SEC 306.

41 Computer Aided
PCB Design

Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Hakan EKMEKÇİ

Syllabus
• Course: SEC 306.41 Computer Aided PCB Design
• Instructor: Nuri Hakan Ekmekci
• Room: 127
• Time and Place: Monday 13:30-15:30, A103
• Reference Books:
What does Printed Circuit Board (PCB) mean?
• A printed circuit board (PCB) is an electronic circuit used in devices to provide mechanical support
and a pathway to its electronic components.
• Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are by far the most common method of assembling modern
electronic circuits.
• PCB is also known as printed wiring board (PWB) or etched wiring board (EWB).
• The circuits are produced by a slight layer of conducting material deposited on the outside of an
insulating board called as the substrate.
• Comprised of a sandwich of one or more insulating layers and one or more copper layers which
contain the signal traces and the powers and grounds, the design of the layout of printed circuit
boards can be as demanding as the design of the electrical circuit.
• Separate components are located on the surface of the substrate & soldered to the connected
circuits.
• A PCB can hold various electronic components that may be soldered without using visible wires,
which facilitates its use.
• PCBs are found in nearly every electronic and computing device, including motherboards,
network cards and graphics cards to internal circuitry found in hard/CD-ROM drives.
The Old Days
• Back in the pre-computer CAD days, PCBs were designed and laid out by
hand using adhesive tapes and pads on clear drafting film. Many hours
were spent slouched over a fluorescent light box, cutting, placing, ripping
up, and routing tracks by hand.
• Bishop Graphics, Letraset, and even Dalo pens will be names that evoke
fond, or not so fond memories.
• Those days are well and truly gone, with computer based PCB design
having replaced this method completely in both hobbyist and professional
electronics.
• Computer based CAD programs allow the utmost in flexibility in board
design and editing over the traditional techniques. What used to take
hours can now be done in seconds.
PCB vs. Breadboard
Pros for PCB Cons
• Simple to Manufacture •Permanence
• Stability and reliability •Lead-Time
• More space efficient •Isolation
• Better grounding •High-Frequency Effects
• Physical mounting is more stable
• Immune to movement •Testability
•Thermal Management
Pros for breadboard
• Flexible
• Ease of debugging and isolating problems
• Fast!
 Terminology
“PCB” = Printed Circuit Board (i.e., a “board”)
“PWB” = Printed Wiring Board (same as PCB)
“PCA” = PCB Assembly, a PCB that is loaded with components
“Fab” = the process of creating the PCB
“Load” = the process of attaching the components to the PCB
“ Trace ” = Copper path (equivalent of wire)
“ Via ” = Hole in board with connection between layers
“ Pad ” = Exposed copper for component placement SMD Package Pads
“ Package Casing ” = for a component with metal leads coming
out. Usually black plastic.
“ Surface Mount (SMT/SMD) ” = Components that can be
soldered onto pads, not through-holes Thru-Hole
History of PCB
• Before printed circuits became the common component used in
electronics, point to point construction was used.
• This meant some extremely bulky and unreliable designs that
required large sockets and regular replacement.
• Most of these issues were directly addressed when PCBs went into
regular production.
• 1920s – The early PCB material could be almost anything, from
Bakelite and Masonite to plain old thin pieces of wood. Holes could
be drilled into the material and flat brass wires would be riveted onto
it. It may not have been pretty, but the concept was there, and it
worked. It was often used in radios and gramophones at the time.
History of PCB
• 1947 – First double sided PCB’s with plated through holes produced.
• 1950s – 60s – The types of materials used for the board was shifting to
different resins and other materials, but they could still only be printed on
