Technical terms that are frequently used in the Printed Circuit Board manufacturing industry.
To simplify communication Eurocircuits uses abbreviations for many of these technical terms. Most of the
technical terms and abbreviations are international standards in the Printed Circuit Board manufacturing
industry. However to make it clear to everyone involved, we here present a list of technical terms and
abbreviations along with their explanation.
TERM |
ABBr. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
BARE BOARD TESTING |
BBT | PCB | Electrical testing of the non-populated PCB. | Bare Board Testing |
|
BASE MATERIALS |
PCB | Type of base material used for producing the PCB | Downloads – Base Materials | |
|
BLIND and BURIED VIA HOLES |
PCB | A blind via connects an Outer Layer (OL) to one or more Inner Layers (IL) but does not go through the entire board.
A buried via connects two or more Inner Layers (IL) |
Blind and Buried Via | |
|
BOARD PRICE |
PCB | The price includes the price for the PCB’s selected in the calculator | Boards Price | |
|
BOARD SURFACE/ORDER SURFACE |
PCB | The individual PCB and the total order surface are in dm². | Board Surface | |
|
BOARD THICKNESS |
PCB | The thickness given in mm based on the base materials used | Board Thickness | |
|
BOTTOM |
PCB | Bottom side of the PCB. | Bottom side of the PCB | |
|
BUILDUP |
PCB | Defines the build of your PCB, such as Number of Layers, Sequence, copper thickness, position in the build and possible blind and buried vias.
There are more than 900 pre-defined builds available. |
PCB or Board Buildup |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CARBON CONTACTS |
PCB | Carbon ink normally used for keyboard contacts, LCD contacts and jumpers. | Carbon Contacts | |
|
CHAMFERED MECHANICAL or COUNTERSUNK HOLES |
PCB | A bevelled edge of a holes usually at 45 degrees. | Chamfered Mechanical Holes or Countersunk Holes | |
|
COMPONENT PAD PITCH |
PCB | Smallest component pad pitch in mm | PP – Pad to Pad | |
|
COPPER |
Cu | PCB | Cu is the chemical abbreviation for copper | Cu – Copper |
|
COPPER FOIL |
PCB | Copper foils is the base copper thickness applied on outer and inner layers. | Copper Foil | |
|
COPPER UP TO THE BOARD EDGE |
PCB | Copper is placed up to the very edge of the board contour. | Copper up to the Board Edge | |
|
CORE |
PCB | A rigid base material laminate with copper on one or two sides. | Core or Rigid Copper Laminated Base Material |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DELIVERY FORMAT |
PCB
ASSY |
The method in which you ask Eurocircuits to produce and delivery your PCB design. | Delivery Formats
Guidelines for customers that opt for the Eurocircuits standard |
|
|
DELIVERY TERM (Lead time) |
ALL | Number of working days required to manufacture (from the when all data & information is available and correct) | Lead time | |
|
DEPTH ROUTING |
PCB | Removing a specific area of the PCB Outer Layer to a specific depth. | Depth Routing |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
eC REGISTRATION COMPATIBLE |
PCB | PCBs or Customer Panels that have the necessary Tooling Holes to be used with the Eurocircuits eC-stencil-mate or eC-stencil-fix equipment. | eC-Registration Compatible | |
|
EDGE CONNECTOR BEVELING |
PCB | Bevel (chamfer) the leading edges of an edge connector to help guide it into the socket | PCB Design Guidelines – Edge Connectors | |
|
EDGE CONNECTOR GOLD SURFACE |
PCB | A layer of gold plated to the fingers of the edge connector. | Edge Connector Gold Surface | |
|
ELECTROLESS NICKEL IMMERSION GOLD |
Che Ni/Au or ENIG | PCB | ENIG (Electro less Nickel Immersion Gold), also called Che Ni/Au, (Chemical Nickel Gold) or also known as soft gold. | Ch Ni/Au or ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold)
Soldermask on via-holes in case of chemical Nickel-Gold surface finish |
|
EXTRA PRESS CYCLES |
PCB | When producing multi-layers with blind and buried via holes, additional Press Cycles may be required. | Extra Press Cycles | |
|
EXTRA PTH RUN |
PCB | When producing multilayers with blind and buried via holes, the panel may need to pass through the galvanic plating process multiple times. | Extra PTH run |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FIDUCIAL |
