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What are the Components of PCB?

PCB components are the parts making up a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). Without
these parts, the circuit board might not be fully optimized to attain all the potentials.
In this article, we explain what these components have to contribute to the PCB.

What is a PCB?

The full name is Printed Circuit Board. It is a centralized or mono-circuit-board

“warehouse” designed to accommodate most of the components used in consumer
electronics. PCBs are in high-demand because of the less complicated process they
bring when designing modern electronics.

Before the introduction, consumer electronics were mainly designed with different
components and wires all scattered inside the product. But with the introduction and
the continuous innovations in PCB designs, these parts can now be housed or placed
inside one place – the circuit board.

Wikipedia defined PCB as one of the core engineering concepts and processes that
allow for the “connection of electronic components to one another in a controlled
manner.”

Today, PCBs can be manufactured with different process technologies, such as

the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and the Through Hole Technology (THT).
PCBs have also been optimized to work with and accept the integration of different
parts, including Integrated Circuits (ICs).

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How Do You Identify PCB Components?

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If a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is placed in front of you, how are you going to
identify it? What are some of the clues to look out for when checking for the
components on the board?

The first thing to have in mind is that identifying the electronic components might be
difficult, but luckily, there are some clues to figure it all out.

Thus, below is a table showing some of the designators – the letters or alphabets
likely to be printed on the PCB’s surface. Beside each of those designators is the full
meaning. So, the next time you see the letters or alphabets marked on the PCB, you
know what they mean.

Designators Full Name

ATT Attenuator
BT Battery
CB Circuit Breaker
BR Bridge Rectifier
D Diode
C Capacitor
G Oscillator
DC Directional Coupler
F Fuse
IC Integrated Circuit
J Jack or Jumper
L Inductor
K Contractor/Relay

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P Plug
LED Light Emitting Diode
PS Power Supply
LS Loudspeaker
MOV Metal Oxide Varistor
SW Switch
Q Transistor
TB Terminal Block
POT Potentiometer
TP Test Point
R Resistor
TR Transistor
T Transformer
X Transducer
TC Thermocouple
U Integrated Circuit
Z/ZD Zener Diode
VR Variable Resistor
XTAL Crystal
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Understand the General Classifications of the

Components

One of the best ways of identifying the components mounted or placed on a Printed
Circuit Board (PCB) is by understanding the general classifications.

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Generally, the components are classified into

the mechanical and electrical components. Each of the two works in different ways
and understanding these processes will help you figure out the PCB components
faster.

How the Electrical Components Work

As the name signifies, these are the components that rely on electrical energy. They
are usually placed on the PCB using either of the Surface Mount Technology
(SMT) or Through Hole Technology (THT). Both are process technologies used in
the design and configuration of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).

The electrical components are either soldered directly to the PCB or passed into the
circuit board, using wires.

Mechanical Components

These types of PCB components use a “mechanized” process, which has to do with
the type of metal used in them. Typically, the mechanical PCB components are made
of aluminum, but there are a couple of others made from steel, copper and bronze.

The difference between the mechanical and the electrical components is that unlike
the electrical that provide electrical functions, the mechanical components don’t.
Instead, the primary function of mechanical components is to provide additional or
secondary support to the PCB.

How to Identify the Through Hole Components

The Through Hole Technology (THT) is one of the process technologies used to
manufacture Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).

The components placed on the board via this technology are typically large-sized and
have long leads. These leads have openings for holes to be passed through them to
enable the placement on the PCB.

So, if you see a PCB component that has is attached to a pad with solder, it is likely to
be a THT component.

While it is easy to identify a Through Hole Technology (THT) component, it is not

always the case with a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) component.

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What are SMT Components?

These are the PCB components “mounted” or “placed atop” the Printed Circuit Board
(PCB). Unlike the THT components, they do not use holes for the mounting process.

While these components can be identified because of the shorter leads and absence of
holes, there are a couple of other important factors to have in mind.

Below are some of them:

 These components have shorter leads.

 They do not have holes.
 These components rely on soldering of the surfaces to the coppers pads atop
the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

The Broader Division of Electrical PCB Components

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), which are classified under the electrical components,
are furthered divided into the passive and the active electrical components.

