How Do Circuit Boards Work

How Do Circuit Boards Work
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How Do Circuit Boards Work
To answer the question “How do circuit boards work?”, we first need to understand what circuit boards are and what’s their function. What is a circuit board? Circuit boards are most commonly known as Printed Circuit Boards or PCBs. In a nutshell, a circuit board is literally a small piece of board, usually made out of copper and/or gold plated fiberglass material. The raw material we use for some PCB production is FR4 grade glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin. We also use polyimide and polyester film for the production of multi-layered PCBs. PCB is used as a base for physically supporting electrical or data circuits and connecting every electronic component within a device. You will find some type or variety of PCBs in almost all electronic devices nowadays. Anything from a refrigerator or other kitchen appliances to cars, phones, and TVs.

A Bit of History
Before circuit boards were invented, electronic components were much bulkier. In the past, electronic connections were made through point to point wire connections. These connections made the system not very compact, very fragile and expensive to make. They were also made by hand so it was a time-consuming process that made electronic devices even more expensive. The invention of PCBs in the 20th century took care of a lot of issues older electronics used to have. The ability to mass-produce PCBs in a fully automated process also made modern electronic devices much more affordable. Since PCBs are literally printed onto a copper-plated base in a multi-stage process. This results in a product that is very compact, fragile and bulky wire-free and very efficient.

So How do Circuit Boards Work?
Main function of a PCB is to route electronic signals and power between different parts of a device. Every circuit board has at least four basic components. Those are an energy source, a conductor, an electrical load and at least one controller switch. Much like a lightbulb turning on and off from you switching a light on and off. PCBs function essentially the same way only on a much more miniature scale and the circuits included are way more complicated. PCBs are made in a multi-stage process of copper, silver and gold plating, etching and multiple chemical baths. That process allows some of the copper to stay on the base forming channels for electricity to flow through. Those channels are predetermined through a highly computerized process and depend on a particular PCB purpose.

Multiple Types of PCBs We Produce
PCBs can also be single-layer, dual-layer and multi-layer. They are also called Rigid, Flexible, Rigid-Flex and Metalcore PCBs. We can make them all from prototype to mass production! Single-layer PCBs have a layer of conductive material only on one side of the PCB. Making them dual or multi-layer provides an opportunity for higher capacity and higher speed in a smaller size. How do multiple layers communicate with each other? There are holes called Vias through PCBs which connect layers together. Still, have questions? We would be happy to answer them!

Call us today to get a FREE consultation on your project. We have a team of expert engineers able to provide a project design to solve your next challenging fabrication need.

https://custommaterials.com

How Do Circuit Boards Work
How Do Circuit Boards Work
How Do Circuit Boards Work
How Do Circuit Boards Work
How Do Circuit Boards Work
How Do Circuit Boards Work