• House the electronic components
• Connect components for operation

The board itself is made of a non-conducting substrate, such as fiberglass, that is coated with copper on one or both sides. The copper conducts electricity and is etched away from the board leaving the appropriate components to be connected to each other through the circuit.

There are many acronyms that industry pros use when it comes to printed circuit boards. The most common question head-scratcher being, what’s the difference between a PCB and PCBA?

Here’s a breakdown of what they mean:

PWB – printed wiring board. One of the first terms used when the connectivity of electronic components was simply point-to-point instead of circuit operation.

PCB – printed circuit board. Technically speaking, the term PCB refers to the etched wiring board itself without any of the components installed yet. In 1999, this term was mandated by the IPC Technical Activities Executive Committee as the go-to term for new document development, as the printed circuitry design often has an impact on device function.

PCA – printed circuit assembly. Used after the IPC change in 1999 for clarity. 

PCBA – printed circuit board assembly. It’s the printed circuit board with all of the electronic components installed.

PCB is the most popular term when referring to the whole, assembled shebang. So be sure to clarify which type of PCB you need when communicating with manufacturers and outside vendors — the basic board, or the fully connected printed board assembly (PCBA).

For a deeper dive on the acronyms used for all things printed circuit board, check out this discussion from industry experts.

Each of the PCB hardware components has a vital role to play in powering the electronic device. PCB components include:

• Substrate – the foundation of the PCB, a substrate is usually made of fiberglass or some other non-conductive material. Substrates can be single or multiple layers.
• Copper – used to transmit electric current, the copper within a PCB takes the place of wires.
• Solder mask – the metal used to create connections between the surface of the PCB and the electronic components. The solder mask protects the electronic traces underneath from unfavorable conditions.
• Silkscreen – a layer of ink traces that are used to label electronic components, warnings and other features unique to that device’s connectivity.

Before moving into the production of final PCB production, a prototype must be validated to ensure all components are connected and work properly to power the device.

• Rigid PCBs – designed not to bend or move from their original shape or placement.
• Flexible PCBs – made to fold, twist and flex into the desired configuration. They are thinner and more lightweight and can accommodate unique shapes.

Flexible PCB vs. Rigid Cost

Here’s how the two compare from a financial perspective:

Next, how many layers do you need to get the job done?

Single Layer PCB

A board made out of a single layer of base material or substrate. Typically, one side of the base material is coated with a thin layer of metal on one side of the substrate. Single-layer PCBs are ideal for rapid production due to their simplicity in design and ease of automation.

Double-layer PCB

A board that contains soldered electrical connections on both sides. This is achieved when copper or another conductive material is applied to both sides of the board. For added flexibility, double-sided PCBs can utilize a through-hole or surface mount (SMT) design.

Multi-layer PCB

Used in more complex designs, multi-layer boards include up to four layers. Multi-layer PCBs provide added benefits of a smaller footprint and fewer wiring harnesses, which reduces the overall weight. These PCBs are ideal for aerospace, handheld devices, cell and signal transmission, and many other applications.

• Minimal space requirements – because all electronic connections occur on the board, there’s no need for multiple wires to carry the current and take up valuable real estate on the device.
• Simplified installation and troubleshooting – all components are housed on the PCB and clearly labeled, allowing for easy access during assembly and maintenance.
• Streamlined assembly – PCBs allow for quick assembly compared to other means, such as wired connections.
• Secure placement and connectivity – with a PCB, all electronic components are soldered to the board, ensuring they will stay in place.
• Manufacturing efficiency – PCBs are more cost-effective than other connectivity methods when mass quantities are needed.
• Reliable operation – the design of the PCB ensures steady operation, as the connections are made via copper tracks that will not come loose.

However, if you’re working with illumination, choosing a white surface of the PCB can help reflect the light. In certain instances, this additional control provides a wider selection of LEDs to choose from in optimizing your design. 

Depending on the application, there may be a time when you want to reflect the light. In those applications, a white PCB is ideal. 

A white PCB is commonly used for LED light engines or LED illumination systems.

