Many Typical Reasons For Printed Circuit Board Failures

Long before it ever accesses the Internet or zings emails across the Web, a computer’s brain must be designed and built. Starting from the beginning, there is a circuit board, which can be broken down in to much smaller pieces. The first is a layer of a non-conductive material. Usually this level is crafted from glass-reinforced epoxy, known as FR-4. It is flame resistant, inexpensive, and has extremely low conductivity. This layer is then laminated with copper (or another metal), creating a conductive surface.

The Layers of a Circuit Board

After the FR-4 and copper laminate, the rest of the pcb manufacturing board can be constructed. A less-expensive circuit board is single sided, meaning a single base layer with metal sheeting only on one side. These single-sided boards are easier to work with, and it’s how most hobbyists prefer to start. Although they can be easier to manufacture and understand, they can be more trying to design, as there’s only one plane to work with, and there can be no crossed connections without external jumpers.

Double-sided boards are more expensive, but come with the ability to expand designs, and create a complex circuit board. A double-sided board allows creators to cross electrical circuits without external jumpers. It’s also much more cost effective and reduces the amount of design work and tedious drawing and redrawing. More room simply means more space to lay out the connections needed.

As designs become more and more complex, it’s necessary to have more layers to the board. These models are usually reserved for extremely complex models with a large number of signal paths or if the designers is aiming for an incredibly compact circuit board.

Copper traces are the most important part of a design and are created by removing the conductive copper laminate from the non-conductive material beneath. This creates negative space around the trace, which is the remaining copper laminate.

The last important component to a circuit board is the via. They are used in multi-layer boards to connect one board to another. There are three types of vias, including:

* Through hole—The most common type of via, where a hole is drilled up through the entire board and then electroplated so that it is conductive.

* Blind—A blind via is used in complex designs with two or more layers to connect a surface layer to the next layer without going through all the layers.

* Buried—Buried vias are similar to blind vias but only connect internal layers.

Creating a Circuit Board

Whether for a new computer built from a kit or inside the latest smartphone, a circuit board is a necessary step in creating the brain of an electronic. Crafted from fairly simple materials, these innovative creations are becoming easier to design, faster at processing, and more fun to create. For the home enthusiast or high-production companies, understanding the layers and materials of a circuit board will make design and manufacturing that much easier.

The New World Of Photoplottinglaser Direct Imaging

Printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are the driving forces behind virtually everything society uses today, from smartphones and computers to car displays and coffee makers. When a printed circuit board fails, it disrupts both personal and professional lives, making everyday and specific tasks much harder to complete.

The causes of printed circuit board failure can statistically be connected to one of two factors: performance issues resulting from environmental faults or operation problems stemming from the planning and manufacturing stage of production. Environmental damage is usually more substantial than manufactured problems. Extensive damage done to an electronic system, especially the printed circuit board, is almost impossible to diagnose and repair, making the entire model worthless. Because most owners can’t afford this waste, it’s imperative that those working with PCBs strive for the utmost care and treat every electronic with respect.

Sometimes these failures, whether environmental or manufactured faults, happen after many years of use, but typically these problems are accidentally built into the board during its design, setting it up for failure prior to the first use.

Damaged Printed Circuit Boards and Repair

For most circuit boards, it’s best to return the damaged product to the original equipment manufacturer. Because they built and designed the board, they’ll have the deepest level of understanding and often have an identical or similar board to reference during the repair process. This access to replacement and duplicate products means a cost-effective repair solution with an expedited turn around time, saving owners and hobbyists time, money, and their sanity.

Environmental Issues

When exposed to certain environmental issues, circuit boards will suffer serious damage or failure. Things like temperature, humidity, dirt, mold, and accidental impact can damage or destroy a printed circuit board. Humidity can cause condensation and electrical shorts, which are almost impossible to repair. Humidity and water damage also leads to mold and mildew, which is a death sentence for printed circuit boards and electronics. Accidental impact covers dropping, crushing, or static shocks, which will sever connections. Temperature shifts can also cause condensation and warping of the material. Dirt that finds its way inside of an electronic will become impacted against delicate components, degrade the printed circuit board, and corrode the welding, connections, and effectiveness. In extreme cases, power overloads from power surges or lightning strikes can cause serious harm to printed circuit boards.

