21ECC101J

Electronic system and PCB

design
Unit 4
 Unit 4

Sl.No Topic Reference Page no

1. Concepts of PCB Design. Components of PCB Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly, Chapter 1,
Dr R S Khandpur 1-4
2. Classification and Manufacturing of PCB Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 1
R S Khandpur 5-16
3. Layout Planning and Design Block diagram Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 104
4. Importance of PCB Design Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 108
5. Mechanical Design Of PCB Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 110-115
6. Types of Boards, Mounting Techniques Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 110-115
7. Stress Analysis Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 118
8. Electrical Design Consideration of PCB Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 119-126
9. Rules and Components Placement in PCB Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 127-132
10. Rules for Power Supply and Ground Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 127-132
11. Connections Layout Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 3
R S Khandpur 142-145
12. Components Assembly in PCB Printed Circuit Boards ,Design ,Fabrication and Assembly,Dr Chapter 13
R S Khandpur 481

21ECC101J 2
 Concepts of PCB Design

• An electronic equipment is a combination of electrical and electronic components connected to produce

a certain designed function.
• The printed circuit board provides both the physical structure for mounting and holding electronic
components as well as the electrical interconnection between components.
• The printed circuit board is usually abbreviated as PCB
Advantages of PCBs
i. The size of component assembly is reduced with a corresponding decrease in weight.
ii. Quantity production can be achieved at lower unit cost.
iii. Component wiring and assembly can be mechanized.
iv. Circuit characteristics can be maintained without introducing variation in inter-circuit capacitance.
v. They ensure a high level of repeatability and offer uniformity of electrical assembly to assembly.
vi. The location of parts is fixed, which simplifies identification and maintenance of electronic equipment
and systems.
vii. Inspection time is reduced because printed circuitry eliminates the probability of error.
viii. Printed wiring personnel require minimal technical skills and training. Chances of miswiring or short-
circuited wiring are minimized.
21ECC101J 3
 Components of a Printed Circuit Board

The essential components of a printed circuit board are:

• The base, which is a thin board of insulating material, rigid or flexible, which supports all
conductors and components; and
• The conductors, normally of high purity copper in the form of thin strips of appropriate shapes
firmly attached to the base material.
• The base provides mechanical support to all copper areas and all components attached to the
copper. The electrical properties of the completed circuit depend upon the dielectric properties of
the base material and must therefore, be known and appropriately controlled.
• The conductors provide not only the electrical connections between components but also
solderable attachment points for the same.

21ECC101J 4
 Classification of PCBs

There are two ways of classifying printed circuit boards:

i. Based on use and application of boards
ii. Based on number of planes or layers of wiring

BASED ON USE BASED ON NO. OF LAYERS

PROFESSIONAL SINGLE DOUBLE MULTI RIGID &

CONSUMER HIGH-RELIABILTY
SIDED SIDED SIDED FLEXIBLE
 Classification based on use

1.CONSUMER
• Used in consumer products such as television, radio, cheap tests and measuring instruments.
• Used less expensive base material.
• Allowed greater tolerance.
• Less importance given to electrical properties.
 Classification based on use

2.PROFESSIONAL
• Made of better quality material.
• Better electrical and environmental specifications.
• Tightly controlled fabrication techniques used.
3.HIGH-RELIABILITY
• Best quality electrical specification.
• High quality base material.
• Highly controlled fabrication techniques used.
• Normally used in strategic applications.
 Classification based on no. of layers

1)SINGLE-SIDED PCB
• Wiring available on only one side of the insulating substrate.
• SOLDER SIDE- Side containing circuit pattern, COMPONENT
SIDE- Other side.
• Simple circuitry to keep cost low.
• Manufactured mostly using PRINT AND ETCH or DIE-CUT
METHOD.
• Single-Sided PCBs are used for simple and low cost
electrical/electronic devices like calculators, power supplies, LED
Lighting boards, FM Radios, Timing Circuits etc.
 What are Single Sided PCBs?