The color of the substrate is just one factor to consider during the schematic phase of your PCB design.

PCB Designing Basics

Not all PCB assembly partners are the same. To make sure your boards stack up, ensure your vendor provides:

• PCB assembly, all in one place – one central point of contact for everything from concept and design to final assembly, including:
  • Preliminary design and layout
  • Prototype development
  • Manufacturing integration
  • Production
• North American manufacturing – facilities close to home can cut down on product lead times, as well as shipping and production costs.
• In-house capabilities – if your PCB manufacturer is sending your work out, you are likely paying more in time and production costs. Find a one-stop-shop with the core capabilities to handle every aspect of your PCB assembly, including surface mount technology and 3D printing for expedited prototyping and production.
• Stringent quality control processes – don’t take a chance on quality. See proof and documentation of testing and regulatory compliance, including ROHS. 

Proven track record – make sure your PCBA partner has an outstanding on-time delivery so you get your components when you need them, every time.

We combine the latest manual and automated techniques to ensure you get exactly what you need. But our advanced equipment and processes aren’t the only reasons to work with us.

■  Advanced PCB and Stencil Cleaning Machine
■  Advanced ESD Control System
■  Conformal Coating Equipment
■  Visual Scanning Microscopes
■  Visual Camera for Quality Check

Custom PCBAs are ideal for a variety of industries and applications, including:

• Automotive and aerospace
• Medical devices
• Industrial machinery
• Consumer products

Here are a few examples of custom printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) we’ve created for clients around the globe.

Sometimes, you don’t need a fully-customized solution to get exactly what you need. Look for a PCB supplier that can create component-level modifications for existing LED products

For example, we’ve helped clients in the farming, heavy machinery and security industries modify our existing panel mount indicators to:

• The transition from single color to bi-color indication
• Update the lens color 
• Upgrading from a single color to a tri-color option
• Change voltage options 

There’s a lot more to PCB design terminology than PCB vs. PCBA. Here’s key PCB terminology to become familiar with:

Double-sided PCB: also known as a two-layer PCB, a double-sided PCB features components for connectivity on both sides.

Flexible PCB: a flexible printed circuit board is designed to move and bend to accommodate the design of the device. Flexible PCBs provide OEMs with more compact, lightweight and customizable solutions to suit their needs.

FPGA: a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is an integrated circuit that can be programmed to execute one or more operations.

FR4: low-cost printed circuit board material commonly used for the substrate layer. FR4 is made from fiberglass cloth that has been embedded in epoxy resin. The term FR4 is a type of substrate, and also the rating used grade epoxy laminate sheets.

Gerber File: computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) file used to provide an industry standard for communicating board specifications with multiple manufacturers.

Light engine: similar to a PCBA, a light engine is a small board that contains a combination of LED modules and an LED driver.

Multi-layer PCB: a board that features more than two conductive metal layers. Multi-layer PCBs enable a range of interconnections ideal for many applications and industries.

Pad: the connection point for the electronic component terminal in the PCB. Components are soldered to the pad.

Rigid PCB: the opposite of a flexible PCB, a rigid circuit board made of a solid substrate material such as metal or FR4 that can not bend. Depending on the design of the device, rigid PCBs can be the most cost-effective solution for mass production.

Single-sided PCB: a simple board with electronic connections on one side.

SMT Pick and Place Machine: High-speed, automated equipment used to place surface-mount technology (SMT) devices onto a printed circuit board. These machines are highly precise and efficient, helping reduce the costs of PCB production.

Solder Paste Printing: using a printer and a stencil, solder paste is applied to a PCB and baked in an oven to seal the bond.  

Substrate: the material used to create the foundation of the PCB. This base material is usually made of fiberglass, but can also be comprised of epoxy, metal, ceramic or other materials. The material selection of the substrate is dictated by the primary function and design of the PCB and its components.

Stencils: used to aid the application of solder paste to surface mount (SMT) component pads during the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA).  

Wave Solder Machine: wave soldering is a bulk soldering process used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards. The wave solder machines move each board into a pan where a wave of melted solder covers it, bonding all the components of the board together.