a single side. The wiring would be printed on one side and the electrical
components would be on the other. Still, it was a much more efficient
option than bulky wiring, so it was starting to see a wider adoption.
One of the biggest steps forward came in 1956 when the U.S. Patent
Office granted a patent to a small group of scientists representing the
U.S. Army for the “Process of Assembling Electrical Circuits.” At the time, the
process involved drawing the wiring pattern and then photographing it onto
a zinc plate. This plate could then be used to create a printing plate for an
offset printing press. This is what was used to print the wire in acid resistant
ink on the copper foil, which could then be etched by an acid solution.
History of PCB
• 1957 – IPC (The Institute of Printed Circuits) formed and hold first meeting in
Chicago IL.
• 1960 – Multilayer (4+ layer count) PCB’s begin production.
• 1960s -70’s – Boards were designed using 4:1, red-and-blue line vellum method
for hand-taping components and tracks. A precision camera then produced the
1:1 negative manufacturing film. An experienced designer could layout and tape a
board at the rate of about two hours for each equivalent 14-pin IC on the board.
• 1970s – The circuitry and overall size of the boards were starting to get a lot
smaller by the 70s, and hot air soldering methods began to be used. This is also
when the Japanese developers began to create screen processes that used
various aqueous developed LPIs (liquid photo imageable masks). This became the
industry standard over the years. Gerber Scientific introduces RS-274-D as a
machine-based format for vector photo plotters.
 History of PCB
• 1980s – Surface mount parts became the preferred option over through-hole
components, which led to further size reductions while maintaining the same
level of functionality.
• 1986 – RS-274X released as an enhancement to RS-274-D data format. New
version supports embedded aperture information relieving the need for external
aperture definition files.
• 1992 – Valor Computerized Systems founded introducing Genesis 2000 software
for PCB CAM and DFM.
• 1990s– While the complexity of modern circuit boards continues to go up, the
size of the boards and costs of materials has generally been able to go down.
Once developers were able to start using multilayer circuit boards they were able
to minimize the size and incorporate combinations of rigid and flexible PCBs in a
range of devices. Going forward, new developments will continue to produce
more efficient circuits that can effectively meet the needs of rapidly growing
technology.
 History of PCB
• 1995 -US PCB production reaches $7.1 billion, topping $7 billion for first time.
• 1995 – Use of micro-via technology in PCB production starts, ushering in the era of HDI
(High Density Interconnect) PCB’s.
• 1997 – Valor Computerized Systems releases ODB ++ printed circuit board manufacturing
data format into public domain.
• 2000- US PCB fabrication market peaks at more than $10 billion.
• 2000s – PCB Real Estate becomes even tighter with 5-6mil trace & space becoming
commonplace. Hi-tech shops fabricating boards with 3.5 to 4.5mil trace & space in
production quantities. Flex and Rigid–Flex PCBs become an affordable option and widely
used.
• 2010s – ELIC (Every Layer Interconnect) production begins.
The construction of the PCB
• The construction of the PCB can be done in three ways, namely single
sided, double sided and multi layered.
• The components on a PCB are connected electrically to the circuits by
two different methods such as hole technology and surface mount.
• In hole technology, every component consists of thin leads, which are
pressed through tiny holes in the substrate & soldered to connection
boards in the circuits on the reverse side.
• A solder paste includes a glue, solder and flux are applied at the
contact point to grip the components in position until the solder is
liquefied.
PCB Construction -

