What is the difference between PCB and PCBA?

PCB is an abbreviation of Printed Circuit Board, which mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components and parts.

It is a board that electrically connects electronic parts utilizing conductive tracks, connection pads, and is formed from copper foil overlaid onto a non-conductive substrate. PCB’s can be single sided (one copper layer), double sided (two copper layers), or multi-layer (external and internal layers). Conductors on various layers are associated with vias (plated-through and buried layer connections). Multi-layer PCB’s can these days be up to 40 layers.

PCBs are designed using the developed schematic from the design engineer. The use of CAD software to create the schematic and PCB ensure this process is efficient and reliable.

PCB material is many and varied, the most common is a fiberglass compound with copper tack top and bottom. When multiple layers are employed the PCB is made up of a sandwich of copper layers and insulating material. High frequency products like satellite receivers can use a ceramic compound rather than fiberglass to improve RF performance. In small products PCBs can be made from a mylar flexible base material with copper track and parts are soldered onto the flexible material.

The copper layer on the PCB can be of differing thickness from as little as 35um up to several mm.

A PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) is the process of assembling the PCB with the associated components and parts. This is the process of creating the product the PCB was designed for.

How is a PCB used?

All electronic technology today utilizes a PCB either rigid or flexible. A PCB can be developed for use in electronic gadgets like TVs and radios, mobile phones, cameras, and PC parts like Motherboard and Graphic cards. PCBs are likewise utilized in the assembling of lighting gear, clinical hardware, car industry, and most mechanical apparatus.

PCB is a part used in most electronic products. It holds the electronic parts and provides an electrical connection for the components. PCB’s remarkable highlights can be summed up as follows:

Types of PCB:

There are different types of PCBA. Some types are given below

1. Single layer PCB:
   Additionally alluded to as single-sided PCB, this is the easiest and the lowest cost PCB in low cost hardware since it is easy to plan and create. The single-layer PCB is covered with one layer of directing material, regularly copper. An insulating material can be fiberglass or similar insulting compound. A layer of solder resist is utilized to shield the PCB from oxidation. A silkscreen denotes the parts of the PCB. This kind of PCB is utilized in ease yet mass creation applications like printers, radio, and calculator. This is becoming less common except in very simple products.
2. Double layer PCB:
   Otherwise called double sided PCB, this PCB has a layer of directing material, normally copper, applied to both the top and base sides of the board. This is the most common type of PCB utilizing fiberglass as the base material and usually 1.6mm in thickness. Double sided helps to reduce the overall size of the PCB. It is usually utilized in modern controls, UPS frameworks, converters, telephones, power observing units, intensifiers, and HVAC applications.
3. Multilayer PCB:
   This sort of PCB accompanies in excess of two conductive layers of copper. The board is made by sandwiching copper layers between the insulating layers. It is utilized in complex applications like satellite frameworks, GPS innovation, document workers, and information stockpiling hardware and clinical gear. Current technology can produce multilayer PCBs up to 40 copper layers.

PCBA- Printed Circuit Assembly:

PCBA is the whole cycle of assembling the blank PCB with the components it needs to create the product it was designed for. There are 2 types of components that are soldered onto PCB, through hole and SMT. Surface Mounted Technology (SMT) is the most common the parts are small and low cost. The process usually includes applying a solder paste to the pads on the PCB sometimes larger parts are first glued down. The parts are placed on the PCB then the entire assembly passes through a thermal over to melt the solder and ensure the connection of the parts to the PCB.

From the description above, we can establish that the PCB is the blank unloaded PCB, with no electronic components on it. For the most part, PCB is an exposed board while PCBA is the process of assembling the PCB with the components it needs.
Extron Design Services has an accomplished production network for all your electronic assembling requirements. From surface-mount, through-hole, to complex BGA devices. We can help design the best PCB for you to achieve your need