Learn About Different Types of PCBs and Their Advantages

The product and its country of origin may vary, but the only thing that remains constant in all these items is the printed circuit board (PCB). This is the backbone of any electronic device on which the rest of the electronic components are installed. Therefore, it is important that the PCB is manufactured with the highest quality for the product to work as designed. Different types of PCBs are used depending on the applications.

What are the different types of PCBs?
PCBs are often classified based on frequency, multiple layers, and substrate. Some popular types are discussed below.

• Single-sided PCB

Single-sided PCBs are the basic type of circuit board, consisting of only one layer of substrate or base material. The layer is covered by a thin layer of metal, namely copper - which is a good conductor of electricity. These PCBs also have a protective solder mask, which is applied on top of the copper layer with a silkscreen coat. Some advantages offered by single-sided PCB are:

1. Single-sided PCB is used for volume production and has a low cost.
2. These PCBs are used for simple circuits such as power sensors, relays, sensors, and electronic toys.

• Double-Sided PCB

Double-sided PCBs have both sides characterized by a metal conductive layer. Holes in the circuit board allow metal parts to attach from one side to the other. These PCBs connect the circuit on either side using two mounting schemes, either through-hole technology and surface mount technology. The through-hole technique involves inserting the lead components through pre-drilled holes on the circuit board, which mixes the pads on opposite sides. Surface mount technology involves electrical components placed directly on the surface of a circuit board. The advantages given by the double-sided PCB are:

• More circuits can be attached to the board by surface mounting than surface mounting.
• These PCBs are used in many applications including mobile phone systems, power monitoring, test equipment, amplifiers, and many more.

• Multi-layer PCBs

Multi-layer PCBs have printed circuit boards with more than two copper layers such as 4L, 6L, 8L, etc. These PCBs extend the technology used in double-sided PCBs. A substrate board and different layers of insulating materials separate the layers in a multi-layer PCB. PCBs are compact size and provide weight and space benefits. Some of the advantages offered by multi-layer PCBs are:

1. Multi-layer PCBs offer a high degree of design flexibility.
2. These PCBs play an important role in high-speed circuits. They provide more space for conductor patterns and power.

• Rigid PCB

Rigid PCBs refer to those types of PCBs whose base material is manufactured from a solid material and cannot be bent. Some of the main benefits offered by him:

• These PCBs are compact, ensuring the construction of a variety of complex circuitry around it.
• Rigid PCBs offer easy to repair and maintenance, like all components, are marked. Furthermore, the signal paths are well organized.

• Flexible PCB

Flexible PCBs are manufactured on the flexible base material. These PCBs come in single-sided, double-sided and multilayer formats. This helps reduce complexity within the device assembly. Some advantages given by these PCBs are:

• These PCBs help reduces overall board weight as well as save a lot of space.
• Flexible PCB helps reduce board size, making it ideal for various applications where high signal trace density is required.
• These PCBs are designed for working conditions, where temperature and density are the main concern.

• Rigid-Flex-PCB

Rigid-Flex PCB is a combination of rigid and flexible circuit boards. These consist of multiple layers of flexible circuits connected by more than one rigid board.

1. These PCBs are precisely manufactured. Therefore, it is used in various medical and military applications.
2. Being lightweight, this PCB provides 60% weight and space savings.

• High-frequency PCB

High-frequency PCBs are used in the frequency range of 500MHz - 2GHz. These PCBs are used in various frequency critical applications such as communication systems, microwave PCBs, microstrip PCBs, etc. 

• Aluminum Supported PCB

These PCBs are used in high strength applications, as aluminum construction helps in heat dissipation. Aluminum-backed PCBs are known to offer a high degree of hardness and low levels of thermal expansion, making them ideal for applications with high mechanical tolerance. 

For more information visit inYantra Technologies -EMS Company in India