Single-Sided PCB: Simple, Smart,
and Cost-Effective Designs

Simple and smart, the concept of the single-sided PCB is still the same as a long time ago, but it benefits from the latest innovations in production processes and materials. Single-side PCBs are mainly used for low-cost, price driven products with low wiring density.
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Product Benefits

A single-layer Printed Circuit Board is made of an insulating substrate with copper cladding. Most often, this material is glass fiber reinforced (fiberglass) epoxy resin or phenol resin on which a copper layer is laminated in the desired pattern. The copper circuits are coated with a layer of tin-lead to prevent oxidation and assist the soldering process. Other finishes are also available, such as OSP (Organic Solderability Preservative) or chemical gold. Contact fingers are plated with nickel, and finally electrolytic gold (0.025 to 2µm) for excellent conductivity. Different options are possible such as silver-cross or carbon connections, carbon contacts, and different types of solder masks which can be either silkscreened or a photo-imageable process.

Proven Technology

Very simple manufacturing processes provide reliable products

Cost-Effective

Single-Sided PCBs are the cheapest option for PCB manufacturing

Many Options Available

Multiple raw materials and surface finishes are available.

What is Single-Sided PCB?

Definition

A Single-Sided PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a type of PCB that has a conductive pattern on one side of the board. For wave soldered applications, this means that the components are mounted on one side of the board and the electrical connections are made on the other side. Components placed on Cu side would need manual hand-soldering or selective robot soldering. Single-sided PCBs are the most basic type of PCB and they are typically used in low-density applications where the number of components and connections are relatively low.

Specifications

Base Material: The base materials used in Single Sided PCBs are FR4, CEM-1, CEM-3 (FR1/XPC,).

Thickness: 0.4 mm to 3.2 mm

Copper Weight: 1 to 2 oz/ft² minimum

Lines and Spaces: low cost 200um, minimum 100um

Layer Count: 1

Surface Finish: LF HASL, OSP, Im Tin, Im Silver, ENIG. (Recommended LF HASL or OSP due to price.))

Solder Mask: Green, White, Black, Blue, Red, Yellow.

Single-Sided PCB Materials

FR1/XPC

These materials are used in everyday devices that don’t require a large amount of modern technology. They are made of paper and phenol which are cheap and easy to build, but with poor resistance to heat (130°). The FR1 is still available on the market but is gradually being replaced by CEM1/CEM3 and FR4

CEM1

CEM-1 is a composite material composed of woven glass fabric and a paper core combined with epoxy resin. With the properties of easy punching, excellent electrical properties, and higher flexible strength, the CEM-1 provides excellent mechanical and electrical properties and punches well up to 2.36 mm (0.093″).

CEM3

The CEM-3 is very similar to FR4 but instead of woven glass fabric throughout, a composite of a non-woven glass core and a woven glass surface is used. CEM-3 has a milky white color and is very smooth. It is a complete replacement for FR4 and has a very large market share in Asia. It is a type of flame-retardant epoxy, copper-clad, plate glass material, and is generally used in electronics for double sided-PCB boards.

FR4

FR is the short term of “Flame Retardant”. As a printed circuit board is made to work with electricity, it is supposed to resist heat. FR4 has a much better heat resistance than FR1/XPC thanks to the different composition of its layers. The FR4 PCB core is made of fiberglass epoxy laminate. It is the most used PCB material at 1.60 mm (0.062 inches) thick. The 1.6mm FR4 uses eight layers of glass fiber material as a standard. The maximum ambient temperature is between 120° and 130°C, depending on the brand and filler.

Do you Need Single-Sided PCB?

Single sided printed circuit boards are widely used in many electronics (camera systems, printers, radio equipment, etc.), especially in the automotive, consumer, and medical industry.

Technical Data

Single-Side

SS FeatureICAPE Group Single Side technical specification
Technology highlightsSingle side PCB without PTH. The cutting is carried out by hard-tooling with push-back option. Peelable mask, carbon ink, silver jumper on demand.
MaterialsFrom cost effective CEM1 to FR4 with high CTI up to 900V option.
Base Copper Thickness1 Oz to 3 Oz.
Minimum track & spacing0.2mm / 0.225mm. Advanced 0,1mm / 0,1mm
Surface finishes availableOSP, HASL-LF, ENIG, Flash-Gold.
Minimum mechanical drill0.2mm
PCB thickness0.40mm – 2,4mm. Advanced 3,2mm.
Maxmimum dimensions490x600mm. Advanced: 1200x285mm.

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