I have some queries regarding PCB.

Thread Starter

shankbond

Joined Nov 4, 2007
53
hello everybody, i have some queries regarding PCB


i saw a pcb in my friends home yesterday ,it was like white when i look from upwards and green with metallic contacts embedded from downside

so,my question is why is this PCB different ,like it is white whereas the most of pcb's i see are all green from each and every angle.

it would be great if u help me out(i would be waiting for an answer from u)

thanks:):)
shankbond
 

HarveyH42

Joined Jul 22, 2007
426
You can get boards made in many different colors. There is also a spray-on coating to protect the copper traces, which is most commonly green, but can be other colors. Don't think it's too important these days, since the boards are usually eventually hidden in a case, and most stuff is made to be serviced anymore.
 

eeboy

Joined Sep 27, 2007
90
The "color" of the board is based on the dye used in the solder mask. There are many different colors available; blue, black, white, red, green... possibly more but these are the most common.

I've never personally seen a board with two different color solder masks used. What I suspect you have seen is a board with a green solder mask applied to only one side. This would give a green appearance to one side and a white/yellowish appearance to the other (the color of the substrate material which is most likely FR4).
 
I did some research on this topic of why pcbs are green. There is no reason and they can be any color. Green is most common.

The "white" is actually the substance used for the silkscreen. I have seen boards that people cover one entire side in the silkscreen, this would be one white side and the other green (or blue, red or black).

You can use several different colors of soldermask to create a rainbow effect by applying them in layers, drizzled on. Its pretty cool. :p
 

Thread Starter

shankbond

Joined Nov 4, 2007
53
I did some research on this topic of why pcbs are green. There is no reason and they can be any color. Green is most common.

The "white" is actually the substance used for the silkscreen. I have seen boards that people cover one entire side in the silkscreen, this would be one white side and the other green (or blue, red or black).

You can use several different colors of soldermask to create a rainbow effect by applying them in layers, drizzled on. Its pretty cool. :p
thanks for the information mate:)
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
Appreciate the info and welcome to AAC.

You DO realize that George W Bush was president when this thread was last visited??
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
Generally you want to avoid posting in old threads. It's often referred to as "necro-posting", in the sense that you're posting to a dead thread. It's generally discouraged.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,839
Is it wrong to comment on old post?
It's not wrong, but generally not useful, frowned upon, and causes a lot of posts questioning why an old thread was resurrected. I've done it occasion when someone asked a question that wasn't answered or I felt the answer was faulty and warranted a correction (for posterity).

I'm using the old interface and get a warning message when I attempt to respond to a thread older than a year or so...

BTW, welcome to AAC!
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
The answer to the OP/TS (not that they are here anymore) is that the specific PCB in question only had the solder mask applied to the non-component side (assuming through hole components) or on the component side (assuming surface mount components).
Solder mask is really only needed on the soldered side and on boards with the components all on one side there is little/no point in applying it on the other side and a "slight" cost savings
"Typical" FR4 base laminate is clear/white/yellowish in color.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
I did some research on this topic of why pcbs are green. There is no reason and they can be any color. Green is most common.

The "white" is actually the substance used for the silkscreen. I have seen boards that people cover one entire side in the silkscreen, this would be one white side and the other green (or blue, red or black).

You can use several different colors of soldermask to create a rainbow effect by applying them in layers, drizzled on. Its pretty cool. :p
At one time, "thick film" ceramic substrates were fairly common. The ceramic was almost always white, but the tracks on it often had green solder resist masking just like any normal PCB.

Elektor PCB service boards were usually blue.
 
Top