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The following article was published in our article directory on August 29, 2019.
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Circuit Board Manufacturing Demystified: From Design to Delivery

Article Category: Computers and Technology

Author Name: David Shanos

The printed circuit board (PCB), aka printed wiring board (PWB) or etched wiring board (EWB), is essentially an electronic circuit. Aside from providing mechanical support, the PCB serves as a pathway for the device's electronic components. It is found in almost every electronic and computing device, including network cards, motherboards, and graphic cards.
What Raw Materials are used to produce a PCB?

The most recognized substrate used in making PCBs is reinforced glass fiber or fiberglass epoxy resin, with a sheet of copper bonded to one or both sides. Some PCBs (such as those used in common household devices) are mainly paper reinforced phenolic resin with a bonded copper foil. Other materials may be used instead of resin but they should still be a poor conductor of electricity.

How is Circuit Board Manufacturing done?
1. Layout development and output
First things first, a circuit board has to be compatible with the PCB layout. This is done through the use of custom software like OrCAD, Eagle, and Altium Designer. Once they get the layout approved, the designers will then export it into a format supported by the manufacturer.
All aspects of the design will undergo further checking though. These aspects include drill drawing, apertures, tracking layers, and component notations. After doing a final check, the designers will send the PCB file to board houses.

2. Printing the file into film
Films are used to image the PCBs, and the actual printing is done through a laser printer. The final product will be a plastic sheet with a photo negative of the PCB. Black ink is used in the inner layers of the PCB. This represents the conductive copper parts. The clear parts of the image represent areas with non-conductive materials.

The outer layers are printed following an opposite scheme. The clear ones represent the copper areas, while the black parts refer to areas that will be etched away. Each layer of the PCB and solder mask receives its own set of clear and black film sheet. So, for a two-layered PCB, there's a total of four sheets: two for the layers and two for the solder masks.
Registration holes are punched through all films to achieve the proper alignment.

3. Printing the inner layers and putting in the copper
This step is done to assemble for the actual production of the PCB. A basic PCB has laminated boards that contain epoxy resin and glass fiber, which are both considered substrate materials. The substrates hold the components in the structure. The copper components are pre-bonded on both sides of the layer.

4. Removing excess copper
The unwanted copper is etched away. This is to show the design from the printed films. For a cleaner surface, copper solvent is used.

5. Layer alignment and optical inspection
The technician puts the layer into the optical punch. This ensures exact correspondence so that the registration holes are accurately done. The panels or layers are checked then by an automatic optical inspector—a machine that scans the layers using a laser sensor and compares the digital image with the original Gerber file.

6. Layer-up and bonding
This is where the individual layers are finally fused together, with the outer layers being joined with a substrate. The outer layer consists of fiber glass sheets that are pre-filled with epoxy resin. The top and bottom parts are covered with thin copper foils. Bonding is done through the use of a heavy steel table with metal clamps. An automatic routine run is carried out by the bonding press computer.

7. Drilling
A computer-guided drill puts holes into the PCB layers. This is to expose the inner layers and the substrates. Any excess copper after drilling is removed.

8. Plating and copper deposition
All the layers are attached together using a chemical solution. The board is then thoroughly cleaned using a series of chemicals. The chemicals used in this step not only cleans, but also coats the panel with a thin layer of copper. The copper will seep into the drilled holes.

9. Imaging the outer layer
A layer of photoresist (substrates) is adhered to the outside layer of the PCB. The board will then be sent off for imaging. The photoresist will be hardened through the use of ultraviolet light. Any excess photoresists are, of course, removed.

10. Plating
The panel is plated with a thin layer of copper. The board will also be layered with tin, mainly to protect the copper on the outside layer from being etched off.

11. Final etching
All excess materials, such as copper and resin, are removed using a chemical solution. This step also establishes the connections of the PCB.

12. Applying solder mask
The solder mask film is layered with epoxy. The green color usually seen on PCBs is applied by the solder mask. The necessary solder mask is baked onto the board, while the excess is removed through the application of ultraviolet light.

13. Silkscreen
This is where all critical information is stamped onto the board. After printing, the PCB will go through one last curing and coating process.

14. Surface finish
The PCB will be plated with a solderable or substrate finish. This depends on the manufacturer's standard. The surface finish will increase the strength and quality of the solder.

15. Electrical testing
The finished PCB will go through a series of quality control (QC) tests, among which is the electrical test. In that particular test, a technician will confirm the functions of the PCB. The board is also compared to the original blueprint designs. This is to see if the blueprints where indeed followed correctly.

The End of a Long, Complex Process
Once the PCB is completely checked, it's then packaged in a way that keeps it intact and protected during transport. That typically includes the use of anti-static bags (protection against static electricity) and bubble wrap (shields the board from impact and other possible causes of physical damage). Upon reaching its destination, the board is finally ready to be installed on the device for which it's made.

Keywords: electronics manufacturing, conformal coating, printed circuit boards

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