PCB
ASSY |
An target used for optical alignment | Fiducial | |
|
FINISHED HOLE SIZE |
PCB | The finished hole size or ENDHOLE is the diameter that the PCB designer specifies in his PCB layout. | Finished Hole Size | |
|
FR4 |
PCB | Fiberglass reinforced epoxy laminates that are Flame Retardant. | FR4 Quality – What to Expect
How Often Can You Raise a Eurocircuits PCB to Lead-free Soldering Temperature |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE |
Tg | PCB | Tg (Glass Transition Temperature) is one of the parameters of a base materials. |
Tg – material Tg |
|
GROSS PRICE |
ALL | The price including VAT | Gross Price |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HEATSINK PASTE |
PCB | A paste used as an interface between heat sinks and heat sources. It can also be used too fill via holes that are designed for thermal dissipation | Heatsink Paste | |
|
HOLES <= MAY BE REDUCED |
PCB | Final holes sizes smaller or equal to this given diameter can be reduced to accommodate the correct annular ring values | What is the finished hole size? | |
|
HOLE DENSITY |
PCB | The number of holes per dm² of the board surface. | Hole Density | |
|
HOT AIR LEVELLING |
HAL | PCB | Hot Air Levelling using lead free tin (Sn) | HAL Lead-Free |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
INNER |
IL | PCB | The Inner Layer of the PCB. | INNER Layer |
|
INNER LAYER ANNULAR RING |
IAR | PCB | Inner Layer Annular Ring | What is the Inner Annular Ring (IAR)? |
|
INNER LAYER PAD INSULATION |
IPI | PCB | Inner Layer Pad Insulation | IPI – Inner Layer Pad Insulation |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
LAYER |
PCB | Individual layer of a PCB. | Layer of the Printed Circuit Board | |
|
LEAD FREE FINISH |
PCB
ASSY |
Final finish applied to the soldering areas of the PCB to prevent oxidation and to them easier to solder. | Any Lead Free Finish | |
|
LEAD TIME (Delivery term) |
PCB | Number of working days required to manufacture (from the when all data & information is available and correct) | Lead time | |
|
LEAKAGE |
PCB | A type of short, sometimes referred to as a high-resistance short. | Leakage | |
|
LEGEND (also known as Silkscreen) |
PCB | Text printed on top of the Soldermask. | PCB Design Guidelines – Legend Print
PCB Assembly Design Guidelines – Legend Print Clipping for Assembly |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MICRO SECTION of a PTH |
PCB | A cross section of a PTH Hole. | Micro section of a PTH | |
|
MILLING |
PCB | Used to form the contour of the PCB’s or panels. | Milling |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
NET PRICE |
ALL | The price excluding taxes or VAT. | Net Price | |
|
NUMBER of LAYERS |
PCB | Number of copper layers in the PCB | What is a Layer of a PCB |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
OPEN |
PCB | A discontinuity or non-connection within a net. | Open | |
|
ORDER SURFACE |
PCB
ASSY |
The total delivered PCB surface area of your order expressed in dm². | Order Surface | |
|
OUTER |
PCB | The Outer Layer(s) of the PCB either the TOP or BOTTOM side. | Outer Layer | |
|
OUTER LAYER ANNULAR RING |
OAR | PCB | The copper on the outer layer that surrounds a drilled hole or cutout in the PCB | What is Outer Annular Ring (OAR)? |
|
OUTER LAYER COPPER FOIL |
PCB | The outer layer copper foil is the base copper used for creating the outer layers.
The final copper thickness of the outer layers will be 20-30 microns thicker after |
What is Copper Foil? | |
|
OUTER LAYER ISOLATION DISTANCE |
OL-TT OL-TP OL_PP |
The outer layer isolation between copper features (track to track, track to pad, pad to pad) | What is track width (TW)? | |
|
OUTER LAYER TRACK WIDTH |
OL-TW | Copper track widths on the outer layers of the PCB. | What is track width (TW)? |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
PACKAGE QUANTITY |
PCB | The maximum number of PCBs per package for shipment | Shipping | |
|
PAD to PAD SPACING |
PP | PCB | The Pad to Pad spacing specified in mm | PP – Pad to Pad |
|
PANEL BORDER |
PCB
ASSY |
Extra material around your PCB or multiple PCB’s to form a Customer Panel. | Panel border of a Customer Panel | |
|
PANEL BY |
PCB
ASSY |
The individual PCBs can be delivered ina panel format.
