Understanding 5 Electronic Components Used in Circuit Boards

The printed circuit board assembly process is a complex one involving interaction with many small components and a detailed knowledge of each part’s functions and placement. A circuit board will not function without its electrical components. In addition, different components are used depending on the device or product it is intended for. As such, it is important to have in-depth understanding of the different components that go into printed circuit board assembly.

The following common components are used in most printed circuit boards:

1. Resistors

Resistors control the electric currents that pass through them, as well as the voltage in each component connected to them. Without resistors, other components may not be able to handle the voltage and this may result in overloading.

2. Transistors

Transistors are crucial to the printed circuit board assembly process due to their multi-functional nature. They are semiconductor devices that can both conduct and insulate and can act as switches and amplifiers. They are smaller in size, have a relatively longer life, and can operate at lower voltage supplies safely without a filament current. Transistors come in two types: bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and field effect transistors (FET).

3. Capacitors

Capacitors are passive two-terminal electronic components. They act like rechargeable batteries – they can store electrical energy, and then transmit that energy again when needed.

4. Inductors

Inductors are passive two-terminal electronic components that store energy in a magnetic field when an electric current passes through them. Inductors are used to block alternating currents while allowing direct currents to pass. They can be combined with capacitors to make tuned circuits, which are used in radio and TV receivers.

5. Diodes

Diodes are semiconductor components that act as one-way switches for currents. They allow currents to pass easily in one direction but restricts currents from flowing in the opposite direction.

Understanding these electrical components, which make up only one part of a complex puzzle, helps us realize the complexity of printed circuit board assembly and why it is crucial work with reputable companies.

Permatech Electronics, being one of the largest suppliers of Printed Circuit Board Assemblies in the GTA, is compliant with all the latest best practices for electronic quality assurance – evidence of this includes our registration as an ISO 9001:2015 company. You can rest assured that our processes and testing for our printed circuit board assembly is held to the highest standards.

The capacitor has two terminals. It’s a device that stores electric charge and electric energy in an electric field. The capacitor’s unit is capacitance and is expressed as the electric charge ratio on each conductor to the potential difference between them. The capacitance value of a capacitor is measured in farads(F). Capacitors, like resistors, can combine in parallel or series within a circuit.

What are Capacitors used for?

The capacitor is used in AC to DC conversion, for coupling and decoupling, in timers, for signal processing and as sensors, etc.

Capacitors have many shapes in sizes but at the core they have two electrically conducting plates separated by a dielectric insulting material.

The equation for capacitor design is:

C = εA/d

Where C is Capacitance; ε is permittivity, a term for how well dielectric material stores an electric field; and A is the parallel plate area.