Manufactured Problems

Human error is the root of all manufacturing problems with printed circuit boards. It’s easy to misread a schematic, connect the wrong points, or produce a board to the wrong specifications. These problems can include:

* Components installed incorrectly

* Components incorrectly placed

* Poor soldering causing cold solder joints

* Incorrect board thickness (this can lead to bending, warping, and breaking)

* Poor insulation of traces causing a voltage arc and short

* Traces and pathways placed too closely

* Poor connectivity between board sub layers causing inefficient performance

Most of these problems can be repaired, which is easier and less expensive than replacing the entire board.

Motherboard Components

The standard printed circuit board (PCB) is designed to serve two functions. It acts as a physical board upon which the various components can be added and held. It�s the structure upon which the circuit can be constructed. It also acts as the means to conduct the circuit as well. The copper layering allows for points to connect without the use of wires. The components are usually surface mounted onto the board and connected via solder to each other and to enact their function. The components that make all of our electronics are made of basic components mounted onto circuit boards. Here the major building blocks and what they do on the PCB.

Resistor

This component lives up to its name in that it acts as a way to resist the current flowing through it. It doesn�t just consume power; it limits and monitors the power. By using a resistor, it can manage the current that flows around the circuit board. A resistor is essential in controlling how power in the other components is received and ensuring that they don�t overload or get consumed too quickly. The most common form of the resistor is the current limiting resistor.

Capacitor

Instead of looking at how the capacitor is a crucial component of the assembly services board through its electric field, the easier way to understand it is to look at it as a battery. A capacitor can be charged and discharged just like a normal battery, except it can only store a very low capacity of charge. It runs out quickly in one burst, but recharges quickly again only to discharge its capacity. The common use of a capacitor is in time delays. It can also be used to filter out the noise of a circuit board. Combining capacitors can also target very specific functions, such removing the high-pitched frequencies of an audio signal.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

Everyone understands what an LED is, but as to the function on a PCB, not many understand why it is included on many of the electronics used every day. The LED acts as a visual way to know if a circuit is working. Think of how remote controls light up when a button is pressed, or a phone lights up, or a car turn signal. These are all LEDs mounted on a PCB.

Integrated Circuit Board(IC)

The integrated circuit is found on just about any complex electronic equipment being used today, it�s nothing more than a circuit that�s been shrunk down to a smaller component. When mounted on the PCB, it�s a circuit mounted on a circuit. It usually serves a specific function or has a task that it performs. Each IC comes with a datasheet for its purpose that specifies the pins and what function they serve.

There are many other components such as transistors, inductors, other highly specialized parts. The circuit board doesn�t have to be complicated once each of the basic components is understood and what function they serve. The knowledge helps to reduce the fear associated with electronics and the omnipresent circuit board.

What Are Circuit Boards

Circuit boards are designed to connect electronic components on a non-conductive substrate. These boards are iconic, carefully designed, and have been in production since the early 20th century.

10 Interesting Circuit Board Facts

1. They are green because of the solder mask that is visible through the glass substrate. The original green color is speculated to have stemmed from the American military, and it became standard. Others suggest that the green color could have come from the solder mask resins that were originally utilized—all green. Regardless of where the color originated, it’s still used today, partially a matter of convention, but mostly due to how easy it makes finding faults in the traces.

2. The invention is usually accredited to Paul Eisler, an Austrian who started the development of circuit boards in the 1890s. The first true board was created in 1936, when Eisler was building a radio set. Mass production coincides with the rise of computerized technology some time in the 1950s.

3. The way they’re created is changing. They’re frequently designed using surface mount technology, or SMT. SMT attaches leads to pads on the substrate surface, while the traditional through-hole technique required inserting the leads in to pre-made holes. SMT has fewer errors, is easier to build, and allows for the creations of smaller circuit boards.

4. Circuit boards have become an integral part of modern society, powering everything from computers and phones to cars and hoverboards.

5. The white text on a circuit board is called the silkscreen. Used to analyze components and information, this text is necessary to identify the functions of a circuit board. The white text can be silk-screen printed, but it is more commonly created with an ink-jet printer.

