What’s PCB?
PCB (Printed Circuit Board), also known as printed circuit board, is the support of electronic components. PCB is an important electronic component and is called "electronic aircraft carrier". Its downstream applications are extensive, including consumer electronics, communications, computers, automotive electronics, industrial control, medical equipment, national defense, aerospace and other fields.
As a key component of electronic interconnection, PCB is a bridge that carries electronic components and connects circuits. It is widely used in almost all electronic products and is the cornerstone of the electronics industry.
PCB classification
PCB products can be classified into two technical classification methods: classification by circuit layer and classification by product structure.
(1) PCB classification by circuit layer
PCB can be classified into single-sided board, double-sided board and multi-layer board according to circuit layer. Single-sided board is the most basic PCB and is used in basic electronic products such as ordinary household appliances and electronic remote controls; double-sided board has wiring on both sides, such as consumer electronics, computers, automotive electronics, industrial control, etc. Multilayer boards can be further divided into mid-bottom boards and high-layer boards, which can be mainly divided into 4-6 layers, 8-16 layers, 18 layers and above circuit boards, which can be used for more complex circuits, among which high-layer boards are mainly used in communication equipment, high-end servers, military and other fields.
2) PCB classification by product structure
PCB can be classified into rigid boards (hard boards), flexible boards (soft boards), rigid-flex boards, semi-flexible boards, HDI boards, and package substrates according to product structure. Rigid boards are made of rigid substrates and can provide mechanical support for electronic components, with a wide range of applications. Flexible boards are flexible printed circuit boards made of bendable materials, which can save the required space, so they are mostly used in various consumer electronic devices. HDI boards adopt high-density interconnection technology, which improves the wiring density of boards and supports the use of advanced packaging technology applications. The package substrate is the IC package carrier, which is directly used to carry chips and provides electrical connection, protection, support, heat dissipation, assembly and other functions.
The development history of PCB
PCB has a long history, dating back to more than a hundred years ago, and has continued to develop to this day. In 1903, German inventor Albert Hanson invented the predecessor of PCB through his research on early breadboards. Albert Hanson proposed the concept of a through-hole structure using double-sided conductivity, similar to modern through-hole board technology. He also innovatively built prototype circuits covering wires on insulating boards, and these works provided the basic framework for the subsequent development of PCB technology.
In 1927, French inventor Charles Ducas applied for a patent for a circuit board variant. He used a template printing technology to print wires on an insulating surface using a template and conductive ink to effectively create circuits. This printed wiring technology is an early version of the evolution of today's circuit board electroplating process.
Austrian engineer Paul Eisler created the first functional PCB in 1941, taking an important step in the development of PCB. Eisler's innovation was the application of a copper foil layer adhered to an insulating substrate to provide a conductive path for electronic components. By 1943, he further launched a radio with a PCB inside, a design that played a key role in subsequent military operations in World War II.
In the late 20th century, the advancement of etching and welding technology in PCB manufacturing process led to the complexity and miniaturization of PCB. The space arms race between major powers promoted the development of PCB technology due to the pursuit of lightweight and energy efficiency. Later, the advent of the digital age triggered an explosive growth of electronic devices, such as game consoles, video recorders, computers, and CD players. As the size of electronic products decreased, it became increasingly difficult to manufacture PCBs by hand, leading to a surge in demand for industrialized PCB manufacturing. At the same time, as components become smaller and wiring becomes more complex, the design of PCBs becomes more and more critical.
Nowadays, driven by technologies such as 5G, IOT, and AI, PCBs are becoming more and more complex. PCBs have developed from the most basic through-hole boards to high-layer boards, rigid-flex boards, soft boards, HDI boards using IC substrate technology, etc.
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