There are a variety of methods to create a PCB.

- the general approach is to start with a sheet of copper attached to an insulator and then remove copper
leaving only your desired interconnect pattern.
- - this is called a subtractive method and is the most common technique. - we’ll first go over all of the major
process steps used in creating a PCB.
1) The CORE
2) Patterning
3) Vias
4) Pattern Plating
5) Solder Mask
6) Surface Finish
7) Silk Screening
- then we’ll put them together in the appropriate sequence from start to finish.
PCB: Core

• the base element to a PCB is called the “CORE” - this typically

consists of two sheets of thin copper laminated (or glued) to an
insulating material.

• - the insulator is commonly call the “Substrate” or the “Laminate” - this

construction is also called a “Copper Clad” insulator - COREs come in large
sheets which are typically ~18” x 24” (but can be as large as 24” x 48”)
 PCB: Core
• The CORE CORE Conductors - the most commonly used conducting material is Copper (Cu) -
the thickness of the copper sheet is specified in terms of its weight:
2oz = 70 um = 0.0024” The term “weight” refers to the weight in
1oz = 35 um = 0.0012” ounces per square foot”
0.5oz = 17.5 um = 0.0006”
0.25oz = 8.75 um = 0.0003”
We sometimes call this sheet a “foil”
 PCB: Core
• The CORE CORE Insulators - there are many different types of
insulating material, each with varying degrees of: - Cost - Dielectric
Constants - Electrical Performance (i.e,. Disipation factor = loss
tangent) - Mechanical Robustness (rigidity, peel-strength, CTE) -
COREs are typically reinforced with a weave of fiber - FR4 (Fire
Retardant Epoxy #4) is the most common dielectric in use today.
PCB: Patterning
• Patterning - there are 2 common techniques to remove material from the
core to leave only the desired conduction paths.
1) Photoengraving / Photolithography - a photomask is created by printing a
design pattern onto a translucent material.
- this is very similar to printing an overhead transparency using a laser
printer.
- the CORE is then covered in a photosensitive material (photosensitive dry
film, or photoresist).
- - when the photosensitive material is exposed to light, its properties
change.
PCB: Patterning

• 1) Photoengraving / Photolithography cont… - the CORE is exposed to

a light source through the photomask - a solution is then applied that
develops the photosensitive material making is soluble.
PCB: Patterning
• 1) Photoengraving / Photolithography cont… - an etching solution is
then applied to the CORE which removes the “now soluble”
photosensitive material in addition to the copper foil beneath it. - this
etching step removes any copper on the CORE that was exposed to
light through the photomask, thus transferring the pattern. - once the
remaining photosensitive material is stripped using a cleaning
solution, the CORE is left with a pattern of copper identical to the
pattern on the photomask.
PCB: Patterning
• 2) PCB Milling - another subtractive technique is to use a a milling bit
(similar to a router or drill bit) to mechanically remove copper from
the CORE leaving only the desired pattern. - we have one of these
machines at MSU.
PCB: Vias
• Vias (Drilling)
- A via is a structure that electrically connects two different layers of copper in a PCB.
- - the first step in creating a via is to drill a hole where the contact will be made.
- - this can be done using:
1) A mechanical process (i.e., a regular drill bit). This is currently the most common approach.
or
2) A laser (for very small holes)
PCB: Vias
• Vias (Electroless Plating) - The next step in creating a via is to deposit
Copper into the holes in order to Plate the inner diameter of the via
with a conducting material. - PCB Via plating is accomplished by an
Electroless Plating Process in which a series of chemical reactions are
performed to transfer copper atoms from a Sacrificial Copper Source
to the barrels of the via holes.
NOTE: “Electroplating” is
where the metal source is
ionized and drawn to the
target using an electric field.
“Electroless Plating” uses a
chemical reaction to release
hydrogen from the target in
order to create a negative
charge and attract the plating
metal to its surface.
PCB: Vias
- The end result is a structure that connects different layers of a PCB. -
The “via” is also called a “Plated Through Hole”

NOTE: The Aspect Ratio is the ratio of the Thickness of the Hole (or Depth) to be plated to
the Diameter of the Hole. If the aspect ratio is too large (i.e., deep & skinny holes), then the
copper plating will not reach the center of the hole and result in an open circuit.

PCB fab shops will specify the maximum aspect ratio they can achieve (typically ~4-6)
PCB: Pattern Plating
the copper deposited from the Electroless Plating step applies a thin layer of
copper on the entire surface of the CORE in addition to inside the drilled via
holes.
- the plating in the via barrels is typically not thick enough (i.e., <0.001") to
be reliable. To address this, a second Electrochemical plating is performed.
- pattern plating deposits a material over the copper circuitry that will
protect it during a subsequent etch stage. A material such as tin can be
used to cover the copper traces to protect them.
- - the copper is first thickened using an additional Electrochemical plating
process. - once applied, the tin is deposited on the pattern.
- - after the etch, the tin can be stripped off or left on depending on the
manufacturer.
PCB: Solder Mask
solder mask is a protective insulating layer that goes over the outer sides of the PCB. NOTE: this is typically the green material you see
on boards.
- copper is very susceptible to oxidation so if the pattern is going to be exposed to ambient air, they need to receive additional
plating to protect against oxidation.
- - oxidation is the reaction of oxygen with the copper. During this process, the copper is actually consumed. So a thin layer of
copper can actually be completely oxidized into an insulator.
- - solder mask is a layer of polymer that can be applied using either silk screening or a spray.
- - the solder mask covers all conducting circuits on the board with the exception of any pads that components will connect to.