Remember that the electrical PCB components are the circuit board parts, which are
acting as secondary materials. Thus, all they do most of the time is to provide
electrical connection of the components/parts to the PCB, either in the form of direct
soldering or through wired connections.

Now, most of the electronic power configurations of a PCB are delivered via these
electrical components. These parts are also further broken down into the passive and
the active components, depending on how they transmit the electrical signal.

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The Passive Electrical Components

Being “passive” implies that these parts do not directly transfer electrical energy or
control the flow or passage of energy through them. Most of the passive electrical
components have two (2) leads.

While the easiest way to identify a passive electrical component is via the silk
screen printing atop the Printed Circuit Board (PCB), there can be other ways to
identify it.

Below are some of the popular linear passive components you can find as a way of
identifying the passive electrical parts on a PCB.

1. Capacitors (C)

Capacitors are one of the popular through hole components. They are identified with
the Capacitance Value or “C.” So, if you see a component or circuit part marked as “C”
or starting the alphabet “C,” there is a chance that it is a capacitor.

Now that we know how to identify a capacitor, let us understand how it works. It is
used to store energy in an “electric field” and is usually rated in Farads. The rating
can either be written in Millifarads (mF) or in Microfarads (µF).

2. Fuse (F)

Denoted by the alphabet “F,” the Fuse is one of the most outstanding components
used in PCB manufacturing. It is also easy-to-identify. You can recognize it because
of the typical glass body, through which a fuse wire can be seen. The Fuse also has
metal caps, which protect both ends of the fuse.

Note that it is common for the fuse to have the above characteristics if it is a through
hole component. However, if you are working with a surface mount fuse, the
properties typically include a semi-clear tube axial leaded slightly above the fuse’s
surface.

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3. Resistors

As the name signifies, the resistors are used for “resistance” – but the question is,
what are the resistors resisting?

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Resistors are one of the passive electrical PCB components, because they are
designed in the form of passive two-terminal components. At the core of the
operation is the “resistance,” “restriction” or “prevention” of electric currents to pass
through them.

Resistors can also be used to “wedge” or stop the passage of the voltage in each of the
connected components.

Since the function of a resistor is “current or voltage restriction,” how then can one
tell if it is a resistor or not? We have an idea on how to identify it faster.

First, check if the component has a longish body or structure and if green or blue
bands of different colors are imprinted on it. If it does, it means that it is a resistor,
because those varying colors highlight the important elements, such as the tolerance
and value.

The second way to identify a resistor is by checking the alphabets. Resistors typically
start with the alphabet “R.”

The third and most difficult way to identify this component is by considering the body
size. Although the ideal size is longish, there are some that could be smaller,
especially if these resistors are manufactured with the Surface Mount Technology
(SMT). For this type of resistors, the body size is smaller and might not any marking
or color to signify them. But if you are able to pick out the alphabet “R,” it will be a
lot easier for you.

4. Connectors

These are also one of the passive PCB components. Ideally, connectors are used for
“connecting,” “attaching” or “integrating” multiple components. The ideal design is
the attachment of the circuit board to a larger component. It can also be used to
connect the attach one circuit board to another.

The simplest way to identify a connector in a PCB is to look out for the initial
alphabet “K.” It is also possible to make the identification by:

 They can integrate with jumpers. In this instance, the jumper wires will have
connector pins at each end of the wires.
 The sizes of the connectors also vary. They can either be slim or large. If they
are slim, it means that the connectors are optimized for the flat cables to
connect to them. But, if they are larger, it implies that other connectors can
connect or be plugged into them.

5. Inductors

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Inductors are easily denoted by the alphabet “L.” They are also a two-terminal
component, primarily used for storing the electric power or store energy in a magnetic
field. The energy storage happens when electric current passes through the inductors.

Note that the inductors are easily identified with the initial alphabet “L,” but there
could be some other technicalities making it impossible to identify the component.
Due to these, you want to pay more attention to the values or markings imprinted on
it.

Inductors can be identified with any of the following markings or values:

 H
 µH
 mH

6. Battery

We will not complete the list of electronic components mounted or “passed through”
a circuit board without mentioning the battery.

