Glossary
- Analog Circuit
An electrical circuit that provides a continuous quantitative output as a response from its input.
- Automated Test Equipment (ATE)
Equipment that automatically tests and analyzes functional parameters to evaluate performance of the tested electronic devices.
- Ball Grid Array (BGA)
A surface mount package in which solder balls on the underside of the device are soldered to the printed circuit board pads.
- Bare Board (Bare PCB)
A printed Circuit Board that has no components assembled to it.
- Bare Board Test
A method automatically testing all connected points on a PCB to ensure connectivity and quality.
- Bill Of Materials
An Itemised list of components used in the manufacture of a Printed Circuit Board Assembly ( PCBA).
- Chip
The individual circuit or component of a silicon wafer, the leadless form of an electronic component.
- Design For Manufacturing (DFM)
Checks that ensure that the design fits the fabrication process requirements.
DFM includes a check for minimal trace width, minimal trace-to-trace distance, minimal hole clearance, etc.- Dielectric
An insulating medium between conductors.
- DIP
Dual in-line package with two rows of leads from the base in standard spacing between the leads and row. DIP is a through-hole mounting package.
- DRC
Design Rule Check. A process to ensure that a proposed PCB design is both manufacturable and electrically sound.
- Edge Connector
A connector on the edge of a printed circuit board quite often plated with gold to connect the PCB with another PCB or electronic device.
- Edge Clearance
The smallest distance a component or track is from the edge of a PCB.
- Electroless Deposition
The coating of normally Gold or Silver on to the track of a PCB by the reduction of metal ions in a chemical solution without using electrodes.
- Electroplating
The opposite to the above electrodes are used to deposit the plating from a electrolytic solution onto a PCB track using a DC current.
- Electronic Component
A part of the printed circuit board, such as resistor, capacitor, transistor, etc.
- Fine Pitch
Fine pitch is more commonly referred to surface-mount components with a lead pitch of 25 mils or less.
- Footprint
Geometry of pads for soldering certain electronic component.
- FR4
The most common base material a PCB is made from. Made from woven glass fibre impregnated with epoxy resin.
- Functional Test
The electrical testing of an assembled electronic device with simulated function generated by the test hardware and software.
- Gerber File
Data file used to control a photo-plotter.
- Ground Plane
A conductive plane as a common ground reference in a multilayer board for current returns of the circuit elements and shielding.
- IC
Integrated Circuit.
- In-Circuit Test
Electrical test of individual component or part of the circuit board instead of testing the whole circuit.
- Leakage Current
A small amount of current that flows across a dielectric area between two adjacent conductors.
- Legend
Printed letters or symbols on the board, such as part numbers and product number or logos to show the position and orientation of assembled components.
- Minimum Conductor Width
The smallest width of any conductors, such as traces, on a board.
- Multilayer PCB
A PCB made up by laminating thin PCBs each with a different part of a circuit on each and interconnecting them with via holes. 4-16 layers are common.
- Minimum Conductor Space
The smallest distance between any two adjacent conductors, such as traces, on a board.
- NC Drill
Numeric Control machine used to drill the holes in a PCB.
- Net
A set of pads that are to be connected electrically on the board.
- Netlist
List of parts and their connection points which are connected in each net of a circuit.
- NPTH
Non-plated through-hole.
- Pad
Metallized area of the board for connection and attachment of electronic components.
- PCB
Printed Circuit Board.
- Pin (pinout)
Part of an electronic component which is soldered to the board.
- Pitch
The center-to-center spacing between conductors, such as pads and pins, on a board.
- Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier (PLCC)
A component package with J-leads.
- PTH (plated-through hole)
A plated hole used as a conducting interconnection between different layers or sides of a board either used as connection for through-hole component or as a via.
- Routing (tracing)
The process of placing electronic connections (traces) between pads on the board.
- Signal Layer
Layer of a board, in which traces can be placed. For a two-sided board two signal layers are available – the Top and the Bottom layers.
- Silk screen
A layer designed for placing legend elements on the top or bottom side of the board. Two corresponding layers are available – the Top Silk and the Bottom Silk.
- Small Outline Integrated Circuit (SOIC)
An integrated circuit with two parallel rows of pins in surface mount package.
- SMD
Surface Mount Device.
- SMT
-
Surface Mount Technology.
- Test Point
A specific point in a circuit board used for specific testing for functional adjustment or quality test in the circuit-based device.
- Thermal Pad
Pad of a special form used when it is connected to copper pours. Thermal pads improve solderability of the joint, reducing the chance of a so called “cold solder joint.”
- Through-hole
A drilled hole in the board, usually for mounting purposes.
- Trace (or Route)
A layout or wiring of an electrical connection.
- UL
Underwriter’s Laboratories. A popular safety standard for electrical devices supported by many underwriters.
- Via
A plated-through hole used for interconnection of conductors on different sides or layers of a circuit board.
- Wave Soldering
A manufacturing operation in which solder joints are soldered simultaneously using a wave of molten solder.