CPEG/ELEG 298 - Final Exam - PCB Terms

Backward Annotate

The process of updating schematic with changes that were made during the PCB layout process.

BOM

Bill of Materials: A comprehensive list of every component, part , and raw material required to manufacture the PCB.

Blind Via

A copper-plated hole that connects an outer layer of a PCB to one or more inner layer but does not go all the way through the board.

Buried Via

A copper-plated hole used to connect internal layers of a multilayer PCB that is not visible form either the top or bottom exterior layers.

Copper Bottom

The bottom-most layer of conductive copper on a PCB where traces and pads are located.

Copper Top

The top-most layer of conductive copper on a PCB where traces and pads are located.

Core

The central, solid sheet of dielectric (usually FR-4) that serves as the base for a PCB.

DRC

Design Rule Check: A software verification process in KiCad used to ensure the board layout meets specific manufacturing constraints, such as minimum trace width or clearance.

DXF

Drawing Exchange Format: A software verification process in KiCad used to ensure the board layout meets specific manufacturing constraints, such as minimum trace width or clearance.

EAGLE

Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor: A popular EDA software program used for designing schematics and PCB layouts.

Flex

A chemical cleaning and wetting agent applied to metal surfaces before or duing soldering to remove impurities oxides and grease.

Footprint

The physical arrangement of pads and outlines on a PCB layout that represents where a specific component will be soldered.

Forward Annotate

The standard process of sending data (nets and components) from the completed schemetic to the PCB tool.

FR-4

Flame Retardant 4: The industry-standard composite material (fiberglass and epoxy) used as the substrate for most rigid PCBs.

Gerber

The standard file format used by PCB manufacturers to describe the images of the board’s layers (copper, solder mask, silkscreen, etc)

KiCad

The open-source EDA software suite used in this course for schematic capture and PCB design.

Laminate

The process or material created by bonding layers of core and prepreg together under heat and pressure.

Multisim

An EDA tool primarily used for schematic capture and SPICE circuit simulation.

Drill/NC Drill

Numeric Control Drill: The files that tell the manufacturing machines exactly where to drill holes for through-hole components and vias.

NGSpice

A specific open-source mixed-level/mixed-signal circuit simulator used for SPICE simulations.

Net List

A text file or database that describes the electrical connections between every component pin in a circuit.

Package

The physical form and “housing: of an electronic component such as a DIP or SOIC.

Pad

The exposed area of copper on a PCB where a component lead is physically soldered.

Panel

A large sheet of PCB material containing multiple individual boards, allowing them to be manufactured and assembled more efficiently.

Pin 1 Indicator

A mark on the silkscreen or a specific pad shape (like a square) used to indicate the orentation of pin 1 on an integrated circuit.

Plane

A continuous sheet of copper on a PCB layer, usually dedicated to a single signal like Ground or specific Power voltage.

Polarity Indicator

A mark on the board (like a + or - sign) used to show the correct orientation for polarized components like LEDs or electrolytic capacitors.

Prepreg

Short for “pre-impregnated”; a fiberglass cloth pre-coated with resign used to bond layer together in a multilayer PCB.

PTH

Plated Through-Hole: A component with wire leads that are inserted into holes in the PCB and soldered, like resistors used in our shields.

Ratsnest

The visual display in a PCB layout editor showing “air wires” (point-to-point lines) of connections that have not yet been routed into traces.

Reference Designator

A unique alphanumeric label printed on the board to identify a specific component in the schematic and BOM.

RoHS

Restriction of Hazardous Waste: A regulation that restricts the use of specific hazardous materials, such as lead, in electronic equipment.

Rigid

A standard PCB made on stiff substrate (such as FR-4) that is NOT intended to bend.

Schematic

A logical diagram that uses symbols to show how the components of a circuit are electrically connected.

Silkscreen Bottom

The layer of ink on the bottom side of the PCB used for labels, logos, and component outlines.

Silkscreen Top

The layer of ink on the top side of the PCB used for labels and reference designators.

SMT component

Surface Mount Technology: Small electronic components designed to be soldered directly onto the surface of the PCB rather than through holes.

Soldermask Bottom

The protective coating on the bottom of the PCB that prevents solder form bridging between traces.

Soldermask Top

The protective coating on the top of the PCB that leaves only the pads exposed for soldering.

Stack Up

The detailed arrangement of copper and insulating layer that make up the thickness of a multilayer PCB.

Trace

The physical copper path on a PCB that conducts electricity between components.

Ultiboard

A PCB design and layout software often used in conjunction with Multisim.

Via

A small plated hole that acts as a vertical connection to allow signal to pass between different layers of a PCB.