Why Small Batch PCB Assembly should become your preferred method for all kinds of industrial projects?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: April 8, 2021
Small Batch PCB

With Printed Circuit Boards becoming an integral part of more and more devices, PCB prototyping is at an all time high. With companies continuously innovating, the need of the hour is small batch PCB Assembly which can offer high turnaround times without the manufacturer being stuck with high inventory that he is unable to make use of.

Advantages of small batch PCB assembly that are of immense value to a manufacturer:

Cost advantage

Although traditionally economies of scale are known to accrue with high volume of production, in an ever-changing technological scenario low volume PCB production comes with significant cost advantages. For one, you will not land up getting more boards produced than you require. Also, with changing technology the boards won’t be rendered redundant.

At the prototype stage, you are often improvising on the product, both in terms of design and functionality. Low batch production means that you aren’t stuck with faulty products. Also, since you are able to outsource PCB small batch. PCB Assembly, what it means in terms of your own business is lower overhead costs. You can also save on precious time that can be utilized in other productive areas of business. With lower batches you also tend to save on storage costs that can accrue in case you are stuck with a heavy inventory load, which is also dead inventory if the prototypes are faulty. Small batch PCB Assembly can therefore offer a low-cost testing method. A Small batch PCB Assembly can therefore offer a low-cost testing method. Check out Top Manufacturing Factors that Affect the Cost of Custom PCB Assembly.

Turnaround time

Low volumes also come with quick turnaround times. You can therefore assess if there are any design changes to e made, quickly. This, in turn leads to shorter time to market, which in today’s world can be a source of significant competitive advantage.

Agility

If there is one attribute that stands between business success and failure, it is agility of businesses to respond to changes. Small batch PCB Assembly inherently offers this advantage to businesses as businesses aren’t stuck with high volume of production as well as have the advantage of quick turnaround times. With improved ability to see whether there are any flaws in the product, whether the design needs any changes, businesses can be extremely agile in dovetailing the product to suit customer needs. Needless to say that the chances of success are increased manifold.

Quality Final Product

With quick turnaround time of PCB prototypes and the ability to detect flaws early, you have the advantage of improving the products and therefore to go to the market with quality products. This goes a long way in improved credibility as the product is successful in the market place and brings repute to the manufacturer.

Feasible for startups and hobbyists as well

Business these days is no longer the realm of large business houses alone. With small batch PCB assembly and the low costs associated with testing out ideas, business has become a level playing field. It is easy for small businesses as well as hobbyists to test their ideas with ease without having to invest large sums of money. For startups wanting to pitch to investors, it is also easy to have a proof of concept beyond just a business plan on paper.

To summarize, PCB small batch comes with multiple advantages, beginning from saving overhead costs by outsourcing your work. Small order sizes automatically lead to improved turnaround times. Also, it is an easy and low-cost way of testing product design ideas without incurring a whole lot of cost.

Technotronix offers professional Custom PCB Assembly with 40 years of expertise. Our accurate PCB assembly process meets the quality standards, including ISO 9001:2015, RoHS, and more. Our superior engineering capabilities mean that each board matches your exact requirements and technical specifications. In case if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected]

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The Choice of PCB Assembly plays a major role in speeding up or slowing down supply chain

By | Date posted: | Last updated: September 7, 2024
PCB For Supply Chain Speed

In supply chain management, a single weak link can significantly impact your business. For those in the electronics industry, printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) often becomes that critical link.

Selecting the right PCBA supplier is crucial. It’s essential to choose a supplier who not only ensures high-quality standards but also leverages their experience to enhance supply chain effectiveness.

One key benefit of choosing the right PCBA supplier is their ability to audit not just PCB layouts but also prototypes. This means they can align engineering schematics with speed considerations from the start, helping you bring products to market faster.

To ensure that your supply chain operates efficiently, consider these strategies. By integrating printed circuit board manufacturing into your supply chain, you can address potential bottlenecks and speed up your production process.

#1 Have proper communication channels

When you are on a tight deadline, there is little scope for a communication breakdown. Ensure therefore that communication with the PCBA is clear and responses are not delayed. It is best to avoid assumptions as far as possible and put everything in clearly understandable terms, well in advance as far as possible.

In fact good partnering practices with your PCB supplier include:

  • Routine conference calls between your team and that of the PCB supplier
  • Quarterly Reviews that are designed to review the performance metrics and any business updates. Ideally this can be a two way process with updates being shared from both sides related to any business growth, new products and more. Essentially any information that impacts the production process as well as the business relationship needs to be shared.
  • Supplier score cards with objective and subjective metrics is yet another process that should be maintained. Things such as on-time delivery, defect rates as well as communication issues and more should be flagged off from time to time so that everyone is aware of issues, if any.
  • You also need to ensure that the supplier has a quality improvement program in place with periodic reviews.

The above best practices will ensure that the process is kept under check and also that the equation with the PCBA is that of partnership and not just of a vendor.

