There are two most popular types of PCB as under:-
(a) SINGLE SIDED PCB
(b) DOUBLE SIDED PCB
(c) MULTI LAYERED PCB
(d) FLEXIBLE PCB
SINGLE SIDED BOARDS: In SSBs copper tracks are on one side of the boards. The single sided PCBs are chiefly used in entertainment electronics where manufacturing costs need to be kept at a minimum. However, in industrial electronics also, cost factors cannot be neglected and single sided PCB boards should be used where ever a particular circuit can be accommodated on such boards. To jump over conductor tracks, COMPONANTS have to be utilised. If this is not possible, jumper wires are used. The number of jumps wires on a board, however, is restricted by economic reasons. If their number of jumper wires is more than a few, the use of double sided PCB should be considered.
DOUBLE SIDED PCB: In DSBs copper tracks are provided on both sides of the substrate. These are two types: (a) Not plated through holes (b) plated through holes. The production of boards with plated through holes is quite costly. So, plated through hole boards are only selected where the circuit intricacy and density dose not leave any other alternative. Even on such boards, the sum total of number of plated through holes, in particular of via holes (holes utilised only for through-contact and not for component mounting) must be kept to the minimum for reasons of reliability and economy. The cost factor for double sided PCBs without plated-through holes in considerably lower because plating can be avoided. Through-contacts are established by soldering the component leads on both the board sides where required. Jumper wires may yet be able to be added. Though, hand soldering should be applied for soldering of the component side joints.
Multi Layered PCBs: In Multi layered PBCs, two or more pieces of dielectric substrate material with circuitry formed upon then are stacked up and bounded together. Electrical connections are set up from one side to the other and to the inner layer circuitry with drilled holes which are then plated through with copper.
Flexible PCB: It is basically a highly flexible variant of the conventional rigid printed circuit board theme. The flexible printed circuit boards are of two kinds, static and dynamic
1. Static flexible - circuits can be bent in particular configuration which remains constant all through product life and provides in space saving.
2. Dynamic flexible Circuits can be deformed endlessly throughout operation and are used to connect devices which require to be moved relative to each other.