Important Facts That You Should Know About Printed Circuit Boards

In this modern age, printed circuit boards are used everywhere. You can find them in tablets, radios, computers, and other types of electronics. This means that many industries depend on PCB manufacturing companies when developing electric equipment. Even though we are surrounded by PCBs, many people do not know a lot about them. Read on to know some of the facts about printed circuit boards.

Invention of PCBs

The developments leading to the invention of circuit boards can be traced back to the 1890s. The discovery of printed circuit boards is credited to an Australian inventor known as Paul Eisler. Eisler was working on a radio set when he first developed a printed circuit board in 1936. However, the circuit boards did not experience mass usage until the 1950s and their popularity has grown rapidly.

Designed Using CAD (Computer Aided Design)

PCBs are complicated electronic pieces that are designed using Computer Aided Design. Technicians utilize CAD for designing the different parts of PCB prototype such as layout and schematic. By using CAD software in PCB design, you can always test the board to determine whether all traces are connected properly and detect possible errors before physically assembling them.

The Notable Green Color

Most printed circuit boards are green in color. This green color is attributed to the solder mask that shows through a glass epoxy. The solder mask helps to protect the crucial electronic traces that are underneath from dust and moisture. The solder mask is not just green but also comes in a variety of colors like blue, yellow, and orange. The green color was believed to be a standard regulation when PCBs were used by the American military and spread to the rest of the globe. Additionally, the original glass epoxy was naturally green and this color is still used today.

PCBs Have Many Components

A PCB prototype is quite a complex electronic piece and it consists of different components. These components have individual properties and they serve different purposes on the circuit board. Some of the components that you can find on printed circuit boards include resistors, capacitors, batteries, transistors, fuses, diodes, inductors and many more.

PCBs Use Traces Not Wires

Many electric devices use wires for energy transmission; however, circuit boards are an exception. Instead of wires, PCBs utilize copper traces for transporting electrons. These traces tend to be smaller when compared to traditional wires and they also take less space because they are flat. The use of copper traces during PCB manufacturing makes these boards more efficient when compared to wires when it comes to connecting smaller components on the circuit board.

Technology is Advancing

The evolving technology is rapidly impacting the PCB design. Therefore, if you do not keep up with technological advancements in the PCB design, you may end up using materials and techniques that are becoming obsolete. For instance, the use of grapheme in PCB construction is a new innovation for creating more efficient and smaller circuit boards. Additionally, biodegradable PCBs are soon going to be the norm for those who are looking for greener electronic devices.

Printed circuit boards are used in almost every electrical device. PCBs are widely used for all kinds of electronics from simple to complicated devices like tablets, mobile phones, computers, digital clocks, televisions, microwaves, stereos, printers, and many more. Although we use these devices in our daily lives, many people do not understand the importance of circuit boards in modern technology. This is why you need to know a few facts about printed circuit boards because there are high chances that the electrical device you are using has a PCB.