• Printed circuit boards or PCBs, are used to connect electronic components and these boards are
commonly used in a wide variety of electronic devices. Single sided printed circuit boards are a type of
circuit board that has the conductive copper and components mounted on one side of the board and the
conductive wiring connected on the other side. These PCBs are one of the most commonly produced
boards as they are very simple and basic to make.

• Single sided printed circuit boards are commonly used in an array of electronics and applications,
including: camera systems, printers, radio equipment, calculators, and much more
Benefits of Single Sided PCBs
• Single sided circuit boards are considered to be one of the best choices for a wide range of
applications due to the advantages that it provides. Here are a few advantages of single sided
printed circuit boards.

• The cost of manufacturing and producing single sided circuit boards are very cost-effective and
affordable due to the simple and basic designs. These types of PCBs are widely understood by
various manufacturers which makes single sided boards the best choice for circuit designs that
are simple and low density.

• As single sided boards are less complex, there will undoubtedly be fewer problems during the
manufacturing stage, which enables manufacturers to produce these boards at higher volumes
and at faster speeds. Due to this, they are commonly used in many applications and electronics.

• With higher volume orders, single sided circuit boards can be more affordable and available at
reduced costs.
classification-based on no. of layers

2)DOUBLE-SIDED PCB
• Wiring on both sides of insulating material.
• Component density and conductor lines are higher than single-sided PCB.
• Its of 2 types-
i. Double-sided board with Plate Through Hole (PTH)
ii. Double-sided board without Plate Through Hole (non-PTH)
What are Double Sided PCBs?

• Double sided PCBs are very similar to single sided PCBs, except that they have two sided traces
with a top and bottom layer. These boards can mount conductive copper and components on
both sides of the circuit board, which allows the traces to cross over each other. This results in a
higher density of circuits without the need of point-to-point soldering. As these types of circuit
boards are more complex than single sided PCBs, it can be more difficult to produce. However,
the benefits of using double sided PCBs far outweigh the cons.

• Double sided circuit boards are one of the most popular types of PCBs as they enable
manufacturers to produce more complex circuits, which can benefit uses in higher technology
applications and electronics. There is an abundance of applications and electronics which double
sided PCBs can be used in including: lighting systems, vending machines, amplifiers, car
dashboards, and many more.
 Double Sided PCB
3.A.DOUBLE-SIDED PTH
• Circuitry on both sides of insulating surface.
• Connected by metallizing wall of a hole in the substrate.
• Popular where circuit complexity and density is high.
3.B.DOUBLE-SIDED NON-PTH
• Extension of single-sided board.
• Cost considerably lower due to absence of plate.
• Contacts are made by soldering component leads on both sides of the board.
• No. of solder joints to be kept minimal on component side in case of removal.
Double sided PCB- PTH Vs NoN-PTH

• In the case of a double sided PCB, if we want to connect tracks on the top face of the PCB with the
tracks on the bottom face of the PCB, we need to punch a hole through the PCB. This hole should
provide an electrical connection between the copper on the top and the copper on the bottom. The way
that can be done is if the hole is lined with a conducting material such as copper. This type of hole is
called a plated through hole.

• Any other hole that does not need to provide electrical connectivity between the top and bottom faces of
a PCB would be called a non plated through hole.
Benefits of Double Sided PCBs
• Double sided PCBs are a widely used component for various applications as it enables more
flexibility in the design and more complex circuits. Here are a few advantages of double sided
boards.

• The main benefit of double sided boards is that you have an extra layer to add more components,
which effectively increases the density of the circuit. With more space available of the circuit
board, this increases the flexibility of the design, enabling you to place more components and
have room for extra connections if needed.

• Double sided circuit boards tend to use more complex circuitry as there is more space. This
means that these boards are perfect for advanced electronics or demanding applications.

