PCB Technical - The highest guidelines for printed circuit boards

Many novices who are new to electronic equipment find it difficult to solder and operate printed circuit boards (PCB), but it is not that difficult. Circuit boards are not as fragile, high-end and complex as they appear on the surface. As long as you follow some simple preparation procedures, operating steps and preventive measures, the process of operating the PCB can be very intuitive.

We have talked about the basic concept of welding countless times, so we will not focus on it today. The following teaching is not just about soldering components (also called "settings") to the circuit board, but a series of tips for operating the PCB. Although some tips are simple but easy to be overlooked, others are more advanced. I hope these are helpful to PCBA novices or veterans.

Organization, classification and planning are far more important than you think

When you first started contacting electronic devices and started to try combination kits, those kits usually have a list of components and combination steps, so that you can check one by one during the process. The best practice is to count all the components in the kit before starting, and make a confirmation mark after each step is completed. This will be a good habit to help you work more smoothly. Many circuit boards look complicated because there are too many small parts and more solder joints that need to be concentrated on a small and squeezed PCB. But as long as you are careful and organized, you can save a lot of trouble.

Try to take the time to build a PCB plan, count the components, and temporarily sort them into different boxes or bags. After reading all the instructions thoroughly, conceive the blueprint in your head. As long as you can do the above steps, you can easily complete it. Work.

Clean your circuit board

For novices, cleaning the circuit board may be a very strange behavior, but it is definitely beneficial and harmless, and very important. It needs to be cleaned before and after setting up the circuit board. "Cleaning and soldering are complementary. Scrubbed copper will lower the soldering temperature and wetting more thoroughly, so scrubbing is a must, otherwise you will have to deoxidize the circuit board before soldering.

Set from lowest to highest

The PCB can be densely arranged on the circuit board, and it will quickly become crowded, leaving you little room to allocate components, soldering irons, and solder positions. One of the ways to get a good configuration of a soldered circuit board is to plan in advance how you want to set up the circuit board. Start soldering your components from the lowest point of the whole circuit board (usually resistors), and then set them up. This way, larger components won’t get blocked when you set up low-level components.

Use tweezers

Prepare a pair of tweezers. Even if you don't know how to use surface mount components that are small enough to require tweezers, it will be easier to operate with tweezers than with your fat fingers when setting up through-hole insertion components.

Use electronic component footfolder

Electronic component folding devices are often branded by suppliers and sent at will. You can put it into your electronic toolbox, it's small and practical. As long as you can plan and organize in advance to keep the circuit clean and close to the circuit board, you can get the job done more easily. The precise bending of the component pins allows the pins to have an appropriate width, helping you maintain a neat circuit.

Use magnifying glass

Tools such as a magnifying glass can help you successfully complete your PCB work, especially when you encounter problems such as cold soldering or tin bridge soldering. You’d better have a jeweler’s magnifying glass or magnifying glass on hand so that you can check the status of your work at any time.

Use universal clay as an auxiliary tool

One of the most underestimated uses of universal clay is to be used as an auxiliary stand when operating small components, which can be used to replace ordinary auxiliary clamps. You can press the PCB into the clay without leaving any residue. Although you will clean the circuit board later, it is still a good way to use all-purpose clay.

Fix the header on the breadboard

This is a great secret to ensure that the header pins can be soldered into the PCB squarely. When soldering the header to the PCB, you can use the breadboard to fix the header. First insert the headers into the breadboard, then align your circuit board on the top, then insert the headers into the holes of the PCB, and then do general soldering.

Make the base

Stick the aluminum alloy hexagonal tube bracket into your thematic box with hot-melt adhesive, so that you can make a quick and detachable base for your PCB theme. First, fix the bracket on the PCB with screws. As for the other end of the bracket, there is no need to drill a hole in the box to fix it to the thematic box with screws, just stick the bracket directly to the bottom of the box. If you need to change the box, just unscrew the screw. The firmness of the hot melt adhesive is sufficient for non-high vibration applications, and if you want to make the box another way, the bracket can also be removed, and the hot melt adhesive can be removed by rubbing with alcohol.

Use hot melt adhesive for insulation and other functions

Hot melt adhesives can be used as insulators on PCBs and many other electronic components, but it should be avoided that hot melt adhesives come in contact with heat-sensitive components that release a lot of heat. You can use insulating components and use safety threads at the right time to achieve a tension buffer effect with sealing and waterproof effects.

Plan the direction first

Many people start directly from making PCB, but before I start making PCB, the first thing is to consider the final completion situation. Any finished product that you want to be perfect or professionally presented, you need to think about what it will look like when it's finished. The direction you envision includes who you will use and how users will use your product. Can the product be carried? Does it need to be waterproof? Are there cost considerations? And so on are all questions you can think about. After deciding the direction, the size and shape of the PCB will also have a certain range, and then you can start to make the PCB.

PCB glass fiber cutting

If you need to cut fiberglass (FR4) circuit boards, avoid using tools such as saws or die cutters. Glass fiber is very hard, and harmful dust is generated during the cutting process. Large cutting tools are the right choice. Sturdy iron shears or bolt cutters will do, which can save you effort and cut more accurately.