Single sided PCB features a single conductive layer and is suitable for simple circuit design. As for a cost-effective choice, single sided circuit boards can be found in various electronic products. This blog will give you a complete guide to the single sided PCB, delving into its structure, manufacturing process, and advantages.
What Are Single Sided PCBs？
Single sided PCB is a basic and cost-effective kind of printed circuit board. It has a single conductive layer (commonly copper) on only one side. Electronic components are mounted on one side of the board, and the traces etching pattern is on the other. Conductive paths cannot cross or overlap, and each trace must have its path. It is mainly suitable for low-density circuit design. The structure of a single sided circuit board usually includes a substrate layer, conductive layer, solder mask layer, and silkscreen layer.
The key layers of a single sided PCB are as follows:
- Substrate: The substrate provides mechanical support and electrical insulation of PCB. Its type and material affect its performance, including physical, electrical, and thermal characteristics. Common substrate materials used include FR-4, FR-1, etc.
- Conductive Layer: The conductive layer is crucial for transmitting signals and enabling current flow. Copper is the most cost-effective and widely used material for this layer. However, materials like gold and silver can also be used,
- Solder Mask Layer: It is a thin polymer layer that covers the copper traces to avoid oxidation and solder bridges between pads. Common kinds of solder masks include liquid epoxy, dry film photoimageable solder mask (DFSM), and liquid photoimageable solder mask ink (LPSM).
- Silkscreen Layer: It is a layer of ink used to mark various component information, test points, and other relevantdetails on the PCB. It serves as a reference for later assembly and troubleshooting. Liquid Photo Imaging (LPI) and Direct Legend Printing (DLP) are the two primary methods used in silkscreen printing.
How to Manufacture a Single Layer PCB?
Single sided PCB has a simple manufacturing process, here we will introduce some key procedures with more details.
- Prepare a Board: Choose the right material for the PCB substrate. Cut the board to the required size. One or more PCBs can be on one board.
- Drilling Holes: Then, depending on the PCB layout, holes may need to be drilled to secure components, mount heat sinks, or perform other specific functions.
- Copper Etching: A copper layer is attached to one side of the substrate as a conductive layer for signal transmission. Subsequently, the unnecessary copper is removed through a chemical etching process to form a predetermined circuit pattern.
- Applying Solder Mask: The solder mask is a thin polymer layer used to protect the circuit board from solder bridges during component soldering.
- Silkscreen Printing: Silkscreen printing is done on circuit boards. It is used to mark component locations and other critical information, which helps in subsequent assembly and repair.
- Surface Finish: To prevent oxidation and corrosion of exposed copper, surface finishes like HASL, immersion silver, ENIG, etc. are usually used for protection.
- Testing and Inspection: Finally, the manufactured PCBs are tested to ensure that the boards are functioning properly.
Different Types of Single Sided Circuit Boards
According to substrate material types, we can divide single sided PCB into various types. Let’s take a deep understanding together.
- Single Layer Rigid PCB: It is made of rigid materials such as FR-4. This single sided rigid pcb is not bendable and it avoids the risk of circuit board breaking and bending.
- Single Layer Flexible PCB: Its substrate is made using flexible materials. This flexible PCB has many advantages that rigid PCBs do not have. Of course, its manufacturing cost is also more expensive.
- Single Layer Rigid-Flex PCB: Single sided rigid-flex PCBs cleverly combine the advantages of two types of PCB. Rigid PCBs offer structural strength and flexible PCBs provide flexibility features. This type of circuit board provides unique advantages in electronic design by reducing the overall size and weight.
- Single Layer High-Frequency: This is a type of PCB specially designed for high-frequency circuits. It is usually made of Teflon, Rogers, etc. When choosing high-frequency PCBs, it is necessary to focus on key performance parameters such as thermal expansion coefficient and dielectric loss.
