What are Printed Circuit Boards Made of?
© Sawangkaew / Shutterstock Most electronic devices including medical equipment, phones and household appliances rely on printed circuit boards to function. Known as PCBs, the electronic boards are made from a combination of silkscreen, copper circuitry, solder mask and substrate. While this is the standard construction of a PCB, the actual design can differ considerably […]
Component Obsolescence in 2023
© nnk / Shutterstock Component obsolescence is one of the biggest issues facing the electronics field in 2023 and threatens to result in high levels of expenditure that will need resolving. We’ll take you through the issue of obsolescence and help you to find solutions that will work without costing you more than you are […]
The Rise of Flexible and Rigid-Flex PCBs
© KpixMining / Shutterstock Flexible printed circuit boards are growing ever more popular in the modern world: although, increasingly sophisticated technology is allowing us to use both flexible and rigid-flex PCBs in a range of sectors and industries. Flexible PCBs Typically divided up into single, double or multilayer circuits; flexible PCBs, or flex circuits […]
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing
© cono0430 / Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in the world of printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing. Here are some of the ways it is helping manufacturers: Design Validation To quickly validate designs and detect errors in PCBs, AI can be beneficial. It can be used to compare various design […]
How Different Sectors Use Printed Circuit Boards
© Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock They are in your computers, stereo systems and even your mobile phone, but what are they? Printed circuit boards have taken the world by storm, providing us with endless convenience and entertainment, but which industries use them the most prevalently? What is a printed circuit board? A printed circuit board […]
Moore’s Law: The Electronics Industry’s Golden Rule
© Ascannio / Shutterstock Moore’s Law was a prediction made 57 years ago by US engineer Gordon Moore – he forecast that the number of transistors per silicon chip would double every year. Despite his theory dating back to 1965, it remains relevant today. Moore studied at the University of California and earned a PhD […]
Are Printed Circuit Boards Recyclable?
© Ossile / Shutterstock Every industry today is aiming to operate in an eco-friendly way to help save the environment and natural resources. The electronics industry is no exception, with the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive providing a set of rules designed to tackle the issues of electronic waste. The question of whether […]
Signs that the Global Chip Shortage is Easing
© Kadmy / Adobe Stock Recent signs suggest the global chip shortage is starting to ease but only in certain sectors. News of a worldwide shortage of chips in March 2022 sent shockwaves through the industry. The post-Covid economic climate was blamed for the problems, as production had slowed down, or stopped completely, during the […]
Why are Printed Circuit Boards Green?
© Dmitry Morgan / Shutterstock.com Professional engineers and people who enjoy electronics as a hobby have often asked the same question: why are printed circuit boards green? While other colours can be found on occasion, the vast majority are green, leaving users wondering whether there’s a technical reason for this. The simple answer is that […]
The Different Types of Printed Circuit Boards
© Princess_Anmitsu / Shutterstock.com With many uses including automotive, medical, defence, space and more; there are numerous different types of printed circuit boards that are classified according to their design specifications, manufacturing processes and application requirements. Other designs for PCBs are manufactured to meet consumers’ needs. Each PCB is a self-contained board with connected electronic […]