Circuit Board: Starting with prototype PCB manufacturing

Creating a Printed circuit board can be a complex process beginning with the design itself. With advancing and progressive technology, the processes have become increasingly simplified with the help of PCB design software and innovations in the PCB manufacturing industry.

JingHongYi PCB is the leading PCB manufacturer known for its high quality and innovation. We offer expanded circuit board manufacturing capabilities, quickturn circuit board prototyping services, and in-house circuit board assembly.

JingHongYi PCB is the best choice for all your PCB manufacturing needs, especially for demanding requirements that call for advanced precision and expanded capabilities. PCB manufacturing for both production runs and small quantity prototyping with JingHongYi PCB'broad range of services, such as quickturn expedite options, free PCB design tools, and in-house PCB assembly, make for a smooth and worry-free process.

JingHongYi PCB' manufacturing factory have the capabilities and advanced industry certifications to handle PCB fabrication of many different types of circuit boards; including PCBs for military/aerospace, medical, and commercial applications.

What is a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)?

The purpose of a circuit board is to hold copper circuitry (or trace) to conduct signals equivalent to the way a wire would, while acting as the physical support to mount the independent electronic components it connects together for a desired function. The copper trace etched on the circuit board supplies the direct connection. The material used as the foundation for circuit boards is customarily glass-reinforced epoxy laminate, but there are many different types of laminates that can be used to support different circuit board requirements and end-use specifications.

A PCB is the electronic device`s skeletal frame and a solid base. A PCB possesses electrical interconnections amid the mechanisms. There are a variety of circuit board types including: single-sided (one copper layer), double-sided (two copper layers), and multi-layer (inner and outer layers), microwave and RF circuit boards and more.

The 2 layer and multi-layer PCBs rank among the most popular and can harbor 40 or even more stacked conductive layers into a single circuit board.

How Does a pinted Circuit Board (PCB) Work?

Circuit boards are engineered to for many different applications and every circuit board design is intended to connect different electronic components to achieve a desired result, but most circuit boards make use of the following common components to manipulate electrical conductivity:

Capacitors – Store the electric charge of the circuit board

Resistors – Provide set amount of electric current resistance

Inductors – Stores energy as a magnetic field

Diodes – Enable the electric current to move in one direction

Other essential elements found in circuit boards are:

Copper – The copper layer is essential to the PCB and are thinner than its counterparts. The copper is responsible for carrying the electric charge.

Via holes are drilled by precise drilling instruments and cleaned to ensure they do not become clogged. Electric charge flows through these holes and is carried between each layer of the PCB.

Solder Mask – The last layer protects the copper and metal from damage. The solder mask provides a protective plating, which is usually green in color, but it can be any other color.

Common Types of PCBs

● Single Layer PCB

A single layer PCB can also be referred to as a single-sided board. These boards possess a conductor pattern on one side only and may have non-conductive components on the opposite side of the board. The board is comprised of merely one layer of a conductive metal layer (usually copper), finishing with a shielding solder cover called Solder Mask. These single layer PCBs are most commonly found in more simple electronics.

● Double Layer PCB

Also known as double-sided boards, these PCBs possess two conductive copper sides on opposite sides of a non-conductive substrate. The two sides may be connected to each other by small plated thru holes known as vias that let signals pass through from one conductive side of the board, through the non-conductive substrate, to the other side.

● Multi-Layer PCB

Three or more conductive layers in a PCB is commonly called a multi-layer PCB. A multilayer board is fabricated by using epoxy resin, immense pressure and precision. Materials used in the lamination process include: inner layer core, sheets of [prepreg" (woven glass cloth with epoxy resin), and sheets of Cu foil. Once cured, the resin will join the glass sheets, core, and foil together into the multilayer PCB panel. Advanced Circuits is able to manufacture up to 40 layers boards.

● High Frequency PCB

Each design of high frequency PCBs differs from the next. These boards were designed and created to carry electronic signals comprised of over 5 Gigahertz and require advanced PCB laminate materials for optimum performance. High frequency PCBs found in high-speed electronics and advanced technology communication products. Advanced Circuits works with top PCB laminate providers to bring you a wide range of material options such as high-frequency ceramic filled laminates, and other suitable materials for high frequency applications.

● High Density Interconnect (HDI) PCB

HDI PCB manufacturing requires an advanced level of technical expertise and the latest state-of-the-art equipment for exacting precision. Fitting more technology in less space through miniaturization, multiple conductive layers, advanced components, and lasered through-holes offer steady and rapid processing on a much smaller scale than its counterpart boards. Advanced Circuits achieves high quality and precision with in-house laser drill capabilities that include precise depth control. Laser direct imaging (LDI) capabilities ensure exacting registration and all multilayer inner cores receive a thorough check using Automated Optical Inspection units for excellent defect detection of the finest features.

● Rigid PCB

Rigid PCB is a kind of Printed Circuit Board, and is the largest number of PCB manufactured. It is made of solid substrate material, which can effectively prevent the distortion of the circuit board. Perhaps the most common rigid PCB is the computer motherboard. The motherboard is a multi-layer PCB designed to distribute power from the power supply while allowing communication between all components of the computer, such as CPU, GPU and RAM.

● Flexible PCB

Flexible PCB, also known as Flexible electronics, flexible circuit board, Flex PCB , flex circuits, is a technology for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible plastic substrates, such as polyimide, PEEK or transparent conductive polyester film. Additionally, flex circuits can be screen printed silver circuits on polyester. Flexible electronic assemblies may be manufactured using identical components used for rigid Printed Circuit Boards, allowing the board to conform to a desired shape, or to flex during its use. An alternative approach to flexible electronics suggests various etching techniques to thin down the traditional silicon substrate to few tens of micrometers to gain reasonable flexibility, referred to as flexible silicon (~ 5 mm bending radius).

● Rigid-flex PCB

Rigid Flex Printed Circuit Boards are boards using a combination of flexible and rigid board technologies in an application. Most rigid flex boards consist of multiple layers of flexible circuit substrates attached to one or more rigid boards externally and/or internally, depending upon the design of the application. The flexible substrates are designed to be in a constant state of flex and are usually formed into the flexed curve during manufacturing or installation.

● Ball Grid Array (BGA) PCB

OEM needs smaller and more diverse packaging options to meet product design challenges and maintain cost competitiveness in their respective markets. Ball grid array (BGA) packaging is becoming more and more popular to meet these design requirements. In addition, they are ideal solutions, because I/O connections are located inside the device, increasing the ratio of pins to PCB area. In addition, BGA with strong solder balls is stronger than QFP lead, so it is more robust.

● High Tg PCB

Tg means Glass Transition Temperature. As flammability of printed circuit board (PCB) is V-0 (UL 94-V0), so if the temperature exceeds designated Tg value, the board will changed from glassy state to rubbery state and then the function of PCB will be affected.

If working temperature of your product is higher than normal (130-140C), then have to use high Tg material which is > 170C. and popular PCB high value are 170C, 175C, and 180C. Normally the PCB Tg value should be at least 10-20C higher than working temperature of product. If you 130TG board, working temperature will be lower than 110C; if use 170 high TG board, then maximum working temperature should be lower than 150C.