| C |
| C |
Capacitance |
| CAD |
Computer-aided design. A system where designers create a design and see the proposed product in front of them on a computer monitor. |
| CAE |
Computer Aided Engineering |
| CAF |
Conductive Anodic Filamentation (or Conductive Anodic Filament growth). An electrical short which occurs in PWB’s when a conductive filament forms in the laminate dielectric material between two adjacent conductors under an electrical bias. |
| CAM |
Computer Aided Manufacturing |
| CARD |
Another name for a printed wiring board. |
| CARD-EDGE CONNECTOR |
A connector which is fabricated as an integral portion of a printed wiring board along an edge(s). Often employed to enable a daughter or add-on card to be plugged directly into another much larger printed board, the motherboard or backplane. |
| CBGA |
Ceramic Ball Grid Array. |
| CEM-1 |
A NEMA grade of industrial laminate having a substrate of woven glass surfaces over a cellulose paper core and a resin binder of epoxy. |
| CENTER-TO-CENTER |
The nominal distance between the centers of adjacent features or traces on any layer of a printed circuit board. Also referred to as ‘pitch’. |
| CGA |
Column grid array |
| CHANNEL ASSEMBLY |
When the channel, such as distributors, dealer or VARs, performs BTO or CTO functions themselves or outsource the manufacturing function. |
| CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE |
A compound measurement of the resistance, inductance, conductance and capacitance of a transmission line expressed in ohms. |
| CHECK PLOTS |
Pen plots that are suitable for checking only. |
| CHIP |
An integrated circuit manufactured on a semiconductor substrate and then cut or etched away from the silicon wafer. |
| CHIP SCALE PACKAGE (CSP) |
A chip package in which the total package size is no more than 20% greater than the size of the die within. |
| CHIP-ON-BOARD (COB) |
A method of affixing unencapsulated integrated circuits onto a printed wiring board using a wire bonding process. |
| CIM |
Computer Integrated Manufacturing |
| CIRCUIT DESIGN |
Ability to design the circuit logic that allows electronic components to perform a specific function. |
| CMOS |
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor |
| CNC |
Computer Numerical Control. |
| COMPACT FLASH |
Introduced by Sandisk in 1994. One-fourth the size of a PC card, 36 mm long, 43 mm wide and 3.3 mm thick. ATA interface. Uses 50 pins. Takes a passive adapter to use it in a PC card slot. |
| COMPACT PCI |
Compact PCI is a modern, very high performance and robust industrial bus based on the standard PCI electrical specification. |
| COMPLEX SYSTEMS ASSSEMBLY |
Ability to assemble and test systems that involve large scale assembly, integration, staging and product support; that require extensive testing and configuration; have high part counts/complex BOM management require engineering changes and accelerated testing (e.g. HASS, power cycling). |
| COMPONENT ENGINEERING |
The service of applying engineering know-how to the processes of component selection, application and procurement. Can provide analysis of new trends in electronic devices. |
| COMPONENT HOLE |
A hole used for the attachment and electrical connection of component terminations, including pins and wires, to the printed circuit board. |
| CONDUCTOR |
A thin conductive area on a printed circuit board surface of internal layer usually composed of lands and traces. |
| CONFIGURE-TO-ORDER SYSTEMS ASSEMBLY |
Takes an already built or partially built unit and adds specific peripherals and software for individual customer order. Ship direct to customer. |
| CONTAMINANT |
An impurity or foreign substance whose presence on printed circuit assemblies could electrolytically, chemically, or galvanically corrode the system. |
| CONTINUITY |
An uninterrupted flow of electrical current in a circuit. |
| CONTRACT MANUFACTURING |
The practice of making products or subcomponents of products to be sold under a different company’s name. |
| COOLDOWN |
The period in the reflow process after peak temperature when the temperature drops to the point where the solder joints fuse or solidify. |
| CORE |
The copper foil laminated fiberglass panel that printed circuit boards are built upon. Also known as substrate panel or interlayer. |
| CORE COMPETENCIES |
Those functions or practices deemed by a company as central to its existence. Those activities that the company believes it does best, should focus on and that are in the company’s best interest for long-term success and growth. |
| CPU |
Central Processor Unit |
| CS |
Chip Scale |
| C-SAM |
C-mode scanning acoustic microscopy |
|
Chip-scale package |
| CTE |
Coefficient of thermal expansion |
| CUSTOM PACKAGING |
The ability to add accessory and FRU items, unique to the customer order, for end distribution. This could involve adding promotional items, country-specific kits for accessories including keyboards, power cords and literature, and shipping to the customer in a wide assortment of end-packaging requirements. |