• Being able to use both sides of the circuit board effectively reduces the size of the board needed.
This can be a great cost-saving which makes double sided PCBs less expensive.
4.MULTILAYER PCB
• Used in situations where density of connections is
too high to be handled by 2 layers.
• Other reasons- accurate control of line impedance or
for earth screening.
• More than 2 PCBs with a thin layer in between
called PREPEG forming a sandwich like structure.
• Some boards have as many as 50 layers.
• Top layer is similar to conventional PCBs.
• Circuit is completed by interconnecting various
layers by plated through holes.
 APPLICATIONS OF MULTILAYER PCB

• Consumer Electronics use multilayer PCBs for their increased functionality and smaller size.

• Computer Electronics: Everything from servers to motherboards uses multilayer PCBs, primarily for
their space-saving attributes and high functionality. With these applications, performance is one of the
most essential characteristics of a PCB, whereas cost is relatively low on the list of priorities.

• Telecommunications: Telecommunication devices often use multilayer PCBs in numerous general

applications, such as signal transmission, GPS and satellite applications. The reason for this lies
primarily in their durability and functionality.
• Industrial: Multilayer PCBs do prove more durable than several other options currently on the
market, making them a good choice for applications where rough handling may be a daily
occurrence such as industrial controls.

• Medical Devices: Multilayer PCBs are particularly favored in Medical industry for their small size,
lightweight nature and impressive functionality compared to single-layer alternatives.

• Automobile: Due to their small size and durability, multilayer PCBs are also highly functional and
relatively heat-resistant, making them a good fit for the internal environment of an automobile.

• Aerospace: Multilayer PCBs present an ideal solution in this case, with plenty of protective layers to
keep heat and outside stress from damaging the connections, as well as the ability to be made from
flexible materials.
 Rigid and Flexible PCB

• Rigid- made up of variety of materials.

• Flexible-
substrate- polyester or polyamide.
base- very thin, 0.1mm.
laminate- copper

• Rigid-Flex- Combination of rigid and flexible , volumetrically efficient, thus gaining popularity.
 Manufacturing of PCB

SINGLE SIDED BOARD

Step 1- Artwork Generation
Step 2- Panel Preparation
Step 3- Image Transfer
Step 4- Etching
Step 5- Board Drilling
Step 6- Coating
Step 7- Testing
 Step 1

Artwork Generation
• The components and connections in the PCB layout are derived from the circuit diagram, and
physically placed and routed by the designer to get the best results in term of board size and its
manufacturability.
• The PCB layout defines the final physical form of the circuit and labeling details are finalized as the
layout is completed.
• When the PCB layout is complete, the track layout information is provided on self-adhesive type crepe
material tape stuck on a plastic sheet such as polyester.
• The layout or artwork is usually enlarged two to four times to improve accuracy.
• Alternatively, the CAD file is used to generate the artwork on a computer-controlled plotter, or on an
electronic transfer medium such as magnetic tape or floppy disc.
• The artwork is then reduced to the final size, and a positive or negative print made depending on the
requirement of the manufacturer.

21ECC101J 21
 Step 2&3

Panel Preparation
• The raw material for printed circuit boards is a copper clad laminate with copper on one side only.
• The sheets of the laminate are sheared to provide panels of the required size, keeping it slightly longer
than the master pattern of the PCB. The preferred size of panel is 350 X508 mm. The commonly used
laminates for general purpose applications are normally paper base type, whereas epoxy glass
laminates are preferred for superior mechanical and electrical properties.
Image Transfer
• The next step in manufacturing printed circuit boards is the transfer of original artwork pattern to the
copper surface on the card. The artwork may be in the form of a photographic negative or positive. The
photographic film consists of a transparent backing of polyester.
• It is 7 mil (174microns) thick with a light sensitive silver halide emulsion, 4–8 micron thick. Its
maximum sensitivityis at 480–550 nm wavelength. Therefore, processing of the film is usually done in a
room with redlight.

21ECC101J 22
 Step 4&5

• After the image to be printed is available on a photographic film, a screen is prepared and the panel screen
printed. All the conductive areas required on the final PCB are covered by the screening ink, which will act as
an etch resist during etching. In modern PCB manufacturing facilities, screen printing is confined to only low
accuracy image transfer requirements.

