Every industry has its own technical terminology, and the PCB industry is no exception. These English terms for PCB defects cover a wide range of common defects and issues in the industry. From internal to external aspects, and from materials to manufacturing processes, these terms capture the various factors that can affect the quality of printed circuit boards. They provide a common language for identifying, documenting, and resolving various issues in PCB production. These terms cover a wide range of issues, from open circuits, short circuits, and over-etching to pattern misalignment, via problems, plating defects, and various cosmetic and electrical issues.
Below are these terms listed in English alphabetical order:
1. Bevelling defect – Poor beveling
2. Blistering (Copper Plating) – Blistering of the plating layer
3. Blistering (HSAL) – Blistering in Tin Plating
4. Block hole – Plug the hole
5. Board contamination – Board contamination
6. Broken annular ring – Broken pad
7. Burr – The Edge
8. Burnt – Charred Yellow
9. Burr – The Edge
10. Chamfering – Beveling
11. Copper in NPTH – Non-plated through-holes contain copper
12. Copper/Nickel Peel-Off – Copper and Nickel Peel-Off
13. Copper residue – Copper scraps
14. Copper thickness exceeds specifications – Copper plating thickness exceeds specifications
15. Crazing – White Spots
16. Cu plating – Copper plating
17. Damaged board – Board damage
18. Date code – Date code
19. Delamination (Raw Material) – Delamination (Raw Material)
20. Dewetting – Lack of Solder Adhesion
21. D/F Misregistration – Dry Film Misalignment
22. D/F Peel-off – Dry Film Peel-off
23. D/F Residue – Dry Film Fragments
24. Dewetting – Poor Solder Coverage
25. Engineering Evaluation – Engineering Test Evaluation
26. Extra hole – porous
27. Extra opening – Opening multiple windows
28. Expose trace – Expose traces
29. Excessive inner core – Inner layer mismatch
30. Excessive inner core – Inner layer too thick
31. Foreign material – Foreign matter in the inner layer
32. G/F ENIG Cu – Jumper Plating (G/F ENIG Cu)
33. Gold discoloration – Poor color of the gold surface
34. Gold Finger Discoloration – Poor Color on the Gold Finger
35. Gold surface – Gold surface
36. Gold surface – Gold surface
37. Gold Finger Peel-Off – Gold Finger Peel-Off
38. Gold Finger Peel-Off – Gold Finger Peel-Off
39. Green oil – Green oil
40. Green oil – Green oil
41. HSAL – Tin Plating
42. HSAL – Solder-Plated
43. Hole breakout – Hole collapse
44. Oversized hole – Large hole diameter
45. Hole roughness (copper plating) – Hole roughness (copper plating)
46. Hole roughness (mechanical drilling) – Hole roughness (mechanical drilling)
47. Hole shift – Off-center hole
48. Hole undersize – Hole diameter is too small
49. Hole void (Cu) – Hole wall void (copper)
50. IC barrier – IC barrier
51. Illegible date code – Unclear date code
52. Illegible legend – Unclear legend
53. Illegible marking (exposure) – Unclear marking (exposure)
54. Impedance out of specification – Impedance exceeds specifications
55. Incomplete drilling – Hole not fully drilled
56. Incomplete S/M plugging – Incomplete plugging of the hole
57. Impedance out of specification – Impedance exceeds specifications
58. Incomplete S/M plugging – Incomplete plugging of the hole
59. Inner open – Inner open circuit
60. Inner over-etching – Excessive etching of inner layers
61. Inner pattern misalignment – Misalignment of the inner pattern
62. Inner short – Internal short circuit
63. Layer-to-layer misregistration – Misalignment between layers
64. Legend in Hole – Characters in a Hole
65. Legend on pad – Character on pad
66. Legend peel-off – Character peeling off
67. Measling (HSAL) – White Spots (Tin Plating)
68. Measling (Pressing) – White Spots (Pressing)
69. Measling (Pressing) – White Spots (Pressing Marks)
70. Microsection (engineering) – Microsection (for engineering testing)
71. Microsection (outgoing) – Microsection (outgoing)
72. Micro short – Micro short circuit
73. Milling Defects – Defects Caused by Milling
74. Missing chamfer – Missing bevel
75. Missing legend ink – Missing characters
76. Missing routing – Missing bell
77. Missing routing – Missing bell
78. Ni/Cu exposure – Exposure to nickel and copper
79. Nick (G/F) – The Gap
80. Nick / void on pad – notch / pinhole
81. Nick / void on trace – Broken lines, gaps in the trace
82. Non-wetting – No solder adhesion
83. Outer open – Outer open circuit
84. Outer over-etching – Excessive etching of the outer layer
85. Outer short – Outer circuit break
86. Excessive chamfering – Excessive bevel
87. Over-exposure – Overexposure
88. Overthickness – Plate is too thick
89. Oxidation under the solder mask – Oxidation under the green solder mask
90. Pad peel-off – Pad detachment
91. Pattern misregistration – Pattern misalignment
92. Pink ring – Pink circle
93. Pink ring – Pink circle
94. Pink ring – Pink circle
95. Poor ENTEK – Poor Coating
96. Poor IC barrier – Defective IC barrier
97. Poor rework – Rework
These English terms for PCB defects form a comprehensive system for fault identification and problem-solving, helping to promptly detect and correct defects during the PCB manufacturing process and ensuring the production of high-quality printed circuit boards. Whether during the selection of raw materials, the manufacturing process, engineering testing, or final inspection, these terms provide a clear reference framework to help professionals in the PCB industry ensure that their products meet the expected quality standards.