NOTE: The word “pad” has special

meaning in PCBs. It indicates that
a shape of metal: 1) will be used to
connect to a component 2) will not
be covered by solder mask 3) will
receive a surface finish (next step)
4) will receive a layer of solder
paste prior to component loading
(later)
PCB: Surface Finish / Solder Coat
- also referred to as Solder Coat or Exposed Conductor Plating - the
pads of a board must receive a special surface finish to: 1) resist
oxidation from long periods of storage while waiting for loading 2)
prepare them for the application of solder - to accomplish this, a layer
of conducting material is applied to the pads after solder masking. Ex)
Tin-Lead Solder (industry is trying to move to “lead free” plating) Gold
Silver (Lead-Free compliant, ROHS) - this step is what gives the pads on
the board the shiny look that you see
PCB: Silkscreen

- silk screening is the process of adding documentation to the board.

- - the term silk screen refers to the process of transferring a pattern using a special
stencil.
- a stencil is a sheet of material that has physical openings in it that represent the
pattern to be transferred.
- in a silk screen stencil, the openings are typically a set of small dots (i.e., a screen)
- the stencil is laid on top of the board and then a documentation material is
applied to the entire board using a roller & squeegee or spray.
- when the stencil is removed, the documentation material remains in the pattern
of the openings on the stencil. - the board is then baked to harden the
documentation material.
PCB: Silkscreen
- you typically cannot draw silk screen lines that are smaller than the
copper due to the resolution of the screening process.
- when looking at how small of a line can be drawn using a silk screen,
manufacturers typically talk about LPI (lines per inch). In general, the
smallest silk screen lines are ~0.008”
Different Types of Printed Circuit Boards
PCBs have copper tracks to connect the holes where the various
components are located,they are specially designed for each and every
circuit and build construction very easy.
Though, making the PCB necessitates special tools.
The different types of printed circuit boards mainly include the
following:
• Single Sided PCBs
• Double Sided PCBs
• Multilayer PCBs
• Rigid PCBs
• Flex PCBs
• Rigid-Flex PCBs
 Single Sided PCBs
• This single sided printed circuit board includes just one layer of base
material or substrate.
• One end of the substrate is coated with a thin layer of metal, usually
copper because it is a good electrical conductor.
• Generally, a protecting solder mask be seated on the peak of the
copper layer, and a last silkscreen coat may be applied to the top to
mark elements of the board.
Single Sided PCBs
• This PCB consists of various circuits and electronic components on the
only single side.
• This kind of module works most excellent for easy electronics, and
beginners often design and build this type of board first.
• These boards tend to cost less to mass-produce than other types of
boards.
• But although this low cost, they’re used rarely because of their
intrinsic design limitations.
Double Sided PCBs
• This type of PCBs is much more familiar than single-sided boards.
Both sides of the board’s substrate include metal conductive layers,
and elements attach to both sides as well. Holes in the PCB let circuits
on a single side to attach to circuits on the other side.
Double Sided PCBs
• These kind of circuit boards used to connect the circuits on every side using
one of two techniques:
through-hole
surface mount technology.
• Through-hole technology engages feeding small wires, called as leads
through the holes & soldering every end to the suitable component.
• Surface mount technology is different from through-hole technology, it
does not utilize wires. In its place, many little leads get soldered straight
onto the board.
• Surface mount technology permits many circuits to be complete in a lesser
space on a board, meaning the board can execute more functions, typically
at a lesser weight and at faster speeds than through-hole boards let.
Multilayer PCBs
These PCBs further enlarges the density and complexity of PCB designs
by adding extra layers beyond the top & bottom layers seen in a
configuration of double sided. With the accessibility of over many
layers in multilayer printed circuit board configurations, multilayer PCBs
let designers to make very thick and highly compound designs.
Multilayer PCBs
• The extra layers used in this design are power planes, which both
provide the supply to the circuit with power and also decrease the
levels of electromagnetic interference which are emitted by designs.
• Lower EMI levels are attained by placing signal levels in the middle of
power planes.
• The extra layers used in this design are power planes, which both
provide the supply to the circuit with power and also decrease the
levels of electromagnetic interference which are emitted by designs.
• Lower EMI levels are attained by placing signal levels in the middle of
power planes.
Rigid PCBs
• In addition to having different numbers of layers & sides, Printed
circuit boards can also come in changing inflexibilities. Most
customers usually think of inflexible PCBs when they image a circuit
board. Rigid printed circuit boards use a solid, rigid substrate material
like fiberglass that remains the board from twisting. A motherboard
within the tower of a computer is the best example of an inflexible
PCB.
Flex PCBs
• Generally, the substrate in a flexible board is a flexible plastic. This
fundamental material permits the board to fit into forms that
inflexible boards cannot & to turn or shift during use without harmful
the circuits on the printed circuit board.
• Though flex boards tend to charge more to intend and create than
rigid PCBs, they come with a number of advantages. For instance,
they can restore heavy or bulky wiring in superior gear like satellites,
where weight & space matter. Flex boards can also come in three
formats, namely single sided, double-sided or multilayer formats.
Rigid-Flex PCBs

