What is a PCB? Learn about Printed Circuit Boards: construction, materials, layer stackup and the role of PCBs in electronics manufacturing.
What is PCB?
A PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a board that serves as both a mechanical carrier and electrical interconnect for electronic components.
A PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is the foundation of every electronic assembly. It consists of an insulating substrate – typically FR-4 (glass-reinforced epoxy) – with copper traces that create the electrical connections between components.
Process and Application
PCBs can be single-sided, double-sided or multilayer with many copper layers. For special applications, flexible PCBs (flex-PCB) or rigid-flex combinations are used.
The PCB manufacturing process includes etching copper layers, drilling vias, applying solder mask and silkscreen, and surface finishing (e.g. HASL, ENIG or OSP). PCB quality directly impacts the reliability of the finished PCBA.
Frequently Asked Questions
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