{"id":4564,"date":"2020-05-06T15:34:58","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T22:34:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.circuitspecialists.com\/blog\/?p=4564"},"modified":"2020-05-06T15:35:02","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T22:35:02","slug":"commonly-used-components-on-pcbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.circuitspecialists.com\/blog\/commonly-used-components-on-pcbs\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Commonly Used Components on PCBs for Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PCBs are quite complicated devices that, upon first glance, can seem convoluted and intimidating. If you\u2019re fairly new to casual electronic engineering, you might have come across it once or twice. In fact, you might already be familiar with it. But as a beginner, it\u2019s definitely worth understanding the purpose of a PCB and knowing what you\u2019ve got to work with before you attempt to construct your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here\u2019s our breakdown of the 13 most commonly used electronic components for PCBs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are PCBs?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Printed circuit boards<\/a>\u2014or PCBs\u2014can be considered the basic building block of any electronic design. A PCB board connects multiple electronic components to form one cohesive, fully functional system capable of powering different devices. Just like how whole cities are formed out of streets, subdivisions, districts, and buildings, so too do the components of PCBs interact. PCB boards have evolved over the years to play a crucial part in electrical engineers and hobbyists alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PCBs can range from single-sided boards (one copper layer only) to multi-sided (up to 20+ layers). The more layers added, the more complex the PCB, the more advanced the corresponding gadget it powers. More layers also mean more electronic components.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robust PCBs can definitely hold upwards of a couple of dozen electronic components. For beginners, however, we recommend starting out with the 13 most common components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Resistors<\/li>
  2. Capacitors<\/li>
  3. Transformers<\/li>
  4. Transistors<\/li>
  5. Diodes<\/li>
  6. Batteries<\/li>
  7. Integrated Circuits<\/li>
  8. Oscillators<\/li>
  9. Inductors<\/li>
  10. Switches\/Relays<\/li>
  11. Potentiometers<\/li>
  12. SCR<\/li>
  13. Sensors<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Resistors \u2013 Control Energy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Resistors\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Resistors are the foundations of current control\u2014which is why they\u2019re so often used in PCBs. These two-ended electrical pieces are fairly simple to understand and integrate into different projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Resistance is often defined as the \u201cease\u201d with which objects allow electricity to flow through them. Think of the difference between insulators and conductors; the former obviously possesses higher resistance than the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Resistors, on the other hand, allow users to precisely define an object\u2019s level of resistance. They are designed to resist the flow of an electric current by converting the electrical energy into heat\u2014heat that is then dissipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Resistors can be made of a wide range of materials and come in many different styles. The most common (and highly recommended for beginners) would be resistors made of carbon film<\/a> in the axial style. Axial style resistors have leads on both ends of the rod. Their body is marked with different colored rings that represent the resistor\u2019s resistance value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Capacitors \u2013 Store Energy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"Capacitors\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Outnumbered only by resistors, capacitors are electronic components you\u2019ll definitely find on every PCB board. Whereas resistors control an electric charge, capacitors temporarily store it. Think of them as tiny batteries with even tinier storage space. They are capable of losing and <\/em>gaining full charge in a split second. Because of this, capacitors are commonly used for \u201cfiltering:\u201d a process where a backup source of energy takes over when the main source of power drops in order to not lose or reset data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In PCBs, capacitors electrostatically store energy to later release it to wherever power is needed in the circuit. It works by collecting opposing charges (positive and negative) on two conductive plates (typically metal) with some form of insulating material between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There are different types of capacitors, often categorized by the conductive material of the plates or the insulating material that separates them. Most beginners and casual hobbyists use polyester capacitors<\/a>, ceramic capacitors<\/a>, or radial capacitors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You\u2019ll notice that some capacitors resemble resistors. The most telling difference is that resistors have leads on opposite ends. Capacitors have two leads protruding from the same side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Transformers \u2013 Transfer Energy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    General transformers transfer power from one source to another through a process called \u201cinduction.\u201d PCB transformers function the same way. They transfer electrical energy from different circuits\u2014and convert them\u2014by increasing or decreasing the voltage. As with resistors, they technically regulate current. The biggest difference is that they provide more electrical isolation than controlled resistance by \u201ctransforming\u201d the voltage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    PCB transformers consist of two or more separate inductive circuits (called windings) and a soft iron core. The primary winding is for the source circuit\u2014or where the energy will come from\u2014and the secondary winding is for the receiving circuit\u2014where the energy is going to. Transformers break down large amounts of voltage into smaller, more manageable currents so as not to overload or overwork the equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Transistors \u2013 Amplify Energy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Resistors may be fundamental to current control but transistors are fundamental to all modern electronics. They can, in fact, be considered the building blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Contrary to storing, regulating, or controlling charges on the PCB, transistors amplify them. A bipolar transistor, which is the most common type of transistor, has three areas and three pins in which the current flows and is amplified. There are two types of bipolar transistors; NPN and PNP. Both are composed of the (1) base, (2) collector, and (3) emitter, and have both P-type areas and N-type areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n