PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
makerA PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a substrate used to support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive tracks, pads, and other features etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate.
expanded
In practical applications, PCBs form the foundational technology for virtually all modern electronic devices, providing both the physical structure for component placement and the necessary electrical pathways between them. They are essential in minimizing the size of devices and enhancing their performance by ensuring reliable and accurate component connections. Typical materials used include FR-4, a glass-reinforced epoxy laminate, for its thermal stability and dielectric properties.
examples
The Arduino Uno microcontroller board uses a single-layer PCB with dimensions of 68.6 mm x 53.4 mm (2.7 in x 2.1 in), supporting the ATmega328P microcontroller and various input/output connectors.
Often used by hobbyists and makers for prototyping electronic projects or educational purposes.
The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B features a multi-layer PCB measuring 85.6 mm x 56.5 mm (3.37 in x 2.22 in) to accommodate a high-performance Broadcom BCM2711, quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz, with embedded RAM chips and various I/O connections.
Commonly utilized in compact computing projects or as a gateway for IoT applications due to its processing power and connectivity options.