6. pcb design software are designed so that standard boards are functional and often work for any project. But for specific needs or sensitive projects, circuit boards can be custom built. They can be designed entirely to suit an order, making them completely unique.

7. Circuit boards use something called tracers, made of thin copper, rather than bulky wires. This allows them to much smaller, and works with the flat design of all boards.

8. They are not part of a stagnant industry. The movement and growth of this technology is constantly reinventing and innovating circuit boards. As the technology develops, the way circuit boards are created and used changes and evolves.

9. They’re shrinking! Driven by society’s desires for smaller and smaller electronics, smaller circuit boards are being created.

10. Engineers and designers create mock ups of circuit boards on a computer aided design program, where they can test conductivity, tracers, size, and other components, before the board itself is designed. This “double-designed” method ensures that no erroneous mistakes will be made, shaving time and money off the build and, ultimately, the price.

Circuit boards are a necessary and interesting aspect of a technology-driven world. Used in almost everything people touch, these small and powerful processors are the green and copper brains behind a cup of coffee, the drive to work, and a trusty cellphone.

Printed Circuit Boards Explained

A new circuit board (PCB) has the potential to create a marvelous number of electronic devices. It can be daunting to try and understand design from the ground up. Most people begin their training in circuit boards from understanding how existing circuit boards work. Most designers and engineers had childhood hobbies of taking apart their toys and games to see how things worked on the inside. This practice is no different of taking apart old electronics and examining the circuit boards to understand how their function served the device as a whole.

Looking at a PCB can be difficult, because the parts aren�t immediately obvious as to what function they perform. There are components that are basic to each circuit but the values, positions and make of each component can be slightly different. Here�s how to identify some of the major parts of a PCB.

Capacitors

These battery-shaped devices are easily noticed by their distinct cylinder shape as well as the values printed on the side with 3 digit codes to identify their capacity and values. Each capacitor is usually placed on the PCB marked with a C on the silkscreen.

Resistors

A common sight on all PCBs is the resistor, the governing component of the board. They are small are cylinder shaped. They come in various colors and have their value in Ohms printed on the side. They also have their tolerances on the side as well, but they are mainly marked with an R on the PCB for easy placements.

Inductors

As an inductor is simply a coiled wire to produce a magnetic field, they are identified as the component with the coiled wire. They can be wrapped around a magnetic core to increase the field, but their look is distinct and un-missable. The L on the circuit board marks their place.

Batteries

The battery provides the source of power and is the same shape battery found in smaller electronics such as watches. They are always well marked with their specifications on the battery.

Transistors

The transistor is a three-pin component that, regardless of shape, is marked on the side with its specifications. The easiest way to locate them is by their unique three-pins as well as the Q on the PCBs.

Integrated circuit board companies on Circuit Boards

The integrated circuit is the easiest to identify with its long, rectangular shape with pins on either side. The main concern with integrated circuits is that they aren�t immediately apparent as to what their function is. Most circuit boards and integrated circuits come with a datasheet to identify functions. The part itself will have numbers that can be researched online to determine that model of circuit and what it�s known for.

There are a number of other lesser known pieces such as crystals, diodes, buzzers, and transformers that can be harder to identify. They can not always be found on standard circuit boards and knowing the basic pieces will enable a greater understanding of what the PCB can do. Taking a board apart is the fastest way to understanding it and creating an entirely new circuit board.

Printed Circuit Boards Explained

Although it�s fairly common in use today, the surface mounted technology (SMT) method of mounting components onto a printed circuit board (PCB) has plenty of advantages in its use and function. Using surface mounting, components are added to the board directly and mounted without using the through-hole method of the past. The SMT method allows a device called a surface mounted device (SMD) to be created with very minimal fuss and high amounts of automation in the process. The PCB is the copper conductor containing the points and leads for the electronics to be mounted. There are variations of mounting the resistors, switches, and leads onto a PCB. The preferred method is SMT for some of the following reasons.

SMT PCB Assembly: Advantages

Size

As computing gets smaller and smaller, as the need for electronics demands more compact versions of items, the need for smaller PCBs is increasing. As of now, sizes are measured in fractions of millimeters as a standard size. The SMT PCB assembly method allows for small leads, or even in some cases, no leads on the board. Because just the one size is used and there are no through-hole penetrations on the board, it can be mounted flat into the electronic for a small compact PCB.

