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PCB Glossary
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Computer Aided Design
Computer Aided Manufacturing is the automation of manufacturing systems and techniques, including numerical control, process control, robotics and materials requirements planning.
Design For Manufacturing is the design methodology which includes a set of techniques to modify the design in order to make it suitable for manufacturing.
Design Rule Check is a set of checks or analysis that determines whether a particular design satisfies a series of recommended parameters called Design Rules.
A Gerber File is a standard file format used by Printed Circuit Board (PCB) fabrication houses that contains information necessary for computer controlled machines to draw exact patterns for circuit boards. Common type of Gerber files are RS-274-X and RS-274-D
Ground Plane
A Ground Plane is a conductive plane as a common ground reference in a multilayer board for current returns of the circuit elements and shielding.
Legend
It deals with printed letters or symbols on the board, such as part numbers and product number or logos.
Minimum Conductor Width
This is the smallest width of any conductors, such as traces, on a board.
Minimum Space
This is the smallest distance between any two adjacent conductors, such as traces, on a board.
Net
A net is a set of pads to be connected electrically on the board.
Netlist
It is a list of logic gates and their interconnections which make up a circuit.
NPTH
Non-plated through hole
Printed Circuit Board
Pitch
It is the center-to-center distance between pads and pins, on a board.
PTH
A Plated-Through Hole is 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.
Signal layer
It is a 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
It is 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.
Solder mask
It is an insulating pattern applied to a printed circuit board that exposes only the areas to be soldered
SMD
Surface Mount Device.
SMT
Surface Mount Technology.
Test Point
It deals with a specific point in a circuit board used for specific testing for functional adjustment or quality test in the circuit-based device.
Thermal pad
It is a 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
It is a drilled hole in the board, usually for mounting purposes.
UL
Underwriter's Laboratories are a popular safety standard for electrical devices supported by many underwriters.
Via
This is a conducting pathway between two or more substrates (layers). The via is created by drilling through the board at the appropriate place where two or more layers will interconnect and allowing copper to run through the hole.
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