#2 Ensure that your documentation is complete

Ensure that you have worked through your documentation well in advance and that the documentation includes the following:

  • Bill of Materials – Do remember to go by the format that the supplier prefers
  • Gerber Files
  • XY data file
  • Stencil Files
  • Special assembly instructions

If there are any sub-assemblies that need to be manufactured in advance, it is also imperative that you have a bill of materials for each sub assembly and estimate the lead time for the parts. It is also important to verify their compatibility with the finished product

Try and avoid any last minute changes to ensure that everything is in order well in advance.

#3 Identify parts which have long lead-time

Ever so often electronic components have long lead times, often running into months. Identifying these components early can help the PCBA look for either alternate parts or source suppliers who have shorter lead times. In turn this can help cut lead times significantly as also impact costs.

#4 Forecasting demand

Keeping the PCBA posted on the demand forecasts instead of waiting to inform them of out of stock products at the last minute can also go a long way in keeping cost in check. It is commonly known that express shipping can come at a far higher cost and can derail the overall costing. Keeping the supplier posted on demand forecasts, on the other hand can offer the lead time to procure supplies at efficient rates.

#5 End to end partnership

Look for a PCBA who can provide end-to-end solutions and can assist you right from the conceptualization to the production phase. This will streamline the entire process and will cut down time.

The above steps when followed can ensure that the PCB Assembly process and the PCB Assembly provider does not become the weak link in your supply chain and is instead recognized as a critical part of the entire operation.

Turnkey PCB Assembly – A Comprehensive approach to get instant PCB quote and production

By | Date posted: | Last updated: September 4, 2024
PCB Assembly

The traditional approach to PCB assembly is riddled with many problems, foremost among them being the fact that it is high on cost besides being a long-drawn process. Also, it typically supports large orders and isn’t suited for prototypes. Turnkey PCB Assembly therefore comes in handy as it serves as an antidote to all these issues faced with traditional PCB Assembly.

Essentially Turnkey PCB Assembly leverages cloud based software and makes the process of developing printed circuit boards hassle free. All you need to do is to upload a design. With Turnkey Assembly Services then the vendor deals with the entire assembly process including material procurement, PCB fabrication and assembly, testing, packaging and fulfillment.

Also checkout : PCB Assembly Service Quotes

Some of the advantages of Turnkey PCB Assembly include:

Prototyping

While traditionally creating a prototype is a lengthy process that involves dealing with multiple vendors, sometimes contending with out-of-stock-components and overall large lead times, Turnkey PCB Assembly allows for quick prototyping which in turn significantly reduces the time-to market. Needless to mention that it is a major source of competitive advantage.

Works for small orders

Traditional PCB Assemblies cater to large order batches and therefore aren’t conducive to prototypes as well as small orders. Turnkey PCB Assembly on the other hand, by virtue of being able to combine several small orders into a large run, can cater to any order quantity with ease. Irrespective of your order size you can therefore get exemplary service which otherwise can be a prerogative of large quantity orders alone.

Shorter Development Cycle

Turnkey assembly has a much shorter development cycle than traditional PCB fabrication, which in turn means that the PCB’s cycle from assembly line to market is much shorter. This is largely on account of the fact that time isn’t lost switching from phase to phase. Time saving is also on account of the fact that you deal with one vendor for your end-to-end requirement. With a shorter development cycle you tend to gain significant advantages when it comes to proactively responding to changing customer preferences.

No need to deal with multiple vendors

Turnkey PCB Assembly takes away the need to deal with multiple vendors, thereby reducing chances of miscommunication. With multiple vendors you often also face the issue of any delay causing a ripple effect. Also in case you need to make any changes, you need to find the right person who can execute it. It helps to have a single point of contact who can answer questions and implement any changes. Not to mention the fact that with one vendor assembling your final product, peace of mind is a given!

End-to-end services

Turnkey PCB Assembly typically offers end-to end services comprising of product assembly, inventory and shipping. This offers a number of advantages. Besides the logistical ease of a having one point contact, it also saves time as there are no cascading delays.

Perfect for small businesses

On account of the fact that Turnkey PCB Assembly can offer limited quantities as well as quick turnaround time, it works well particularly for startups and small businesses.  With professional prototypes delivered in short time spans, it becomes far easier to pitch the idea to investors as startups have an effective proof of concept to showcase.

Turnkey PCB Assembly also works well for Kickstarter creators who aren’t sure of the volumes they would require and hence cannot commit to large numbers at one go. The flexibility in quantity offered by turnkey assembly services also work well for hobbyists who want to experiment with ideas. Besides being a boon to small organizations, they can also work well for larger set ups that are nimble.

Identifies Problems Early

A major advantage of Turnkey PCB Assembly is also that it can identify any manufacturing problems early on. The manufacturer can identify any errors in design that can be corrected early thus saving the manufacturer from paying a heavy cost on account of design issues. In turn, it also helps establish better design practices in the long run.

Consistency

With Turnkey PCB assembly, consistency of results is a given thereby ensuring stringent quality standards. The importance of quality cannot be overemphasized in today’s competitive environment where a single inconsistency can lead to loss of reputation especially with social media on an overdrive.