Speed

For high volume productions, most companies choose a SMT PCB assembly as a way to produce more volume for less. The machines in assembly lines are now capable of attaching over 130,000 components per hour. This speed allows for the rapid production of a PCB with high levels of accuracy.

Space Usage

Instead of the through-hole technology found in many PCBs, the SMT allows for components to be added to both sides of the PCB. This maximizes the computing power and space of an electronic. It can essentially double the capacity of the PCBs in electronics these days.

Better Performance

Given that a PCB is asked to contain components and keep them functioning well under duress, the SMT method of assembly is the most secure way of ensuring there are no loose leads or trailing components that can be shaken or bumped off. The solder pads ensure every component is kept in alignment is secured to the board.

Cost

As a whole, the SMT method is preferred because of the reduction in costs across the board. The setup and production costs are lowered. The components costs are much cheaper than their through-hole counterparts. The better production value and improved performance reduce on wastage and damaged final products. The increased number of connections per components is increased so that fewer PCBs are required and smaller space is needed.

When comparing the two different mounting technologies, the surface mounted technology comes out on top. It simply produces a better product with faster speeds and smaller space required to do so. Components are readily available and because of their popularity, easily found to repair if required. The SMT circuit board design method will only rise in popularity as computing demands more of its components.

Printed Circuit Boards Explained

Printed circuit board assembly, or PCBA, is the act of soldering electronic components to a printed circuit board. This vital step transforms a circuit board to a printed circuit assembly, capable of intricate technological functions. The design and creation of a printed circuit board prototype is just the first step in a long production line to a fully functional, electronic “brain.”

The Parts Needed for Printed pcb manufacturing process Assembly

The first step is creating a printed circuit board, which is flat, and covered in a complex webbing of metal (usually copper) electronic connections called traces. Boards can be simple or complex; some circuit boards have many layers. The other raw materials and electronic parts needed include any given component, soldering materials, and equipment. For most projects, this means solder wire, past, preforms, flux, a safe soldering station, and inspection and test equipment.

Through-Hole Electronic Components

These components have leads at their base, which are inserted into holes created in the printed circuit board. These components require soldering in and around the holes, securing the equipment to the traces. There are two basic soldering methods, including:

* Wave Soldering—A printed circuit board assembly process in which a solder bar is placed in a high-temperature bath. In this bath, the bar remains molten and pliable. The high temperature creates a standing “wave” of molten solder. The printed circuit board makes contact with this wave, soldering the components in place. Before being run through the wave, the components are secured with glue and flux is applied. After the soldering process, the circuit board is cleaned and tested to ensure that all the components are attached and soldered correctly.

* Hand Soldering—Preformed at a much lower temperature, hand soldering uses solder wire, flux, and specifically designed and sized tips to place the solder around the leads stemming from the electronic components. Hand soldering is more often used for smaller work loads and repair jobs. A well-stocked and clean work station is a must to prevent debris from contaminating the solder or having the solder cool too much while searching for equipment.

Surface-Mount Technology

While through-hole technology is still used for larger components, surface-mount technology is revolutionizing printed circuit boards. Surface mount takes a little more time, because special pads have to be installed. These solder pads are thin layers of tin-lead, or gold-plated copper that are covered in flux and soldering particles before the matching components are applied. Usually these boards are placed on the conveyor belt of a reflow soldering oven, where the temperature is slowly raised until the entire board is hot enough to melt the soldering compound. The temperature is either controlled with heat lamps, or hot gas convection.

As with through-hole technology, the boards have to be washed at the end of the soldering process to ensure the the soldering connections are true and clean. As a final step the boards are visibly inspected, and any last minute adjustments are made.

How To Recognize Components On Circuit Boards

The standard printed circuit board (PCB) is designed to serve two functions. It acts as a physical board upon which the various components can be added and held. It�s the structure upon which the pcb assemblies can be constructed. It also acts as the means to conduct the circuit as well. The copper layering allows for points to connect without the use of wires. The components are usually surface mounted onto the board and connected via solder to each other and to enact their function. The components that make all of our electronics are made of basic components mounted onto circuit boards. Here the major building blocks and what they do on the PCB.

