If you were to pick up any tech item on your desk right now or in your handbag, you are likely to find that it operates using a PCB which stands for Printed Circuit Board. These PCBs are valuable to the tech industry and many people spend their days designing, assembling and manufacturing them.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the things that you might not know about printed circuit boards. Make sure to keep reading to hear some more about this.
They Have Been Around Since The 1930s
Did you know that printed circuit boards have actually been around since the 1930s? They were first invented by Paul Eisler, an Austrian inventor who was working on a radio. After fleeing Vienna due to the Nazis and moving to London, Eisler invented the PCB and they have been extremely useful ever since. Of course, these PCBs have evolved a lot over the years since their invention.
The Manufacturing Process Is Very Complicated
While the process of designing a PCB might seem like the most complicated part, you will find that PCB manufacturing is an extensive process that has a lot of steps. You can take a look at Altium’s in depth PCB resource which takes you through all of the steps involved in PCB manufacturing. When you read this, you’ll notice just how much work goes into this type of project.
They Are Not Green
When you take a look at an image of a PCB you will see a flat, green circuit board. However, you might not realise that PCBs are actually not green in colour. The reason why these circuit boards appear to be green is because of the solder mask that is placed over the top. This is a thin layer of polymer and it is very important in protecting the PCB from oxidation.
There Are No Wires
One of the great things about PCBs is that they come with no wires unlike other types of circuit boards. Instead of wires, these circuit boards come with copper traces that connect the components. This is because a PCB is printed on and so there is no need for wires. They work just as well and are often more convenient than having to add wires with a soldering gun.
They Are Getting Smaller
As time goes on and gadgets get smaller, PCBs need to adapt. This is why these circuit boards are getting smaller and more efficient in design. Designers need to ensure their PCB fits within the product casing and in some cases, this means a very small PCB.
Final Thoughts
Did you know all of these things about PCBs? Printed circuit boards are extremely useful in everyday life and it is important that we know how they operate. Now that you know these things about PCBs you can take a look at your tech products and understand what is going on inside of them.