Introduction of Circuit Board Assemblies and Different Ways to Go About it 

A Brief Introduction to Printed Circuit Board Assemblies

We all know the importance of electronic appliances in our daily lives. They are in various forms. But surely, a few of us know about printed circuit board assemblies and their role in the efficient performance of electrical equipment. Printed circuit boards are electronic boards that connect components of an electronic device. They comprise a non-conductive material, contain lines, pads, and other features etched on copper sheets. All these components connect the electronic assembly inside a device. Some electronic components such as resistors and capacitors need soldering for fixing on the printed circuit boards.

Today, printed circuit boards are also common in electronic devices required in various industrial appliances needing powering. The high-powering industrial equipment needs durable and exceptionally high-powered printed circuit boards to handle various applications.  

Different Ways to Create Printed Circuit Board Assemblies 

The main processes for various assembly processes are:

Through-hole mount process

This process involves the assembler soldering component into holes bored into a bare circuit board. This technology is the perfect solution to create a stronger connection than surface mount technology. Applications requiring high-reliability demand such assemblies. This is because the leads move through the board instead of attaching with solder. This type of technology mostly benefits testing and prototyping applications needing manual adjustments of components.

Surface mounting process

This procedure mounts electric components directly to the circuit board’s surface using solder. Surface mount boards use smaller parts called vias to connect different layers of circuit boards. Moreover, today, it is the most popular technology and serves as an alternative to conventional assembly procedures. With surface mounting, the assembler attaches components to both sides of the board conveniently. Surface-mounted components are usually smaller in size, and therefore, it becomes easy to fit more marts on a single board. Moreover, this technology lowers down the costs and makes electronic devices get smaller and smaller with time.

Electro-mechanical process

It is also called box-build assembly. This process involves elements like wire harnesses, custom metalwork, looms, molded plastics, and cable assembly to assemble circuit boards.

Engineers seeking prototype printed circuit board assemblies should look to partner with a company that produces the result you want.

Different Types of Printed Circuit Board Assemblies

Manufacturers classify printed circuit boards based on their assemblies according to consumer needs, design specifications, and manufacturing processes. In addition, varying application requirements in defense, medical, space, and automotive industries need intricate circuit boards to enhance mechanical and electrical stability. The different types of circuit boards assembled for various applications are:

• Single-sided printed circuit board
• Double-sided printed circuit board
• Multilayer printed circuit board
• Rigid printed circuit board
• Flex printed circuit board
• Rigid-flex printed circuit board

Single-sided printed circuit board

It is the most common type of circuit board containing a single conductive copper layer placed above the substrate. The soldered electrical components on one side of the board are visible along with the entire etched circuit on the board. The paths on these boards do not intersect or overlap due to a single conducting layer on the board.

These circuit boards suit low-density design applications needed in low-cost electrical/electronic instruments such as calculators, and timing circuits, etc.

Double-sided printed circuit boards

In these types of circuit boards, a thin layer of conducting material like copper exists at the upper and bottom of the board. In addition, the drilled holes in the circuit board connect metal parts from one side to the other. These circuit boards connect the parts on either side using through-hole technology or surface mount technology. Double-sided circuit board assemblies serve various applications, including test equipment, cell phones, power monitoring, amplifiers, UPS system, and more. 

Multi-layer printed circuit boards

These boards feature at least three conductive layers of copper. The boards’ design looks like a sandwich style. The double-sided conductive layers separate through an equal number of insulating material sheets. The assembly procedure involves bonding and lamination under high pressures and temperatures. As a result, there are no air gaps which leads to the stable working of circuit boards. They are common in laptops, computers, laptops, tablets, medical equipment, mobile phones, and GPS trackers, etc.

Rigid printed circuit boards

It is not possible to twist or fold multi-layer printed circuit boards. Their rigid substrate provides them rigidity and strength. These boards comprise multiple layers including a copper layer, a substrate layer, a silkscreen layer, and a solder mask layer. All the layers adhere together. Once made, it is impossible to change these boards. They are compact, cost-effective, and lightweight. However, once made, they cannot be modified or changed.

Flex printed circuit boards

They carry many printed circuits and components arranged on a flexible substrate. Also, commonly made from polyamide, these printed circuit boards use the same components as rigid printed circuit boards. The difference is it is possible to flex these boards to the desired form throughout the application. They save space and eliminate connectors.  

Rigid-Flex printed circuit boards 

They combine elements from both flexible and rigid circuit boards. IT is easy to fold and flex them during the manufacturing process. Rigid-Flex circuit boards are complicated because of their design in 3D. Their lightweight nature makes them an excellent part of an extensive range of applications in the medical, aerospace, and consumer electronics fields.

All the above-mentioned printed circuit boards efficiently serve in consumer PCB assembly products.

Summary

Your trusted printed circuit board assembly partner can offer you the right circuit board – be it rigid, flexible, or both rigid and flexible. In addition, the real advantage of the best circuit board assemblies is that they can reduce your manufacturing costs and increase efficiency. Whether you need a prototype assembly or short-run assembly, you need a one-stop shop to make your printed circuit board assembly easy for you.

An efficient and accurate printed circuit board assembly guarantees that the electronic devices work with complete precision and productivity.