Circuit boards are the driving force behind so many of the electronics we use each day, from computers to kitchen appliances to alarm clocks. If you were to disassemble one of those devices, you’d find a flat board studded with various objects, a network of wires, and assorted numbers and letters. What is all that stuff, and what does it do?
The Basics
The board itself may be made of fiberglass or plastic and covered with copper wire to conduct electricity through the various components placed atop it. All the items will be placed, often by a pick and place …