2.1 KiB
| title | type | description | images | usage | whereToFind | alsoKnownAs | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| PCB (Printed Circuit Board) | PCB | This is the description |
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The circuit exists on the PCB | Everywhere! | Protoboard, breadboard, circuit |
Printed Circuit Boards, or PCBs, are the panels on which the electronic circuit is placed. Older boards often reveal hand-drawn traces, which are much more fluid in design. With computerized PCB design, those lines straightened out. Most PCBs are made from FR4 (glass fiber and epoxy)1.
The copper tracks on a PCB are usually covered with a green protective layer, known as solder mask. Sand this off and to expose the copper underneath, ready to solder onto again.
Most boards are labeled. They can include a date, information about connections, component numbering2, and sometimes even their their values 3.
Not all PCBs follow the industrial template. Artists and other tinkerers have come up with alternatives: the paper circuits of Ciat-Lonbarde, or Dirty Electronics’ boards made from wood and nails. These kinds of formats offer a more punk-diy way of publishing projects, where the format is not set in stone. Paper can be cut, nails can be moved, inviting a maker to explore the circuit more then just soldering a pre-compiled kit.[@blasserStoresMall2015][@richardsDIYElectronicMusic2013] For our circuits, these approaches are ideal—still flexible, still open to change.
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Fiberglass is very strong, but can be sawn through. When sawing, make sure you wear the right protection, microfibers can end up anywhere. ↩︎
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The schematic contains references to the component number, helping with debugging. ↩︎
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Some devices take this idea further. The Korg Monotron includes extra patch points directly on the board for DIY mods and expansions. ↩︎