DESIGNERCOUNCIL Archives

October 2001

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Subject:
From:
"Mary L. Sugden, C.I.D." <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
(Designers Council Forum)
Date:
Tue, 30 Oct 2001 14:40:40 EST
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To: [log in to unmask]    Attn:   Gary Koven
From:   Mary Sugden                 At:       [log in to unmask]
Date:   October 30, 2001                Subj:   PCB/PWB?

Hello Gary,
In the beggining, there were Etched Circuit Boards. However, the need
for photo tools drove us to lithographers who worked in the printing
trade.  Because of this early exposure to the printing trade, the
boards were soon called "printed" circuits, even though nothing about
them was printed.

After many years and many debates, someone decided that the term
circuit was inappropriate since the board only contained disconnected
conductors.  The word "circuit" implies a complete path.  As it is, a
board does not contain any complete circuits.  So, they decided that
printed wiring board was a more correct description, even though
nothing was printed.

Some in the industry believed that both terms should be used.  It
would be called a printed circuit if the electrical characteristics of
the board such as the distributed capacitance and inductance, were an
interactive part of the electrical performance such as in microwave
and controlled impedance boards.  If the board did not interact with
or alter the electrical performance, it should be called printed
wiring.  That is, the board was a passive interconnection structure
and had no effect on electrical performance.

    According to IPC-T-50 Terms and Definitions;

    Printed Circuit Board:  Printed board that provides both
    point-to-point connections and printed components in a
    predetermined arrangement on a common base.

    Printed Wiring Board:  Printed board that provides
    point-to-point connections but not printed components in a
    predetermined arrangement on a common base.


No matter what the arguements, most of us still lovingly call them
printed circuit boards.  As Grandma says, "It is better to ride the
horse in the direction it is going."  I hope this helps.


Best Regards, Mary

Mary Sugden
The Copper Connection, Inc.
3003 Bunker Hill, Suite 201
Santa Clara, CA 95054-1106

Ph (408) 970-9838   Fx (408) 970-8184   [log in to unmask]

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