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A printed circuit board is the electronic heart of the electrical products we use. But how is one made? This film follows a PCB for a DVD player through every stage of the production process in manufacturer Connor Solutions. CAD: It all starts with an electronic engineer, who designs the PCB. The PCB has to fit inside a super-compact DVD player and space is at a premium. The engineer's job is made easier by the use of computer-aided design. Next, the PCB design goes to a factory to be manufactured. Here the material resources planning system plays a central part in the production process. Automation: The next stage is called surface mount technology, because parts are, literally, stuck to the surface of the board. Some through-hole components are inserted into the PCB using automation. Larger components are put on by hand and some boards have to be manually soldered, too. Next the PCB goes into a wave-soldering machine. Controlling the temperature is vital - thermal shock, where the board gets too hot too quickly, must be avoided. Final checks: A computer-controlled "bed of nails" test checks the various circuits on the board. The last test is the final hurdle: will the board actually work when you want to watch a DVD?

Originally produced by TV Choice in 2009

Mode of access: World Wide Web