Printed Circuits| the latest advancement in electronics

A ‘Brain’ has an important role to play in the functioning of human body. Exactly like a Brain the printed circuits are probably the most important part in an electronic device. It provides support to the system by sending electricity to various parts of the device. Secondly, it acts as a shed to the wires that are mounted on the surface. It also takes care of the components that are connected to the socket.

Material and Layers:

They are commonly casted out of epoxy (composite form), fiberglass or any other composite material. Generally printed circuit boards are comprised of single layer for simple electronic devices. However, the complex hardware like motherboards or graphic cards is composed of multiple layers that may cross over 10 layers in some cases.

Application:

As we all might think that printed circuits are so complicated and can be used in computers and hi-tech electronics only. Well this is not entirely true. Is it used in computers? Yes, but it is also used in simple electronic devices ranging from small toys to radios and cameras. It is used mostly in digital electronics but is also used in other fields such as automotive sector, medical field etc. PCBs are of many types and hence, these ‘many types’ are used in different fields such as-

• Automotive-science and space-science: As we all know the nature of the work that is being done in these two industries. We can easily reach at a conclusion which is, the use of complex PCBs. Not only complex but the printed circuit board should be flexible also. Flexibility of the PCB makes it durable during extreme conditions and places as well. For example, in an automotive vehicle as well as rocket there are places where circuits are involved but these places vibrate as well. So, in those cases the flexible PCB always turns out to be the best.

• Industrial application: Printed circuits are usually used in big plants that require hi-tech electronic activity while they function. Instead of thin copper PCB thick ones are used. These circuit boards are required for battery charges that flow high volumes of current, motor controllers and load testers.

• Lights: The LEDs that are used nowadays due to their low power consumption and high efficiency. The aluminum based Printed circuit boards are used to make such LEDs. The feature of this Al based PCB is that it validates heat transfer at high levels as compared to standard PCB. These PCBs can be used both high and simple luminous solutions.

• Medical science: To test new technologies in medical science we require efficient devices. The use of electronic devices that are complex and consume low amounts of power has made it easier to experiment. PCBs can be found in devices that are small to the devices that are complex such as they are present in pacemakers as well as in complex devices like CT- SCAN Machinery.

The Printed circuits boards are of several types based on the particular way in which they were manufactured. The most common classification of PCB is:

Based on the layers:

• Single layer PCBs
• Double layer PCBs
• Multi-layer PCBs

Based on rigidity:

• Rigid PCBs
• Flexible PCBs
• Flex-rigid PCBs

Based on the amount of transmission (current and signals):

• High Frequency PCBs
• Aluminum-Backed PCBs

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Printed Circuits- A Boon For Electronic System And Industry

 Printed circuit boards are the ones that act as a foundation for most of the appliances or devices based on electrical or electronic engineering. It not only supports the entire system but also is a wiring area for the wires on the surface along with the components connected to socket. These are mostly made of Fibreglass, epoxy or other compound materials.

Though PCBs are mostly associated with the computers still they are present in electronic and electrical devices like Radios, digital cameras, TVs and cell phones. Apart from the use of PCBs in electronics and electrical field, these boards are used in various fields such as Medical devices, Automotive industries, Industrial machinery and many more.

As we all are aware of the major part that the electronic and electrical industries play in our contemporary lives, we have somehow become dependent on these for our comforts. This dependency makes these circuit boards ‘omnipresent’ and hence, they are also the major contributors in the easy and comfortable lives that we live. These circuit boards come in wide array of designs that make it almost vulnerable to nothing. These circuit boards, hence, serve entirely different functions when used in different devices.

As a recent survey revealed, PCBs in Canada have taken over most of the major fields related to science, technology, development and many more. Still printed circuits are being adopted by any new Industry of the market. This proves the promising technical development that these printed circuits carry are just the beginning. Printed circuits usually connect internal components of any machinery through a series of different circuits related to it in terms of functioning.

These printed circuits are easily recognizable as these chips are of green color and are present at the center of any electronic. The flexibility of printed circuits due to their versatile designs and work-purposes allows them to function at varied capacities and places.

Some of the applications of the Printed Circuits (PCBs) are listed below:

1. General Electronic/Electrical Devices – It can also be termed as consumer electronics. It is inclusive of the devices that are used in our day-to-day lives like computers and smart-phones. Nowadays even the refrigerators are comprised of these circuits in order to function precisely.

As there is a rise in the demand of these general electronic/electrical devices, there has been a significant increase in the pcb assembly and pcb manufacturing. The pricing here is always in-budget as these printed circuits are ordered in bulk and hence, the cost of the final product is usually low.

The various electronic devices in which these printed circuits are used are as follows:

• Mobile devices- An integral part of the modern day human routine. It acts as everything ranging in-between, a medium to talk to close ones to finding your way, the moment you get lost somewhere.

• Computers- The printed circuits are present at the heart of the computer systems and laptops. These circuit boards are also present in the programmed devices that are associated with the computer features or uses.

• Recorders- Digital cameras and DSLR cameras nowadays, are equipped with printed circuits to function.
• Home Appliances- The printed circuit are present in most of the electronic/electrical appliances for example, Digital clocks, refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers and many more.

• Entertainment Systems- Your entire entertainment system that ranges from video players to home theatres, every device is equipped with Printed circuits.

2. Automotive Industry- The Modern era marks the advent of highly developed automotive sector. The present generation cars come equipped with electronic control unit (ECUs) that provides an accurate and immediate response to the driver’s demands.

This electronic system is employed in the car to provide a single handed control over all the equipments in an automobile which were to be operated manually earlier. As PCBs work with optimally high-frequency signals with the likes of radiofrequencies, MM waves or microwave, they can be used to employ sensors at various parts in an automobile. The sensors are present in cruise control, safety features, avoiding accidents, inflating the airbags.

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