Overview of single layer PCB
Generally speaking, the single sided PCB is obtained by etching the copper clad board. The copper clad board is composed of a board base and copper foil. The board base is usually made of insulating materials such as glass fiber and covered with a layer of copper foil (usually oxygen-free copper). After the copper foil has been etched, there remains a section of zigzag copper foil. These copper foils are called traces. The function of these wires is equivalent to those wires in the circuit schematic and they are responsible for connecting the pins of the components together. There are some holes drilled in the copper foil to install electronic components, called drilling holes. The copper foil used for soldering with component pins is called pad. Obviously, a single layer PCB board can provide a fixed and assembled mechanical support for electronic components, and can realize electrical connection or insulation between electronic components. In addition, we can also see component numbers and some graphics printed on many single-sided PCBs, which provide convenience for component insertion, inspection and maintenance.
The origin of one sided PCB
The inventor of the simple PCB board is Paul Eisler, an Austrian, who used a printed circuit board in a radio device in 1936. In 1943, the Americans used this technology extensively in military radios. In 1948, the United States officially recognized this invention for commercial use. Since the mid-1950s, single-sided PCB technology has only begun to be widely adopted.
Before the appearance of single sided copper clad board PCB, the interconnection between electronic components was achieved by direct connection of wires. But now, the circuit panel only exists as an effective experimental tool; the printed circuit board has occupied an absolute dominant position in the electronics industry.
Advantages of single layer PCB circuit board
(1) Ideal choice for simple low-density design, especially for large-volume orders
(2) Less likely to cause problems
(3) Common and easy to understand by most printed circuit board supplies
Applications of single sided PCB
Type of materials used for single sided PCB
(1) Phenolic paper substrate
The most commonly used product models for phenolic paper based copper clad laminate are FR-1 (flame retardant) and XPC (non-flame retardant). Single-sided copper clad laminates can be easily judged from the color of the characters on the back of the plate. Generally, the red letter is FR-1 (flame-retardant type), and the blue letter is XPC (non-flame-retardant type). This type of plate is cheaper compared with other types of plates.
(2) Epoxy glass fiber cloth substrate
Epoxy fiberglass cloth substrate (commonly known as epoxy board, FR4), is a type of board with epoxy resin as the adhesive, and electronic grade glass fiber cloth as the reinforcing material. Its bonding sheet and inner core thin copper clad laminate are important substrates for making multilayer PCB board. The working temperature is relatively higher, and its performance is less affected by the environment. In terms of processing technology, it has great advantages over other resin glass fiber cloth substrates. This type of product is mainly used for double sided circuit board, and is also about twice as expensive as phenolic paper substrates. Its usual thickness is 1.5mm.
(3) Composite substrate
Composite substrate mainly refers to CEM-1 and CEM-3 composite base copper clad laminate. Wood pulp fiber paper or cotton pulp fiber paper is used as the core reinforcement material, and glass fiber cloth is used as the surface reinforcement material. Both of them are impregnated with a copper-clad laminate made of flame-retardant epoxy resin, called CEM-1. The copper clad laminates all impregnated with flame-retardant epoxy resin and the glass fiber paper is used as the core reinforcement material, and the glass fiber cloth is used as the surface reinforcement material are called CEM-3. These two types of copper clad laminates are the most common composite base copper clad laminates. This type of sheet is cheaper than FR4 type.
As a professional single layer PCB manufacturer, ZF Electronics provides high-quality PCB products at the proper price. If you need to buy a well-functioning single-sided PCB, feel free to contact ZF Electronics!
