A Printed Circuit Board – A city that never sleeps

Similar to how cities work, the components on a PCB work together to

form a complete system to power our devices. Once you think along
these lines, the notion of having so many different components on a
PCB will no longer seem too foreign an idea. To help you get started,
we will introduce 15 commonly used electronic components mounted on
Printed Circuit Boards!

1. Resistors – Điện trở

Axial resistors and their colorful resistor color codes

Resistors are one of the most commonly used components in PCBs and
are probably the simplest to understand. Their function is to resist the
flow of current by dissipating electric power as heat. They come in a
multitude of different types made of a range of different materials but
the classic resistor most familiar to the hobbyist is the ‘axial’ style
resistors with leads on both long ends and the body inscribed with
colored rings. These rings are a code that indicates their resistance
value. If you are unsure of how to do so, check out our article
on deciphering resistor color codes! Tutorial on Resistors

2. Capacitors – Tụ điện
Radial Electrolytic Capacitors mounted on a PCB
Capacitors are the next most common component you will find on a
PCB, and are usually outnumbered only by resistors. The function of
capacitors is to temporarily hold electric charge, and release it
whenever more power is needed elsewhere in the circuit. Typically, it
does this by collecting opposite charges on two conductive layers
separated by an insulating, or dielectric, material. Capacitors are often
categorized according to the conductor or dielectric material, which
gives rise to many types with varying characteristics from high
capacitance electrolytic capacitors, diverse polymer capacitors to the
more stable ceramic disc capacitors. Some have appearances similar to
axial resistors, but the classic capacitor is a radial style with the two
leads protruding from the same end.

3. Inductors – Cuộn cảm

Different types of inductors

(source: eeweb)
Inductors are the last in the family of linear passive components, along
with resistors and capacitors. Like capacitors, they also store energy but
instead of storing electrostatic energy, inductors store energy in the
form of a magnetic field that generates when current flows through
them. The simplest inductor is a coil of wire. The greater the number of
windings, the greater the magnetic field and therefore inductance. You
may find them wrapped around a magnetic core that comes in a variety
of shapes. This serves to amplify the magnetic field substantially and
therefore, the stored energy. Inductors are often used to filter out or
block certain signals, for example, blocking interference in radio
equipment or used in conjunction with capacitors to manipulate AC
signals in switched mode power supplies.

4. Potentiometers
A Grove rotary and linear potentiometer
Potentiometers are a form of variable resistor. They are commonly
available in rotary and linear types. By rotating the knob of a rotary
potentiometer, resistance is varied as the slider contact is moved over a
semi-circular resistor. A classic example of rotary potentiometers is the
volume controller on radios where the rotary potentiometer controls the
amount of current to the amplifier. The linear potentiometer is the same,
except that resistance is varied by moving the slider contact on the
resistor linearly. They are great when fine tuning is required in the field.

5. Transformers – Biến áp

Different types of transformers

The function of transformers is to transfer electrical energy from one
circuit to another, with an increase or decrease in voltage. You can say
the voltage is being ‘transformed’. Similar to inductors, they consist of a
soft iron core with at least two coils of wire wound around it – the
primary coil, for the first, or source circuit, and the secondary coil for the
circuit where energy is being transferred to. You may have seen large
industrial transformers on telegraph poles; these step-downs the
voltage from overhead transmission lines, typically several hundred
thousand volts, to the few hundred volts typically required for household
use.

6. Diodes
The longer lead indicates the anode on a through hole LED device
Much like a one-way street, a diode is a device that allows current to
flow in one direction only, from the anode (+) to the cathode (-). It does
this by having zero resistance in one direction and high resistance via
the other direction. This feature can be used to block current from
flowing in the wrong direction, which could cause damage. The most
popular diode with hobbyists is the light-emitting diode or LED. As the
first part of the name suggests, they are used to emit light, but anyone
who has tried to solder one knows, it is a diode, so it is important to get
the orientation correct, otherwise, the LED won’t light up.