Etching
• The etching process is the core of the PCB manufacturing process, based on subtractive method which
involves removal of copper from undesirable areas in order to achieve the desired circuit patterns. Several
chemical processes have been developed and used for etching.

Board Drilling
• For small scale production, boards are drilled by using single head manually controlled machines.
• Jigs are used to ensure that correct drill sizes are used and that no holes are missed. Boards can be stacked so
that many of them can be drilled simultaneously. Mass production usually utilizes numerically controlled
drilling machines with several heads. The vias and pads have copper etched from the centre to facilitate
centring of the drill.

21ECC101J 23
 Step 6

• With the increasing miniaturization of electronic components, the need for smaller hole diameters has
gone up. Also, a proper drill must be selected for each type of laminate. Tungsten carbide or diamond
tipped drills are preferred for fibreglass boards.
Coatings
• The base metal conductor used in the fabrication of printed circuit boards is copper. Copper is chosen
because of its excellent properties as a conductor of heat and electricity. However, it quickly oxidizes in
the presence of air and water. If the copper surface on the printed circuit board is not coated or treated
with a protective agent, the exposed area would rapidly become unsolderable.
• Therefore, all printed circuit boards necessarily use some form of a surface finish on the exposed pads
to which electronic components are to be soldered.
Hot Air Solder Level
• This process involves the application of tin/lead solder to exposed copper.
• The solder and exposed copper form an inter-metalic chemical bond that protects the copper from
oxidation.

21ECC101J 24
 Step 6

Immersion Precious Metal Plating

• This process is based on the plating of the circuit board surface with electroless nickel/immersion gold,
silver or tin which provide immunity to corrosion from environmental exposure. Although the
solderability of each of the coatings is different, they provide a flat attachment surface which is
essential for achieving a reliable solder joint with fine-pitch parts.
• Organic Surface Protectant (OSP) Coating
• In this process, the circuit board is coated by submersionin a chemical bath containing a nitrogen-
bearing organic compound with adhesion to the exposedmetal surfaces and not absorbed by the
laminate or solder mask. These coatings have a limitationthat they break down during a thermal cycle
in assembly and are not usually recommended fordouble-sided circuit boards.
• Conformal coatings Conformal coatings enhance the performance and reliability of printed circuit
assemblies that are likely to be subjected to a hostile environment. They are plastic film envelopes
which seal out dirt and environmental contaminants. These coatings, which come in the form of
acrylics, polyurethanes, epoxies and silicones, are usually applied by spraying, manually or with
computer-controlled machines.

21ECC101J 25
 Step 7

Testing
• There are two types of PCB tests: bare board test and loaded board tests. The bare board test checks
• for shorts, opens and net list connectivity, whereas the loaded board tests include analysis of
manufacturing defects and in-circuit, functional and combinational tests (Biancini, 1991). With an
increase in the track density and the number of through-holes, it has become necessary to test the
printed circuit board before assembly.

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DOUBLE SIDED PTH BOARD
Almost all the steps are similar except the following:
• Panel Preparation
• Hole Drilling
• Electroless copper plating
• Image Transfer
• Tin led plating
• Etching
 Panel Preparation & Hole Drilling

• Panel Preparation: Laminate sheets with copper cladding on both sides are cut to size as per
requirement.
• Although the size of the panel depends upon the capacity of the plating equipment, the preferred size
for many manufacturers is 305 X 406 mm. The laminate commonly used is 1 oz/ft^2 copper foil, epoxy
glass type or FR-3.
• Hole Drilling: The double-sided board is first drilled, which is followed by the removal of any burs by
manual or automatic means.
• The board is then thoroughly cleaned to remove chips of glass fibre and resin. Cleaning is usually done
by using a jet of water under high pressure, of the order of 20–60 atmosphere.

