We are all more or less familiar with the term PCB, it means printed circuit boards. Some of us know the mechanism of building a PCB, but do we know how it works? I guess most of us are do not know. It is the integral part of most of the electronic devices where an electronic circuit is present. The procedure for making a prototype PCB isn’t that tough and so the working procedure of the device shouldn’t be a complex one.
Modern day PCB has a substantial advantage over the worn out ideas of building electronics. Gone are the days when components of electronic devices were connected to each other with wires placed anywhere in the device where they would seemingly fit without posing too much trouble. Television sets of the previous era are perfect examples of this. This method of integrating electronic components did have its fair share of criticism as it demanded huge space.
Just look at any of the PCB’s that are available today and you will certainly find your answer. There are only thin lines present and these tiny lines are interconnected with each other and also connect the components of the board. They have taken the place of the huge wires that were present in previous times. It also contains many small holes. These holes are present to accommodate different components. Each component has its specific place on the board and, for instance, if a microchip needs 7 interconnections then there will be exactly 7 holes on the PCB. It is devoid of long wires or leads and in turn saves a significant amount of space. The remaining parts of the PCB are the components itself, which include diodes, resistors and switches. Together they form a working unit and the board acts as the platform for the components that provides connections to these little devices.
A newly formed circuit board possesses two parts, namely the bottom layer and the top layer. The previous one is non conductive whereas the latter one is conductive. On the metal layer of the board, etch resistant ink is poured and then it is etched with chemicals. It helps to remove the previous metal layer from the places where the design has been marked. As a result conductive traces remain on the board and the board becomes insulated.
The components are then placed on the board by virtue of soldering. After all the procedure have been done, the board is released for testing. If the test result are positive, the board is considered worthy of the customers. Millions of PCB’s are being made every day from a single template and in a short amount of time. They are used all around the world for various purposes. These are the basic mechanisms by which a PCB works. Now I think you have gotten your answer.