7. Transistors – Linh kiện bán dẫn

Individually packaged Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)

Transistors are considered the fundamental building blocks of modern
electronics. Several billions may be found in a single IC chip. But
transistors are simply amplifiers and electronic switches. They come in
several types, with the bipolar transistor as the most common type.
They can be further categorized into NPN and PNP versions. Bipolar
transistors have 3 pins – the base, collector and emitter. For an NPN
type, when a current (usually a small current) flows through from the
base to the emitter, then it turns on another circuit that causes current
(usually much larger) to flow from the collector to the emitter. In a PNP
transistor, the directions are reversed. Another type of transistor, called
Field effect transistors, or FETs, use an electric field to activate the
other circuit.

8. Silicon-Controlled Rectifier(SCR) – Bộ chỉnh lưu điều khiên Silicon

Also known as thyristors, Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR) are similar

to transistors and diodes – in fact, they are essentially two transistors
working together. They also have three leads but consist of four silicon
layers instead of three and only function as switches, not amplifiers.
Another important difference is that only a single pulse is required to
activate the switch, whereas current has to be applied continuously in
the case of a single transistor. They are more suited to switching larger
amounts of power.

9. Integrated Circuits – Mạch tích hợp

ICs, or integrated circuits are exactly that, they are circuits and
components that have been shrunk down onto wafers of semiconductor
material. The sheer number of components that can be fit onto a single
chip is what gave rise to the first calculators and now powerful
computers from smartphones to supercomputers. They are usually the
brains of a wider circuit. The circuit is typically encased in a black plastic
housing which can come in all shapes and sizes and have visible
contacts, whether they are leads extending out from the body, or
contact pads directly under like BGA chips for example.
10. Crystal Oscillators

Crystal oscillators provide the clock in many circuits that require precise
and stable timing elements. They produce a periodic electronic signal
by physically causing a piezoelectric material, the crystal, to oscillate,
hence the name. Each crystal oscillator is designed to vibrate at a
specific frequency and are more stable, economical and have a small
form factor compared to other timing methods. For this reason, they are
commonly used as precise timers for microcontrollers or more
commonly, in quartz wristwatches.

11. Switches and Relays – công tắc và rơle

A Grove rotary switch and Grove relay

A basic and easily overlooked component, the switch is simply a power
button to control the current flow in the circuit, by switching between an
open or a closed circuit. They vary quite a bit in physical appearance,
ranging from slider, rotary, push button, lever, toggle, key switches and
the list goes on. Similarly, a relay is an electromagnetic switch operated
via a solenoid, which becomes like a sort of temporary magnet when
current flows through it. They function as switches and can also amplify
small currents to larger currents.
12. Sensors – Cảm biến

Temperature
, ultrasonic distance and light sensor modules from the Seed Grove
System
Sensors are devices whose function is to detect changes in
environmental conditions and generate an electrical signal
corresponding to that change, which is sent to other electronic
components in the circuit. Sensors convert energy from a physical
phenomenon into electrical energy, and so they are in effect,
transducers (convert energy in one form into another). They can be
anything from a type of resistor in a resistance temperature detector
(RTD), to LEDs detecting in-fared signals, such as in a television
remote. A wide variety of sensors exist for various environmental stimuli
for example humidity, light, air quality, touch, sound, moisture and
motion sensors.

Now that you know some basic electronic components, try your hand at
making your own electronics project! Instead of starting with a complex
project that has some fancy function, go for a few simple projects. As
part and parcel of any hobby, there are bound to be things that you do
not understand along the way. But these challenges are not
insurmountable. With affordable and readily available beginner
electronic project making equipment like the Arduino and the Seed
Grove System, the maker community welcomes new members and new
projects every day. With the abundance of online quick start guides and
videos across the web, starting out as a beginner in electronics project
making has never been easier.

In addition to PCB manufacture, Seed also provides a full turnkey

service, including parts procurement and assembly. Whether you are
prototyping or scaling up to mass production, Seed Fusion is the one-
stop destination for smooth and hassle-free PCB Assembly.