layer, and the last silkscreen coat may be applied to the top to mark elements of the board.

This PCB consists of various circuits and electronic components on the only single side. This kind of module works most excellent for easy electronics, and beginners often design and build this type of board first. These boards tend to cost less to mass-produce than other types of boards. But although this low cost, they’re used rarely because of their intrinsic design limitations.

Double-Sided PCBs

This type of PCBs is much more familiar than single-sided boards. Both sides of the board’s substrate include metal conductive layers, and elements attach to both sides as well. Holes in the PCB let circuits on a single side to attach to circuits on the other side.

This kind of circuit board used to connect the circuits on every side using one of two techniques: through-hole & surface mount technology. Through-hole technology engages feeding small wires, called leads through the holes & soldering every end to the suitable component.

Surface mount technology is different from through-hole technology, it does not utilize wires. In its place, many little leads get soldered straight onto the board. Surface mount technology permits many circuits to be completed in a lesser space on board, meaning the board can execute more functions, typically at a lesser weight and at faster speeds than through-hole boards let.

Multilayer PCBs

These PCBs further enlarges the density and complexity of PCB designs by adding extra layers beyond the top & bottom layers seen in a configuration of double-sided. With the accessibility of over many layers in a multilayer printed circuit board configurations, multilayer PCBs let designers make very thick and highly compound designs.

The extra layers used in this design are power planes, which both provide the supply to the circuit with power and also decrease the levels of electromagnetic interference which are emitted by designs. Lower EMI levels are attained by placing signal levels in the middle of power planes.

Rigid PCBs

In addition to having different numbers of layers & sides, Printed circuit boards can also come in changing inflexibilities. Most customers usually think of inflexible PCBs when they image a circuit board. Rigid printed circuit boards use a solid, rigid substrate material like fiberglass that remains the board from twisting. A motherboard within the tower of a computer is the best example of an inflexible PCB.

Flex PCBs

Generally, the substrate is a flexible board is a flexible plastic. This fundamental material permits the board to fit into forms that inflexible boards cannot & to turn or shift during use without harmful the circuits on the printed circuit board. Though flex boards tend to charge more to intend and create than rigid PCBs, they come with a number of advantages. For instance, they can restore heavy or bulky wiring in superior gear like satellites, where weight & space matter. Flex boards can also come in three formats, namely single-sided, double-sided or multilayer formats.

Rigid-Flex Printed Circuit Boards

Rigid-flex boards merge technology from both flexible and rigid circuit boards. An easy rigid-flex board comprises of a rigid circuit board that joints to a flex circuit board. These boards can be more compound if design requests demand.

Thus, this is all about different types of printed circuit boards with PCB prototyping and manufacturing, which include Sided PCBs, Double Sided PCBs, Multilayer PCBs, Rigid PCBs, Flex PCBs, Rigid-Flex PCBs, etc. We hope that you have got a better understanding of this concept Single. We hope that you have got a better understanding of this concept or to implement breadboard projects, please give your valuable suggestions by commenting in the comment section below. Here is a question for you, what are the softwares are available for PCB design?

Photo Credits:

• Single-Sided PCBuniversalcircuits
• Double-Sided and multilayer Ourpcb
• Flex PCBsallflexinc
• Rigid-Flex PCBscandorind
• Types of Printed Circuit Boardspcbeutech