Single Sided PCB vs. Double-Sided PCB: Key Differences You Should Know
Aspect | Single Sided PCB | Double-Sided PCB |
| Number of Copper Layers | One. | Two. |
| Component Placement | Component assembled on one side. | Component assembled on both sides. |
| Routing Capability | Limited routing options due to single layer and need to avoid crossover. | More routing options are available with two copper layers. |
| Circuit Density | Low-density. | High-density. |
| Interconnection | No intersection or overlapping of traces. | Have intersection and overlap of traces. |
| Manufacturing Cost | Lower cost due to simpler design, fewer materials, and relatively easy manufacturing process. | Higher cost due to 2 copper layers, more materials, and a more complex manufacturing process. |
| Design Complexity | Simple layout design, routing on one side. | More complex design, routing on both sides. |
| Board Size | Larger size. | More compact. |
| Space Needed | Occupies more space. | Meets the space-limited requirements in the circuit design. |
| Manufacturing Time | Fewer manufacturing time. | Longer manufacturing time due to more layers and design complexity. |
| Applications | Simple devices. | More complex devices. |
Pros and Cons of Single Sided Printed Circuit Board
Single sided PCB offers many advantages and is popular in electronic manufacturing. Let’s explore the following benefits to learn more.
Here are the single sided PCB pros:
Lower Manufacturing Cost
Single sided PCB offers significant cost advantages due to its simple design and low component density. The simple structure results in lower manufacturing costs, with fewer technical complexities and potential issues during production, making large-scale manufacturing more efficient and economical.
Faster Manufacturing
It offers advantages in manufacturing efficiency and delivery speed due to its single conductive layer. Their streamlined production process significantly reduces manufacturing cycles, enabling faster delivery times.
Simple Layout Design
With their single layer conductive structure, single sided PCBs enable designers to create circuit layouts quickly and easily, reducing design complexity and error rates while improving the success rate of first prototypes. This design simplicity also lowers the need for advanced design skills.
Components Assembled Easily
All components on a single sided PCB are mounted on the same side, making both manual and automated installation more convenient. The lower component density also simplifies the assembly process.
Easy to Test and Repair
Single layer PCB traces are relatively easy to identify and analyze. Compared to multilayer PCBs, they have fewer crossovers and complex traces, reducing the testing difficulty. Technicians can quickly locate faults without time-consuming analysis of complex multilayer structures. Additionally, damaged components or broken traces can also be quickly disassembled and repaired, simplifying.
Though single sided PCBs offer various advantages, they also have some limitations in certain aspects.
Here are the single sided PCB cons:
Larger Size and Lower Component Density
For single-layer PCBs, the circuit traces are confined to a single layer, which inevitably increases the board area. Additionally, components can only be placed on one side, reducing the overall component density.
Limited Routing
Single sided PCBs have limited routing capabilities because they have only one conductive layer and no trace crossings. This means that circuit designers must properly arrange all components and connections within a limited space.
Not Suitable for Complex Circuits
When the project requirements involve highly complex circuit layouts and more components, the simple structure of single sided PCB makes it difficult to meet the needs. With only one side available for routing and component placement, complex circuit interconnection becomes extremely difficult and may even be impossible to achieve.
Common Applications of Single Layer Circuit Board
Single sided PCB plays a key role in many electronic devices due to its simple design and low-cost manufacturing characteristics. This type of circuit board is particularly suitable for electronic products with low complexity and space sufficient. It provides basic circuit support for various consumer electronics, home appliances, and other equipment.
Below will list some common applications classified by different application fields.
| Application Field | Common Devices |
| Consumer Electronics | Cameras, Radios, Calculators, LED displays, TVs, Radios |
| Home Electronics | Remote control, Light bulb, Refrigerator, Simple control panel |
| Office Equipment | Printer, Copier |
| Specific Functions | Timing circuits, LED lighting boards, Stereo equipment, Basic IoT products, Simple medical equipment |
| Other Equipment | Monitoring equipment, Sensor products, Packaging equipment, Vending machines, Relays, Coffee machines |
Conclusion
Each type of PCB has advantages and limitations. As a basic and economical circuit board choice, single sided PCB has been widely used in many electronic products. Double sided PCB provides greater flexibility, but it is also more expensive and the manufacturing process is more complicated. When choosing the type of PCB, you should consider the actual product requirements and the complexity of the design.
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