From Concept to Delivery

With PCB fabrication, procurement, assembly, testing, packaging etc being taken care by the manufacturer, it eliminates a whole lot of stress while the vendor takes care of everything. You can therefore focus on perfecting your design and bring high quality products to life, far faster. Essentially then, with turnkey services there is a significant freeing of time for your team, which can in turn be used in other areas that need the manufacturer’s attention.

At Technotronix, we have over 4 decades of experience in offering high-quality custom boards. Our state-of-the-art machinery and experienced manpower can offer you products that are way ahead of the curve. Additionally, we have a huge vendor network when it comes to sourcing components. What that means for you, is that we offer you high quality products with a quick turnaround time and at optimal costs. A range of clients across industries have gained a competitive edge with our turn key PCB Assembly, California with our consistent delivery of high-quality, on-time, price-competitive products. To know more, please explore our PCB Turnkey Solution!

ATE PCB Assembly – The trusted interface between PCB manufacturer and OEM

By | Date posted: | Last updated: April 19, 2023
PCB Assembly

ATE (or an automatic test equipment) PCB is an important interface when it comes to verifying a semiconductor chip’s functionality. With semiconductor chip technology having become extremely advanced, testing the devices is a must do in order to verify its functionality and reliability. For the same reason it has evolved as a trusted interface between PCB manufacturers and their OEMs as it helps manufacturers to demonstrate the reliability of their products and for OEMs to believe in it.

ATE PCBs can test a wide array of semiconductor chips including but not limited to Microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays or FPGAs as they are popularly known as and many others. An ATE PCB however is designed to test a particular kind of chip set. Visit the link to know about Technotronix’s PCB Functional Testing Services.

Setting up of an ATE PCB Assembly

The setting up of an ATE PCB assembly requires superior technical know how as any hitch in the assembly can lead to lost time to market and therefore can have huge monetary repercussions. Since ATE PCBs differ from regular PCBs, ATE PCB managers must be well equipped with all the information regarding them. What they should also know is all the diagrams and illustrations that are associated with ATE PCBs. Additionally they must have thorough knowledge of the hardware as well as the PCB assembly process. Other than manpower equipped with technical knowledge, what is of essence is also an accurate ATE PCB pick and place system. What is also required is proper thermal profiling as also a solder sample, stencil design as well as an aqueous cleaning process. The ATE PCB pick and place system needs to be capable of handling large footprint boards. In addition the advanced versions also have features such as fine pitch repeatability and a large reflow oven. Another differentiating feature of an ATE PCB pick and place machine is selective soldering that ensures that through-hole components are perfectly soldered.

Thermal Profile

Every ATE PCB has a unique thermal profile. ATE PCBs are also known for their number of layers. While a network PCB has up to 20 layers, in case of an ATE PCB the number of layers could be as much as 60. On account of a number of power and ground planes, an ATE PCB also needs a large amount of heat in the reflow process.

The board therefore needs a specific thermal profile, which is characterized by high temperatures compared to a regular PCB. The temperature needs to be such that it heats up the board and yet does not damage the components. The first three zones are set at a higher temperature on account of the ATE PCB’s thickness. This in turn leads to a high ramp rate. Similarly, since it takes time for the paste to melt, the soak times are also different compared to a regular PCB.

Solder Sample

In order to arrive at the right thermal profile, a solder sample from the OEM is a must have. While in a regular PCB a profile can be created using the process engineer’s experience, however in case of ATE boards since no risk can be taken, a perfect thermal profile is created using the solder sample. Only when the perfect thermal profile is created, is the live product run through it.

Stencil Design

Another necessary step that ensures that the solder paste is dispensed properly is a stencil design. Stencil apertures impact solder reflow behavior and are therefore if not used correctly, they can adversely impact the assembly process. Tombstone and bridging is often the result of an inaccurate stencil design that can lead to a whole lot of costly re-work. In turn this causes delays in shipping, increased cost, increased time-to-market, not to mention the stress on the other components of the board.

DUT

An important aspect of ATE PCB is its device-under-test site. Any compromise on the part of the DUT can result in the ATE PCB being compromised. For example, if the nuts that are used to keep the DUT socket in place are not properly installed, the DUT socket will not be correctly installed and testing will not be possible. Also DUT pads are sensitive to any contamination. It is therefore important to use solder less pins.

Cleaning

Proper cleaning of the ATE PCBs is a significant requirement as any residue can impact the speed of the board. Any foreign particles or even a fingerprint can jeopardize the efficiency of the board. What is required, therefore, is aqueous cleaning so that all the residue is cleaned from the board using special chemicals.

While ATE PCB assembly is a trusted interface, what it needs is a high degree of maintenance for it to operate at its optimum level and offer the degree of accuracy required.

TechnoTronix is a leading manufacturer of high quality ATE PCB assembly service to electronics manufacturers. Our qualified team of professionals uses the modular approach for PCB Assembly and Layout to simplify the complexity for the Internet of Things Applications. Check out our PCB assembly services! Also, you can drop an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 714/630-9200 to solve your queries or to get a quote.