A

Annular Ring – The ring of copper surrounding a hole in a PCB pad.

B

BGA (Ball Grid Array) – A type of integrated circuit packaging with solder balls arranged in a grid on the underside.

BGA Rework – The process of repairing or replacing BGA components on a PCB.

Bill of Materials (BOM) – A list of all components required for a PCB assembly, including part numbers and quantities.

Blind Via – A via that connects an outer layer to an inner layer of a multilayer PCB but doesn’t extend through all layers.

C

Circuit Layer – A specific layer of a multilayer PCB responsible for carrying electrical signals.

Component Footprint – The designated area on the PCB where a specific electronic component is mounted.

Copper Layer – The layer on a PCB where copper traces are etched to create electrical connections.

Copper Weight – The thickness of the copper layer on a PCB, typically measured in ounces per square foot (oz/ft²).

Crosstalk – Undesired electromagnetic interference between adjacent traces or components.

D

Daisy Chain – A test pattern used to verify the continuity and functionality of PCB traces and connections.

Design Rule Check (DRC) – Software verification to ensure the PCB design adheres to manufacturing constraints and specifications.

Dielectric Constant (Dk) – A property of PCB substrate materials that affects signal propagation speed.

Differential Pair – A pair of traces on a PCB that carry complementary signals to reduce noise and crosstalk.

Dip Soldering – A method of soldering through-hole components by immersing the assembly in molten solder.

E

Eagle – A popular PCB design software used for schematic capture and layout.

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) – The sudden discharge of static electricity that can damage electronic components.

F

Fanout – The process of connecting a high-pin-count component to the rest of the PCB.

Fiducial Marks – Reference marks on the PCB used by pick-and-place machines for precise component alignment.

FR4 – A common type of fiberglass-reinforced epoxy laminate used as PCB substrate material.

G

Gerber Files – Standard files used to render images of your PCB layouts for manufacturing.

Gold Plating – A process of applying a thin layer of gold to PCB pads or connectors for corrosion resistance and improved conductivity.

Ground Plane – A large copper area on the PCB dedicated to providing a stable ground reference.

I

Impedance – The resistance to the flow of alternating current in a PCB trace, important for signal integrity.

Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits (IPC) – A standards organization for PCB design and manufacturing.

N

Netlist – A list of electrical connections between components in a PCB design.

P

Pad – A conductive area on the PCB surface where components are soldered.

Pad Size – The dimensions of a pad, including its width and length, which affect soldering and component compatibility.

Panel Router – A machine that cuts individual PCBs from a larger panel after assembly.

Panelization – The process of combining multiple PCBs onto a single larger board for efficient manufacturing.

PCB (Printed Circuit Board) – A flat board made of insulating material on which electronic components are mounted and interconnected using conductive traces.

Pick-and-Place Machine – An automated machine used in SMT assembly to accurately place surface-mount components on the PCB.

Pitch – The distance between the centers of two adjacent components or pads.

Plated Half-Holes – A type of edge-plated hole used for mechanical stability and improved grounding.

Power Plane – A layer on the PCB dedicated to distributing power to components.

R

Reflow Soldering – A process that melts solder paste to create electrical connections between components and PCB pads.

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) – A directive restricting the use of certain hazardous materials in electronic products.

S

Silkscreen – A printed layer on the PCB used for component labeling and reference designators.

SMT (Surface Mount Technology) – A method of assembling electronic components on the surface of a PCB, as opposed to through-hole technology.

Solder Mask – A protective layer applied to the PCB to prevent solder from spreading to unwanted areas during soldering.

Solder Paste – A mixture of solder particles and flux used to create solder joints during reflow soldering.

Stencil – A template made of steel used to precisely apply solder paste to the PCB during SMT assembly.

Stencil Aperture – The opening in the stencil through which solder paste is deposited onto the PCB.

Stencil Thickness – The thickness of the stencil used to apply solder paste, affecting the volume of paste deposited.

T

Thermal Management – Strategies and design considerations to control heat generated by components on a PCB.

Thermal Relief – A pattern of copper traces designed to make soldering to a pad easier.

Through-Hole Technology (THT) – A PCB assembly method where component leads pass through holes in the board and are soldered on the opposite side.

Tolerance – The acceptable variation from specified values in PCB manufacturing.

Trace – A conductive path on the PCB that connects electronic components.