PCB
PCB turns up in 2 fields: PCBs, electronics. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
PCB in PCBs
Printed Circuit Board, the physical fiberglass and copper substrate that holds and connects components.
Printed Circuit Board. The foundational substrate of electronics, consisting of insulating dielectric layers interleaved with etched copper layers. The PCB provides both the mechanical support for electronic components and the electrical pathways that connect them.
"We need to shrink the PCB outline by 2 millimeters to fit inside the new enclosure."
PCB in electronics
A laminated board holding and connecting electronic components using conductive traces.
Printed Circuit Board. A rigid or flexible substrate made of insulating material, typically FR4 fiberglass, laminated with copper sheets. The copper is etched away to leave conductive pathways, pads, and vias that electrically connect surface-mounted or through-hole components soldered to the board.
"We need to spin a new PCB revision because the footprint for the voltage regulator is backwards."