The panel format can be created in 3 different ways. |
Customer Panel Guidelines | |
|
PANEL CROSS OUTS |
PCB
ASSY |
A Panel where defective PCBs have been visually crossed out. | Panel without Cross Outs | |
|
PANEL OUTLINE |
PCB
ASSY |
The method used to create the contour of the panel | Panel Outline | |
|
PANEL SIZE |
PCB
ASSY |
The physical size of the panel in X & Y | Customer Panel Guidelines | |
|
PCBs PER PANEL |
PCB
ASSY |
The number of PCBs in a panel | Customer Panel Guidelines | |
|
PCB QUANTITY |
PCB
ASSY |
The number of PCBs you wish to order | ||
|
PCB SEPARATION METHOD |
PCB | Pre-cut the boards in a Customer Panel for easy removal after assembly. | PCB separation method – on a Customer Panel | |
|
PCB SIZE |
PCB | Width (X) & Height (Y) of the PCB | ||
|
PCB SPACING |
PCB
ASSY |
The PCB Spacing defines the space you want between different PCBs on the Customer Panel | Customer Panel Guidelines | |
|
PEELABLE MASK |
PCB | Also know as Peel-off Mask is a protective coating that can be easily removed. | Peelable Mask | |
|
PLATED HOLES ON THE BOARD EDGE |
PCB | Plated through holes in the edge of the board. | Plated Holes on the Board Edge | |
|
PLATING INDEX |
PI | PCB | The density of the Copper distribution. | Plating Index |
|
PREPREG |
PCB | An unpressed base material without any copper foil. | Prepreg or Unprocessed Copper Free Base Material | |
|
PRESS-FIT HOLES |
PCB | Holes designed for press fit component leads, usually connectors | Press-Fit Holes | |
|
PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD |
PCB | PCB | Printed Circuit Board (also know as “the board”). | Printed Circuit Board |
|
PRODUCTION HOLE DIAMETER or TOOLSIZE |
PHD | PCB | The diameter of the tool used in production to drill the hole. | PHD – Production Hole Diameter |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
REPEAT |
PCB
ASSY |
The number of PCBs requires in the X & Y of the panel | Customer Panel Guidelines Panel EditorPCB Configurator – Panel Section |
|
|
ROUND EDGE PLATING |
PCB | The edge of the board is plated with copper and then the final finish such as HAL. | Round Edge Plating |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SHIPMENT DATE |
ALL | The date on which the order is shipped. | Shipping | |
|
SHORT |
PCB | An electrical connection between two or more nets or isolated points that should not be connected. | Short | |
|
SINGLE PCB or SINGLE PANEL PRICE |
PCB ASSY |
The price for one unit of the delivery format chosen in the calculator. | Single PCB or Single Panel Price | |
|
SMALLEST FINAL HOLE |
PCB | Smallest final drilled hole diameter on the PCB | What is the finished hole size? | |
|
SOLDERMASK |
SM | PCB | A protective layer of liquid photo imageable lacquer applied on the TOP and BOTTOM side of a Printed Circuit Board. | SM-Soldermask |
|
SPECIFIC DIMENSION TOLERANCES |
PCB | Specific PCB dimension tolerances that differ from the Eurocircuits standard tolerances | What are Specific Tolerances | |
|
SPECIFIC HOLE TOLERANCES |
PCB | Specific drilled hole tolerances that differ from the Eurocircuits standard drilled hole tolerances | What are Specific Tolerances | |
|
SPECIFIC MARKINGS |
PCB | Customer specific markings such as logo, name, date code etc… | Specific Marking | |
|
SPECIFIC TOLERANCES |
PCB | Tolerances that are required to meet specific design goals and are not within the latest Industrial Standard IPC A-600 (x) Class II. | Specific Tolerances | |
|
STENCIL |
PCB | Stainless Steel template for applying Solder paste onto the board. | Stainless Steel template for applying solder paste onto the board | |
|
SURFACE FINISH |
PCB | The Surface finish applied to exposed copper to protect it from oxidisation and to aid soldering | Surface Finishes on Printed Circuit Boards
How Often Can You Raise a Eurocircuits PCB to Lead-free Soldering Temperatures? |
|
|
SURFACE MOUNT DEVICE |
SMD | ASSY | Surface mounted Device | Surface Mount Device |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tg |
PCB | Tg (Glass Transition Temperature) is temperatiure at which the base material becomes mechanically unstable |
What is Tg | |
|
TECHNOLOGY CLASS |
PCB | Technical classification value for the layout pattern and drill holes | PCB Design Guidelines – Classification | |
|
THROUGH HOLE |
TH | PCB | A hole that goes through the PCB from the Top Layer through to the Bottom Layer. | NPTH – Non Plated Through Hole and PTH – Plated Through Hole |
|
TOP |
PCB
ASSY |
Top side of the PCB. | Top side of the PCB | |
|
TOTAL PRICE |
ALL | The price for all selected items. | Total Price | |
|
TRACK to PAD SPACING |
TP | PCB | The Track to Pad spacing is specified in mm | TP – Track to Pad |
|
TRACK to TRACK SPACING |
TT | PCB | The Track to Track spacing specified in mm | TT – Track to Track |
|
TRACK WIDTH |
TW | PCB | The Track Width is specified in mm | TW – Track Width |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY MARKING |
UL | PCB
ASSY |
The Underwriters Laboratory (UL) | UL Marking |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
VIA HOLES |
PCB | A hole that creates an electrically connected through the PCB. | Via Hole | |
|
VIA FILLING |
PCB | The filling of Via Holes with Resin | PCB Design Guidelines – Via Filling |
Definition |
ABBR. |
USED |
Short Description |
Supporting Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
WARP and TWIST |
PCB
ASSY |
The distortion of the PCB. | Warp and Twist | |
|
WIRE BOND |
PCB
ASSY |
Connectiong components to the PCB using wire bonding rather than soldering |