The commonest way to identify a battery is to look out for the alphabets “BT” on the
body. The battery is one of the passive electrical components and is used for storing
energy and providing backup power for the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

Aside from the imprinting of either “BT” or “B” on the body, the battery can also be
identified with any of the following:

 Check if it has either a blue or a green shrink-wrapping.

 The shape can be in any of the following forms: coin-shaped,
rectangular-shaped or cylindrical-shaped.

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The Active PCB Components

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Now that we understand some of the small electronic devices or components used in
the passive states, let us look at the active ones.

The following are some of the active PCB components, all generally classified under
electric current PCB component.

First, let us understand why they are called active components. They are so-called,
because these are the components that help facilitate the electric signal passage in the
PCB. These components are also available in both the Surface Mount and Through
Hole process technologies.

Besides, you can use the active PCB components to enable electrical signal passage in
different ways.

With that said, here are some of the popular active components in today’s PCB
assembly process:

7. Integrated Circuits

Denoted by either the alphabet “U” or the alphabets “IC,” the Integrated Circuit is
one of the easiest PCB components to identify. It has been in use for over 6 decades
now, but the modern electronics spot new features, such as microcontrollers and
microprocessors.

It is pertinent to mention here that the IC is the “powerhouse” of the Printed Circuit
Board (PCB), as the absence can hamper the board’s further configuration. It attained
that status because of the following factors:

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 Integrated Circuits (ICs) hold the major “building blocks” of a PCB. These
blocks include but are not limited to oscillator, amplifier (especially the
Operational Amplifier), microprocessor, memory and timer devices.
 Because of the optimization as a microchip, the ICs help to save circuit board
space.

Integrated Circuits (ICs) are also known by other names, such as Microchip, Chip and
IC.

While you can identify the IC with the alphabets “U” or “IC” imprinted on the silk
screen next to the circuit board, it can also be identified some other way.

An alternative identification method is by checking the size of the body and the
number of lads. That brings us to the different classifications of the IC. It can be
broadly classified into the through-hole and the surface-mount variants.

If you are working with the through-hole IC, the identification metrics are:

 The ICs can come either in form of dual-in-line or single-in-line packages.

 The through-hole chips have several leads on either one side or on both the
long sides.
 You can also identify a through-hole IC because of the longish body.

On the other hand, the surface-mount Integrated Circuit (IC) offers more package
options than the through-hole chips do. In addition to supporting the dual-inline and
the single-inline packages, the surface-mount ICs also support the following:

 Ball Grid Array (BGA)

 Quad chip packaging

We want to mention that before an IC is made, it has to be processed via a wafer or

wafers of semiconductor materials. Despite housing multiple components, on a
standalone basis, ICs are small electronic devices, which have been “united” or
“integrated” in the same footprint to offer multiple functionalities at once, while
saving circuit board space.

8. Diodes

Denoted by the alphabet “D,” Diodes are one of the PCB components you can easily
identify. Note that these components typically regulate voltages, most times, doing so
in a one-way model. It means that the diodes act as a one-way switch for currents or
voltages in a Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

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How Diodes Work

As a one-way switch for currents or voltages, diodes help to pass “one current at a
time.” Thus, it allows currents or voltages from one direction to pass, while
preventing the same coming from a different direction from passing.

Aside from the current or the voltage restriction capabilities, the diodes also help to
rectify the Alternating Current (AC) into the Direct Current (DC).

Here are some clues on how to identify if the component you find on circuit boards
are diodes:

 The through-hole diodes are identified by the transparent glass cylinders,

small cylindrical shapes with protruding leads, and black opaque bodies.
 For the surface-mount diodes, they can be identified by the following: polarity
marking and denoting with either the alphabets “Z” or “ZD” – for the Zener
Diodes.

Classifications of Diodes for Easy Identification

You may have seen diodes, but you didn’t know what they are. Well, there are several
types of diodes and understanding these can help you in placing a hand on them when
you see one.

