Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Have you ever wondered how messy it was when all the circuit components were connected by wires in a big circuit ,the circuit was extremely bulky and unreliable , it was almost impossible to debug for the errors in the circuit …

A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is a boon to such problems !!

It eliminates complex wiring and provides consistent results. It has the ability to reduce the size of simple wired circuits by about thousands of time onto a single plate.

A printed circuit board (PCB) is an electronic circuit used in devices to provide mechanical support and a pathway to its electronic components. It is made by combining different sheets of non-conductive material, such as fiberglass or plastic that easily holds conducting paths made of copper.

The advent of PCB technology was a major breakthrough in electronics industry. Today almost every electronic gadget/system from small torch to modern computers uses PCB. The PCB technology is going through wide advancements day by day thus making the gadgets and systems more handy and easy to use.

Lets go through the manufacturing process of a PCB step by step in brief :

Step 1: Artwork and Printing

The PCB layout of the given circuit is drawn/made manually or by dedicated PCB CAD program like ExpressPCB, DipTrace, etc.  then the layout is printed on the copper coated plate using various chemicals and printing techniques.

Step 2: Etching and drilling of PCB

The excess copper other than the circuit required is removed by using Ferric Chloride solution (generally) to obtain the circuit on plate. Then comes the drilling processs, to make holes in the plate so as to hold the electronic components

Step 3:Wiring and Fitting

The electronic components are inserted at proper locations and soldered to fit them and connect with the circuit.

Step 4: Testing

The PCB is then tested for proper connectivity and desired output.


Click here to watch the detailed process of PCB manufacturing

The Future 

Miniaturization of electronic products continue to drive printed circuit board manufacturing technology and design towards smaller and more densely packed boards with increased electronic capabilities. Future advancements may include three-dimensional molded plastic boards and the increased use of integrated circuit chips, POP (package on package) as well as embedded components. These and other advancements will keep the design and manufacture of printed circuit boards a dynamic and constantly evolving industry for many years to come.