When Were Printed Circuit Boards Invented?

The printed circuit board is a type of electrical circuit board that is used to transmit electronic signals through electronic devices. Paul Eisler was the man who patented the PCB. Since its invention, the technology has helped us build space stations, make our phones work, and even reduce the cost of making electronic devices.

They reduced the cost of manufacturing electronic devices

The introduction of print circuit boards reduced the cost of producing electronic devices by making them more compact and lightweight. These boards are composed of a copper layer and a substrate, and have a silkscreen and solder mask. Prior to the introduction of printed circuit boards, circuits were built by connecting components directly with wires. In most cases, the wires were soldered to the components’ leads to create conductive paths. Moreover, the production of circuits was very labor-intensive and expensive.

PCBs can contain multiple layers of copper, which are almost always arranged in pairs. The number of layers and the interconnection design indicate the complexity of a board. The more layers a board has, the more complex it is, and the more time is required to produce it. Moreover, the number of vias used in a board also influences its complexity. While fewer vias lead to a simpler and cheaper PCB, more layers are required for higher-end circuits.

PCBs can be categorized into flexible and rigid boards. Rigid-flex PCBs are an innovative hybrid of the two types. The main benefit of flex PCBs is that they have all of the electronic interconnectivity within the board, which helps to reduce the board size and weight while maintaining their reliability and durability. Further, these flexible PCBs can be used in wearable devices and disposable electronic devices. This new type of printed circuit boards has opened up new avenues for creative electrical designers and manufacturers to create electronic devices with unique and functional specifications.