The nonconductive air space between traces, pads, conductive matter, or in any combination.

Analog Circuit:

A circuit comprised mostly of discrete components (i.e., resistors, capacitors, transistors) which produces data represented by physical variables such as voltage, resistance, rotation, etc.

Annular Ring:

The width of the conductor surrounding a hole through a Printed Circuit Pad.

Artwork:

An accurately scaled configuration used to produce a Master Pattern.

AWG:

American Wire Gauge. A method of specifying wire diameter. The higher the number, the smaller the diameter.

Axial Leads:

Leads coming out of the ends and along the axis of a resistor, capacitor, or other axial part.

Bridging:

A condition that generally happens during the wave soldering operation where excess solder builds up and shorts out the adjacent traces.

Bus:

A Heavy trace or conductive metal strip on the Printed Circuit Board used to distribute voltage and grounds to smaller branch traces.

Bypass Capacitor:

A capacitor used for providing a comparatively low impedance A-C patharound a circuit element.

Conformal Coat:

A coating that is generally sprayed, dipped, or brushed on to provide completed Printed Circuit Boards protection from moisture.

Connector Tongue:

A protrusion of the Printed Circuit Board edge that is to mate with a electrical receptacle.

Current Capacity

Trace Current Carrying Capacity Chart

Digital Circuit:

A circuit comprised of mostly integrated circuits which operates like a switch (i.e., it is either "ON" or "OFF").

Discrete Component:

A component which has been fabricated prior to its installation (i.e., resistors,capacitors, diodes and transistors).

Feed-Thru:

A plated-thru hole in a Printed Circuit Board that is used to provide electrical connection between a trace on one side of the Printed Circuit Board to a trace on the other side. Since it is not used to mount component leads, it is generally a small hole and pad diameter.

Flow Soldering:

Also called wave soldering. A method of soldering Printed Circuit Boards by moving them over a flowing wave of molten solder in a solder bath.

Glass Epoxy:

A material used to fabricate Printed Circuit Boards. The base material (fiberglass) is impregnated with epoxy filler which then must have copper laminated to its outer surface to form the material required to manufacture Printed Circuit Boards.

Grid:

A two-dimensional network consisting of a set of equally spaced parallel lines superimposed upon another set of equally spaced parallel lines so that the lines of one set are perpendicular to the lines of the other.

Ground Plane:

A condition where all unused areas (areas not consumed by traces or pads) of the Printed Circuit Board are left un-etched and tied to the ground circuit throughout the board.

Master Pattern:

An accurately scaled pattern which is used to produce the Printed Circuit within the accuracy specified in the Master Drawing. See artwork.

Mother Board:

Also called a Back Plane. A relatively large Printed Circuit Board on which modules, connectors, subassemblies or other Printed Circuit Boards are mounted and interconnections made by means of traces on the board.

Plating:

A uniform coating of conductive material upon the base metal of the Printed Circuit Board, usually expressed in ounces per square foot.

Radial Lead:

A lead extending out the side of a component, rather than from the end.

Registration:

The alignment of a pad on one side of the Printed Circuit Board (or layers of a multi-layer board) to its mating pad on the opposite side.

Tooling Hole:

Also called Fabrication Hole, Pilot Hole, or Manufacturing Hole.

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