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 Electroless Copper Plating

• Electroless Copper Plating: The board is first sensitized by immersing it in a solution of stannous
chloride.
• The stannous ions are absorbed on the board surface, particularly onto the exposed resin of the hole
walls.
• This is followed by immersion of the board in an acidified solution of palladium chloride.
• The palladium ions are reduced to the colloidal state and form a thin layer which catalyses electroless
copper deposition.
• Electroless copper deposition takes place in a bath with solution containing copper sulphate, sodium
hydroxide, formaldehyde, a reducing agent and other special additives. Here, the copper ions are
reduced to metallic copper.
• This results in deposition of copper,whose thickness is determined by the duration of the board in the
solution. Usually, a thickness of about 40 microns of copper is built-up on the base copper and on the
hole walls.

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 Image Transfer (Photolithography)& Tin-Lead Plating

• Image Transfer (Photolithography): Both sides of the board are covered with a thin layer of a photo
resist, which may be solid or a liquid, and either positive or negative.
• A solid negative working resist is mostly used. The image transfer process occurs with the resist
removed from the area where the tracks are to be kept.
• This is the reverse of the print and etch process. The copper areas, which will remain on the finished
PCB and the hole walls, are unprotected.
• All other areas are covered by the hardened photo resist. Developing of both sides is usually done in an
automatic spray machine.
• Tin-Lead Plating: The exposed track areas are electroplated with tin-lead alloy by immersing the board
in an electroplating bath.
• All conductive areas, i.e. all the conductors required on the PCB and within the holes, get plated to a
thickness of about 20–25 microns.
• The minimum thickness should not be less than 10 microns.
• This metal is used as a resist in the etching process.

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 Etching

• Etching: The etching process is similar to the one described in the previous section except that the
etchant used must not attack the tin-lead alloy.
• After etching, the selective areas of the board can be plated with precious metals such as gold or nickel
(e.g. tabs) followed by application of surface finish coatings such as: hot-air levelling, soldermasking
and organic surface protectant.

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MULTI LAYER BOARD
Steps involved :
• Laminating pattern layers, pre-etched layers and undrilled copper-clad layers together.
• Bounding inner and outer layers using prepreg.
• Bounding is performed in hydraulic press or autoclave.
FLEXIBLE BOARD
• They are normally punched and not drilled.
• In addition to the print and etch process, there is an alternative technique called ‘additive process which is
used for manufacturing printed circuit boards.
• In this process, there is no copper on the laminate.
• The copper is deposited selectively on the base laminate wherever required, as per the design of the circuit.
 Challenges in Manufacturing of PCB

• The concept stage defines the requirement and specifications, and entails deciding on the overall
architecture of the design.
• The capture stage defines the design intent by describing its functionality.
• The layout step includes determining optimum placements for the components on the circuit boards and
routing the tracks that connect them together, besides also accounting for the cables and/or connectors
that tie multiple circuit boards together.
 PCB standards

Extensive work has been done at the international level to develop standards and specifications
connected with PC boards. The prominent organizations engaged in such activities are:
1. Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC);
2. American National Standards Institute (ANSI);
3. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC);
4. Department of Defense, USA (DoD); and
5. DIN German Standards.
6.International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
 Layout Planning and Design Block diagram

All electronic equipments can be considered as systems comprising a set of interacting elements
responding to inputs to produce outputs.
Each sub-system would then represent a functional block, and the combination of all the blocks
would constitute the functional ‘Block Diagram’ of the equipment.
A block is only a ‘black box’ with certain inputs and outputs, but performing a definite function. The lines
interconnecting these blocks indicate the signal flow from block to block or circuit to circuit.
The integrated circuits such as microprocessors, counters, etc. are represented as individual blocks.
These blocks are labelled with pin numbers, signals and associated interconnecting wires.

21ECC101J 35
 Mechanical Design Of PCB

• The following are the main mechanical design considerations for the PCB:
• Optimal board size compatible with the PCB manufacturing process;
• Position of board mounting holes, brackets, clamps, clips, shielding boxes and heat sinks;
• Proper fixation arrangement for heavy components;
• Proper hole diameter for component mounting;
• Assembled board to withstand the mechanical stress and vibrations occurring in transportation;
• Type of installation of the board (vertical/horizontal);
• Method of cooling;
• Specific locational requirements of components like front panel operated components such as
push buttons, variable resistors, etc.