• Rigid flex boards merge technology from

both flexible and rigid circuit boards.
• An easy rigid-flex boards comprises of a
rigid circuit board that joints to a flex
circuit board. These boards can be more
compound if design requests demand.
PCB Softwares?
• Thus, this is all about different types of printed circuit boards, which
includes Sided PCBs, Double Sided PCBs, Multilayer PCBs, Rigid PCBs,
Flex PCBs, Rigid-Flex PCBs, etc.
• We hope that you have got a better understanding of this concept
Single. We hope that you have got a better understanding of this
concept or to implement bread board projects, please give your
valuable suggestions by commenting in the comment section below.
• Here is a question for you, what are the software’s are available for
PCB design?
Common applications and uses for PCBs
Because so many different sectors use PCBs, you can find them almost everywhere in everything
from small consumer devices to huge pieces of machinery. Here are 10 of the most common PCB
applications by industry.
I. Medical Devices
• The healthcare sector is using growing numbers of PCBs as technologies advance, revealing new
capabilities. PCBs play a role in devices used for diagnostics, monitoring, treatment and more.
II. LEDs
• Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are an increasingly popular lighting technology used for residential
and commercial lighting and across numerous industries including the automotive, medical and
computer technology sectors. LEDs are favored for their energy efficiency, long life and
compactness.
III. Consumer Electronics
• Smartphone, computers and the many other consumer products that people use daily require
PCBs to function. As we add electronics to more of our products, PCBs become a bigger part of
our Daily lives.ons by industry.
Common applications and uses for PCBs
III. Industrial Equipment
• Printed circuit board uses in the industrial sector vary widely. Electronic components power much of the
equipment in manufacturing and distribution centers as well as other types of industrial facilities.
IV. Automotive Components
• Automotive manufacturers are using growing numbers of electronic components in their vehicles. In earlier
times, PCBs were only used for things like windshield wipers and headlight switches, but today they enable
many advanced features that make driving safer and easier.
V. Aerospace Components
• The electronics used in aerospace applications have similar requirements to those used in the automotive
sector, but aerospace PCBs may be exposed to even harsher conditions. PCBs may be used in a variety of
aerospace equipment including planes, space shuttles, satellites and radio communications systems.
VI. Maritime Applications
• All sorts of marine vessels and systems rely on PCBs to function. This includes small vessels, large cargo
ships, submarines, communications systems and navigation equipment.
Common applications and uses for PCBs
VII. Safety and Security Equipment
• Many aspects of security systems, whether for homes, businesses or
government buildings, rely on PCBs. They play a role in our safety and
security more often than many people realize.
VIII. Telecommunications Equipment
• PCBs are a critical part of the telecommunications industry. They're
necessary for consumer devices such as Smartphone but also for the
infrastructure that enables those devices to work.
• IX. Military and Defense Applications
• The military uses PCBs for a wide range of applications, including
communications equipment, computers, vehicles, firearms and more.