Resistor

This component lives up to its name in that it acts as a way to resist the current flowing through it. It doesn�t just consume power; it limits and monitors the power. By using a resistor, it can manage the current that flows around the circuit board. A resistor is essential in controlling how power in the other components is received and ensuring that they don�t overload or get consumed too quickly. The most common form of the resistor is the current limiting resistor.

Capacitor

Instead of looking at how the capacitor is a crucial component of the circuit board through its electric field, the easier way to understand it is to look at it as a battery. A capacitor can be charged and discharged just like a normal battery, except it can only store a very low capacity of charge. It runs out quickly in one burst, but recharges quickly again only to discharge its capacity. The common use of a capacitor is in time delays. It can also be used to filter out the noise of a circuit board. Combining capacitors can also target very specific functions, such removing the high-pitched frequencies of an audio signal.

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

Everyone understands what an LED is, but as to the function on a PCB, not many understand why it is included on many of the electronics used every day. The LED acts as a visual way to know if a circuit is working. Think of how remote controls light up when a button is pressed, or a phone lights up, or a car turn signal. These are all LEDs mounted on a PCB.

Integrated Circuit Board(IC)

The integrated circuit is found on just about any complex electronic equipment being used today, it�s nothing more than a circuit that�s been shrunk down to a smaller component. When mounted on the PCB, it�s a circuit mounted on a circuit. It usually serves a specific function or has a task that it performs. Each IC comes with a datasheet for its purpose that specifies the pins and what function they serve.

There are many other components such as transistors, inductors, other highly specialized parts. The circuit board doesn�t have to be complicated once each of the basic components is understood and what function they serve. The knowledge helps to reduce the fear associated with electronics and the omnipresent circuit board.

The Majority Of Typical Causes Of Printed Circuit Board Failures

Although it�s fairly common in use today, the surface mounted technology (SMT) method of mounting components onto a printed circuit board (PCB) has plenty of advantages in its use and function. Using surface mounting, components are added to the board directly and mounted without using the through-hole method of the past. The SMT method allows a device called a surface mounted device (SMD) to be created with very minimal fuss and high amounts of automation in the process. The PCB is the copper conductor containing the points and leads for the electronics to be mounted. There are variations of mounting the resistors, switches, and leads onto a PCB. The preferred method is SMT for some of the following reasons.

SMT PCB Assembly: Advantages

Size

As computing gets smaller and smaller, as the need for electronics demands more compact versions of items, the need for smaller PCBs is increasing. As of now, sizes are measured in fractions of millimeters as a standard size. The SMT PCB assembly method allows for small leads, or even in some cases, no leads on the board. Because just the one size is used and there are no through-hole penetrations on the board, it can be mounted flat into the electronic for a small compact PCB.

Speed

For high volume productions, most companies choose a SMT PCB assembly as a way to produce more volume for less. The machines in assembly lines are now capable of attaching over 130,000 components per hour. This speed allows for the rapid production of a PCB with high levels of accuracy.

Space Usage

Instead of the through-hole technology found in many PCBs, the SMT allows for components to be added to both sides of the pcb manufacturing process. This maximizes the computing power and space of an electronic. It can essentially double the capacity of the PCBs in electronics these days.

Better Performance

Given that a PCB is asked to contain components and keep them functioning well under duress, the SMT method of assembly is the most secure way of ensuring there are no loose leads or trailing components that can be shaken or bumped off. The solder pads ensure every component is kept in alignment is secured to the board.

Cost

As a whole, the SMT method is preferred because of the reduction in costs across the board. The setup and production costs are lowered. The components costs are much cheaper than their through-hole counterparts. The better production value and improved performance reduce on wastage and damaged final products. The increased number of connections per components is increased so that fewer PCBs are required and smaller space is needed.

When comparing the two different mounting technologies, the surface mounted technology comes out on top. It simply produces a better product with faster speeds and smaller space required to do so. Components are readily available and because of their popularity, easily found to repair if required. The SMT PCB method will only rise in popularity as computing demands more of its components.