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 DETERMINING THE COMPONENT AREA

The component area on the board is calculated by adding

the contribution of each single component.

Each component is considered in its orthographic

projection on the board.

The dimensions of component are obtained from the

manufacturer’s catalogue or by actually measuring the
same.

The parts to be mounted on the PCB should be detailed

on the parts list.

Each part should be identified by a unique reference

designator and a part description. (Eg:R1 with a
description 1⁄4 watt carbon film resistor.)
 Volume Computing

The volume available for an electronic assembly is calculated with care.

Rather than the actual volume, it is important to know the maximum volume that
the board can occupy in the worst condition, including the safety clearances.

For example for a paging system receiver, the PCB has to be very small because
the receiver is carried in the pocket.

Similarly, the PCB of an implantable pacemaker must also be very small as the
pacemaker is implanted in the body.

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 Accessibility for Adjustable Components

Adjustable components, usually variable resistors, are

common in many printed circuit board assemblies.

These components should be mounted on a PCB in a such a

manner that there is an easy access to such components.
 Horizontal or Vertical Mounting of Components

• Axial-leaded components can be mounted either horizontally or vertically.

• Vertically assembled axial components require less surface area, resulting in a smaller PCB.
• However, this technique has certain disadvantages such as lower reliability, increased difficulty in component
forming and manual assembly.
• In addition, the increased density of conductors can limit the packing density.
• Vertical mounting should, therefore, be adopted only when the area is limited and there are limits to volume,
and of course, in cases when some of the components of the board have a height which is greater than that of
the axial components.
 Board Size

Connectors or connecting
tabs;

Fixtures or anchoring
Constraints encountered:
areas;

Control or adjusting
devices such as switches
and potentiometers.

21ECC101J 41
PCB net area is worked out from the gross area, taking into consideration the following
geometrical constraints.
Locating holes (for assembly):

• The preferred diameter is 3.175mm, their position is usually close to the longest edge of the
board, with the widest possible span.

• Their centre should be at least 1.5 times the hole diameter from the edge of the board, but not
less than 2 mm.

• The safety area around them should be of circular form.

Mounting holes:
• Safety areas need to be provided around the fixing holes, keeping in view the
size of the washers and screws, unless insulating washers are used.
Edges:
• Usually a 2–5 mm safety strip is provided along all edges.

• This is necessary because trimming of the board could cause de-lamination of

copper areas too close to the edge.
 Partitioning

• Minimizing the total number of interconnections can help in deciding board size.

• This requires a judicious action as partitioning equipment in different ways can result in very
different numbers of interconnections.

• Generally the block diagram of the circuit is examined to determine the points at which it can
be divided so as to break the smallest number of connections which may decide the size of the
PCB.

21ECC101J 44
 Types of Boards

Different Types of PCB:

• Single Sided PCB or Single Layer PCB
• Double Sided PCB or Double Layer PCB
• Multilayer PCB
• Rigid PCB
• Flex PCB or Flexible PCB
• Rigid-Flex PCB or Rigid-Flexible PCB

21ECC101J 45
 TYPES OF PCB

21ECC101J 46
 Mounting Techniques

• Various techniques are available to mount the printed circuit board to the chassis or to the next
assembly.

• For providing good mechanical stability, the board should be supported within 25 mm of the board
edge on at least three sides.

• As a general practice, boards between 0.031 and 0.062 inch(0.785 and 1.57 mm) thick should be
supported at intervals of at least 10 cm.

21ECC101J 47
 Mounting Techniques

.
The choice of board mounting technique would depend upon the following factors

• Board size and shape

• Input/output terminations
• Board removal requirements
• Heat dissipation requirements
• Shielding required
• Type of mounting hardware
• Available equipment space and
• Type of circuit and its relation with other circuits.

21ECC101J 48