“Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams,” remarked French artist Paul Gauguin. There is a common logic to color, dreamy freedom to color, and a tangible language to color that only humankind can understand. Color is a matter of perspective, impression, and striking contrast. Truly, where would we be without the aesthetics of color? What would the world be like without its distinguishing power?
One may think that color choice doesn’t matter much for the printed circuit board industry, but that assumption wouldn’t be correct. PCBs strategically utilize color as a form of identification and security. For any printed circuit board, color is one of the most critical design decisions to be made. Thanks to advanced technology and innovation, we currently find ourselves in the golden age of PCB design and assembly. Engineers can choose from a rainbow of solder masks or oil colors to distinguish or customize diverse circuit boards for use.
Curious about which colors are most popular or desirable on the market today? Let’s examine the different options that the majority of manufacturers offer to clients. Here are the seven most common types of PCB colors and tips for choosing the ones you need.
Green
If you’re newer to the wide world of PCBs or haven’t worked broadly in the electronic product industry before, you may have the traditional picture in your head that most circuit boards are green. As a matter of fact, that speculation would be true. But keep in mind that the color seen on a PCB isn’t the genuine color of the board. Rather, the protective barrier coating gives the board its own unique appearance.
Numerous theories abound that guess why green coatings are the expected standard these days. Tradition points to the army’s role in PCB development in the 1950s. All the while, its ultimate efficiency has kept the color as the default for functional PCBs.
Why Is This the Default PCB Choice?
Printed circuit board colors tend to exist in varying levels of green. Green is a color that serves a specific purpose for PCBs because of its proven performance levels. Users tend to find that this color is ideal to ensure the clearest visibility of the electrical components placed upon the board. With a high contrast for legends, traces, planes, and spaces, you can’t go wrong with its remarkable readability. That said, all PCBs undoubtedly do not have to be the same color as limes, sage, forests, or seas.
Red
Red is a bold color associated with passion, rage, and adventure, and royalty. If you’re choosing red for a printed circuit board project, you’re choosing to make a powerful and professional color statement. Red also provides a wider assortment of advantages, including excellent visibility, clearly defined contrast, and pure aesthetic beauty. Users can easily spot damages or trace issues on the circuit board. Some designers are keen to utilize red as a color for their prototype PCBs over standard production boards. Either way, a red hue is a solid option if you’re steering clear of traditional green.
Blue
Blue circuit boards are relatively popular over red, coming right behind green in the most common category. This recognition is due to its optimal contrast, especially with a silkscreen for label-heavy boards. Users can locate traces with ease for quick assembly and repair.
While the color is a little less striking for aesthetic purposes, blue hues work well if you’re avoiding sharp edging and bright backgrounds. For example, blue solder proves helpful for mounting against LCDs for products such as televisions, computer monitors, and other electronic device screens.
Black
Black is known as one of the more complex and unique colors for use in PCBs. Appearance-wise, black looks incredibly cool, but trusting the dark hue for the most critical aspects of a board isn’t as credible. Be aware that this color can make inspections a more arduous process. You have to tilt the board at an angle and use a light beam to examine it. Empty planes, spaces, or traces are also more difficult to identify without powerful magnification.
Frankly, black solder is not easy to handle due to the lack of contrast it provides. However, if you’re working with a different silkscreen, the distinction between components is far more visible. Matte or gloss black hues are available, but certain manufacturers use matte coatings for prototypes.
White
No color is more clean and pristine than plain white. That said, white solder has its drawbacks for PCBs. Of the seven types of PCB colors found on the market, white is most likely the lowest on the list for functionality. If you’re following along with our tips for choosing the PCB color you need, consider avoiding white hues unless necessary for specialty reasons. White works well to provide a distinguished visual appeal, but it’s only truly beneficial if you need to highlight specific features on the board itself.
Yellow
Surprisingly enough, many designers don’t opt for yellow solder for their PCB projects. This color is actually a fantastic choice for a stylish, clean, and functional appearance. Yellow works wonderfully to provide an artistic look with effective highlighting of PCB routing. The cherry on top is the heightened contrast between empty spaces, traces, and planes. For workability and efficiency, yellow hues are stand-out alternatives to standard greens.
Purple
Last but certainly not least, we’ll mention a purple solder mask. This notable pigment is typically uncommon among the bulk of PCB assemblers, as it comes as a premium service. However, with purple hues, you get a slew of perks. These benefits include boosted utility, a one-of-a-kind presentation, and heightened contrast between electrical components and tracers.
The Right Partnership: Check With an Industry Expert
Is your business currently on the lookout for a printed circuit board assembly partner? Quality PCB assembly is the top priority for our team at Advanced Assembly. We hold some of the industry’s highest certifications in order to offer an array of pioneering services and top-notch capabilities.
Advanced Assembly is here for your project needs with reliable quick-turn and turnkey PCB assembly. When you decide to work with us, an easy, timely, and flexible experience awaits from start to finish. You won’t find this personalized, efficient kind of service anywhere else. Feel free to reach out to us to learn more about our offerings—including solder hue coatings and processes—or get started with a quote on our site today.
