GLOSSARY of Printed Circuits

by John Walt Childers, IPC-CID, Founder of Golden Gate Graphics

SYMBOLS A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Pronunciation Key

Formerly known as

GLOSSARY of Printed Circuit Design and Manufacturing

This glossary has key terminology in use in PCB design and manufacturing, with a smattering of electronics. The definitions were chosen so that their context would likely apply to reading material encountered by a PCB designer. Therefore, many of these terms will have other meanings not given here. See recommended dictionaries below.

This collection of terms came about as I, a PCB designer, ran across words and acronyms in my field for which meanings were hard to find. As I tracked them down, I made them part of this glossary. If you are a PCB designer, then this glossary could be a good place to start when you find a need to look up the meanings of words related to printed circuits or electronics.

Index to terms on this page:

KBC Kelvin connection

KBC — KeyBoard Controller

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Kelvin connection — (KEL-vin kən-NEK-shən) Pronunciation Key

noun [PCB Layout] An electrical connection that goes directly to a target component's terminals with no other connections along the same PCB trace.
Delano_Cary_L_Designing_With_Switching_Amplifiers
noun [PCB Layout] A pair of connections on a PCB, which, in addtition to each one going directly to a target component's terminals with no other connections along the same PCB trace, are of equal length and equal trace width. They are often routed close together with an equal spacing, where possible.
Kando_Bob_PCB_Layout_Guidelines_Power_Controllers

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Alphabetizing Method

Terms that begin with a symbol or a digit are placed in the SYMBOLS page. Terms that contain digits within them are alphabetized as if the numeric characters were spelled in English.

Terms with two or more words are alphabetized "dictionary style." They are alphabetized as though the spaces between the terms have been removed.
If there are other characters in the term, such as a slash (/), dash (-) or plus sign (+), these are treated the same as spaces and ignored for the purpose of alphabetizing.

Example Printed Boards

References and Dictionaries

Modern Dictionary of Electronics by Rudolf F. Graf

This is the best, most usable dictionary for electronics, because its definitions help you grasp the terms and therefore the subject. Lesser dictionaries define electronics terms with even more difficult technical jargon, leading one into endless"word chains." Not this one.
You can buy the Modern Dictionary of Electronics new or used via the Internet.

Citation:

Graf, Rudolf F. Modern Dictionary of Electronics. Newnes, 1999.

The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, 2nd Edition

You need a big, comprehensive dictionary. Get this one. Despite being a big dictionary, The Random House has great definitions, quick to grasp.

Although out of print, as of 2022 you could still buy a great used copy online for $40 including shipping or possibly for much less. Two versions are available of the 2nd Edition, Unabridged:

Regular Edition.ISBN: 0394500504
Deluxe Edition.ISBN: 0394565002

I have no idea what the difference is for the deluxe edition, but there seem to be fewer copies of it available in 2020 than the regular edition. I'm sure they both have the same set of definitions. My copy has both ISBNs listed in the front matter, and it is the regular edition.

Citation:

Flexner, Stuart Berg, and Leonore Crary Hauck, editors. The Random House Dictionary of the English Language. Unabridged, 2nd Edition, Random House, 1987.

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