First, you want to understand that the diodes are made of semiconductors and
typically have the P-N junction. With that being said, here are some of the types of
diodes:

 Tunnel diode
 Zener diode
 Rectifier diode
 Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR)
 Photodiode
 Bridge rectifier
 Varicap diode
 Schottky diode
 Constant-current diode
 Shockley diode
 Light-Emitting Diode (LED): The Light-Emitting Diode, also called the LED,
is one of the popular diodes. It is generally known to be used to emit light. The
process of emitting the light involves the use of the LED to convert the
electrical energy into light.

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9. Transistors

Transistors are a part of semiconductor devices. It plays an important role in the

electrical connections of PCBs, especially those requiring mass production.

Transistors work by amplifying and rectifying electrical signals inside Integrated

Circuits (ICs). Transistors also perform several other functions, such as:

 Conducting and insulating electrical signals

 Acting as amplifiers
 Transistors also act as switches for these electrical signals

The following are some ideas on how to identify a transistor inside a Printed Circuit
Board (PCB):

 Check for the marking. Transistors typically start with the alphabet “Q.”
 Transistors can operate at lower voltages, even when they don’t use a filament
current.
 These components are smaller in size
 There are several variants of transistors, ranging from Field Effect
Transistors (FETs), PNP Darlington Transistors, Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs), PNP Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)
and N-Channel MOSFETs.

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What are the 3 Types of PCB?

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Product-Assembly

There are several types of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), but three (3) of them are
outstanding. Here are the 3 and how they work:

Single-Sided PCB

Also called the single sided boards, these are the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) that
don’t use multiple conductive layers. Instead, it uses just one conductive copper layer,
which is placed above the substrate.

The general specifications include:

 The placement of one layer of the base substrate and one single, conductive
layer, which make up the fiberglass and copper, respectively.
 The single-sided boards also have the electrical components placed on one
side and the conductive circuit placed on the other side.

Double-Sided Boards

The double-sided PCBs are the opposite of the single sided boards in the sense that
they use one layer or conductive material (preferably copper) on both the top and
bottom sides of the circuit board (the two sides of the substrate).

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The double-sided PCBs can be connected on either side using either the
Through-Hole Technology (THT) or Surface Mount Technology (SMT). If the
through-hole is to be used, the through-hole components or the lead components must
be installed into the pre-drilled holes on the Printed Circuit Board, before using a
soldering iron to apply a solder mask to the pads on both sides of the circuit board.

If you are to use the surface-mount process, the process simply involves mounting the
electrical connections on the circuit board’s surface.

Multi-Layer Boards

If you are looking for a PCB manufacturing process that uses several copper layers, it
has to be the multi-layer PCB.

As the name suggests, it supports the use of multiple conductive layers, usually
exceeding two (2).

The minimum number of supported copper layers is 3 and it can be as high as 40. The
configuration process involves interconnecting the conductive layers with copper
plated holes.

How are Components Connected in a PCB?

Proto Electronics highlighted some of the relevance of electronic

component placement on a PCB to include:

 Helping the electrical engineers to make an accurate positioning of the

electronic components mounted or drilled into the circuit board. That way, the
circuit’s operation will be improved, while the signal paths will be clearer.
 Aiding the separation of the analog components from the digital components
or parts.

Then, when it comes to how electronic or electrical components are connected in the
Printed Circuit Board (PCB); it all boils down to two (2) process technologies.

The first process technology is the Surface Mount Technology (SMT), which
involves mounting or placing the PCB components atop the circuit board.

The second is the Through Hole Technology (THT), which allows for the
components with leads to be “drilled” or “passed through” the pre-drilled holes before
the components are added to the circuit board.

Conclusion
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We hope that you now understand most of the technicalities involved in mounting or
adding PCB components to circuit boards. You also understood the different
processes used to do that, how they differ and the best ways to identify some of the
popular PCB components.

Finally, the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and the Through Hole Technology
(THT) may be the major processes to connecting components to Printed Circuit
Boards (PCBs). However, you also want to double-check the component’s
orientation/placement, positioning the components before wiring and soldering the
parts into place.

Related Posts:

1. Difference between Active and Passive Components (in Electronics)

2. All you need to know about SMT components

3. What are PCB Embedded Components?

4. What are the Components of the 5G Hardware?

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