A printed circuit board (otherwise known as a PCB) is incredibly important when it comes to the functioning of various electronic items such as cameras, phones, tablets, and laptops. They have developed in a big way over the years in a way that reflects how much technology itself and that which we use has developed as well. As such, PCBs can be classified into a range of different design specifications, manufacturing processes, and also application requirements like automotive, defense, space, and medical. The more complex designs which are out there mean that there are now a large amount of PCB boards out there for people. This article is going to talk in more detail about the different types of PCBs which are available.
Different Types of PCB
It’s easy to design a PCB in the modern age. Thanks to websites such as Altium which offer users software for PCB design, putting together how your circuit board should look is simple. That being said, before you get into designing and choosing your board, you need to be aware of the different options. Some of the most popular types out there consist of the following:
- Single-Sided PCBs
The single-sided PCB is one of the most common types of circuit board out there. It consists merely of one single conductive copper layer which rests about the substrate. The electrical components of the board then are either soldered or placed onto the side of a board, whilst the entire etched circuit is visible on the other side. There is no chance of the conductive paths overlapping or intersecting one another due to the fact these PCBs are only made up of one conducting layer; this means that they take up a lot of space.
Overall, the advantages of a single-sided PCB include:
- Cost-effective
- Easy to manufacture
- They’re suitable for low-density design
- They’re easy to repair on the off chance something goes wrong
- They’re easy to design
- Double-Sided PCBs
The layout is similar to the above except for the fact the conductive copper layer is added to the top and the bottom side of the board. There are holes situated in the circuit board which make it so that the circuit board metal parts can be connected from one side to the other. They connect on both edges using one of two mounting methods.
The advantages of this method include:
- The reduced size makes the circuits more compact
- They are a relatively low cost
- They’re more flexible
- The circuit density is increased
- They’re suitable for advanced electronic systems
Other Types of PCB
A single-sided and a double-sided PCB are two of the most common forms out there; however, there are a number of options depending on what is being made. The other options include the following:
- Multilayer PCBs
- Rigid PCBs
- Flex PCBs
- Rigid-Flex PCBs