What Are Computer Circuit Boards

How do circuit boards work, A circuit board, also called a motherboard (aka MoBo) is the heart of your computer. It connects all the different components that make your computer work, including the CPU, memory, graphics card and hard drive, to each other via copper traces. A circuit board is made up of multiple layers of insulating material and copper foil that has been etched to form the necessary conductor patterns. It is then coated with a protective layer, which makes it easier to manufacture. A computer circuit board contains a number of important components, like resistors, transistors and capacitors, that help it perform its vital functions.

The earliest printed circuit boards were very simple devices. The first patent for a PCB-like device was filed in 1903 by German inventor Albert Hanson. His device was a flat conductor on a multi-layer insulating substrate. The insulating material was made of materials such as cotton paper impregnated with phenolic resin and tan or brown in color.

In modern times, computer circuit boards are more sophisticated and complex. They can contain a wide variety of functions, from simple storage and computational circuits to more complex systems that act as the brains of electronic devices such as smartphones, radio alarm clocks and MP3 players. They are also very durable and long-lasting, able to withstand extreme heat, moisture and physical force without breaking apart. They are also extremely safe – unlike wires, the circuits on a PCB are fixed in place and insulated from each other, eliminating the chance of accidental contact with bare copper connections.

One of the most important functions of a computer circuit board is its ability to disperse heat. All electrical components generate heat, and the metal layers on a PCB help to disperse this heat into the air and surrounding environment.

Another function of a computer circuit board is its ability o provide structural support for the components, making it possible to attach them to each other. This is especially important for larger components, such as the CPU, that require a large amount of space on the board. Finally, a computer circuit board is easy to repair and recycle. Recyclable electronics reduce environmental impact and save energy by reducing the need to mine and refine new resources.

The process of creating a computer circuit board begins with setting the design parameters. These include component layout parameters, board layer parameters and wiring parameters. Protel software is then used to automatically or manually lay out the component locations. It is also used to create a schematic of the circuit board. The next step is to drill mounting holes and coat the board with copper in preparation for wire routing.

Once the conductive tracks on a computer circuit board are designed, it is ready to be manufactured. The etched pattern is protected from dissolution into the etching solution by a layer of photoresist, which is coated on top of the copper layers. A photographic negative of the conductive track design is then developed and used to mass-produce the PCB.