Understanding the Basics of Rigid PCBs

Rigid printed circuit board (Rigid PCB) is widely used in electronic equipment, its main advantages are as follows:

1. Stability: The main advantage of rigid PCB is its structural stability. Compared to flexible printed circuit boards, rigid PCBS are physically more stable and not easily bent or twisted.

2. Large capacity: Another advantage of rigid PCBS is that they can accommodate more components and connections, supporting larger components and more complex circuit designs.

3. Durability: Rigid PCB has good durability and can maintain its performance under various environmental conditions, including high temperature, high humidity and high pressure.

4. Cost effectiveness: The manufacturing cost of rigid PCB may be higher than that of flexible PCB, but due to its stability and large capacity, rigid PCB can provide higher cost performance.

The advantages of Rigid PCB make it play a vital role in modern electronic equipment. Whether it is stability, large capacity, durability or cost effectiveness, rigid PCBS can meet the needs of a variety of applications.

Some of the main steps of the rigid PCB manufacturing process:

Design: Use computer aided design (CAD) software to design circuit diagrams. The function, size, layout and other factors of the circuit to create an effective and workable design.

Plate making: After the design is complete, the design needs to be converted into the actual circuit board. Through lithography technology, ultraviolet light is irradiated on a copper plate covered with a photosensitive material, and then the part that is not irradiated by ultraviolet light is etched through an acidic solution to form a circuit pattern.

Drilling: Drilling holes in the circuit board to install electronic components. This is done using a CNC drilling machine, which allows drilling to be done precisely at the specified location.

Coating: After drilling, a thin layer of copper needs to be plated on the wall of the hole to ensure the conductivity in the hole, which is achieved by electrochemical deposition.

Patch: Mount electronic components to a circuit board. This is done with an automatic mounter, which can quickly and accurately attach components to the specified position.

Welding: The components are welded together with the circuit board to ensure electrical connections. Use wave soldering or reflow welding method to achieve.

Each step requires precise control and rigorous quality checks to ensure the performance and reliability of the final product.

Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) is a common surface treatment technique used in the manufacture of Rigid PCB. ENIG surface treatment involves electroplating a layer of nickel on the PCB surface and then plating a thin layer of gold. The nickel layer is mainly used to protect the PCB surface and prevent oxidation, while the gold layer provides good conductivity and weldability. The advantages of ENIG surface treatment include good weldability, long-term storage stability, and environmental resistance. Due to the presence of the gold layer, the ENIG treated PCB can provide stable welding performance, so that the components can be reliably welded to the PCB. The gold layer can also prevent the oxidation of the PCB during storage and improve the storage stability of the PCB. Finally, since both gold and nickel have good corrosion resistance, ENIG treated PCBS can maintain their performance under various environmental conditions.

Insulating materials play a vital role in Rigid PCBS, not only providing physical support for circuit components, but also preventing the unintended flow of current. The insulating material of rigid PCBS is usually made of materials such as fiberglass board (FR4) or paper-based phenolic resin board (FR2), which have good insulation properties and thermal stability and can maintain their performance under various environmental conditions. The choice of insulation material has a direct impact on the performance of rigid PCB, with excellent mechanical strength and thermal stability, suitable for applications requiring high frequency and high temperature environments. Paper-based phenolic resin boards have lower cost and good insulation properties, and are suitable for low cost and low power applications.