Different Types of Pcb Contract Manufacturing Processes

A reputable contract manufacturer (CM) can help you with the design and assembly of your PCB. They can assist with compact and value-efficient designs, and they can also make recommendations for your PCB components based on your design specifications. They can also handle sourcing and procurement, resulting in significant savings on your overall project costs. They can even offer quick component shipments for urgent projects to minimize downtime and ensure your product stays on track.

Experienced CMs follow strict protocols throughout the entire manufacturing process to guarantee that your board will meet all your design and performance requirements. They have a wide range of inspection equipment, including automated solder paste inspection and Automated Optical Inspection, to reduce errors and improve consistency. In addition, they can handle advanced component packages like Ball Grid Arrays and Quad Flat No-Lead (QFN) packages with ease.

PCB CMs have well-established production lines and optimized workflows capable of handling a high volume of orders. This allows them to quickly move your prototype from CAD file to finished product, slashing weeks or months off your overall design cycle time. They can also provide rapid turnaround services for an additional fee, if needed.

Once the design passes all of the checks, it’s ready for fabrication. The CM will print your design on a special kind of printer called a plotter. This prints a thin film of your design on a piece of laminate material. It will have registration holes that align both the inner and outer layers. Then, copper will be pre-bonded to that layer and etched away to reveal the blueprint of your circuit board beneath.

What Are the Different Types of Pcb Contract Manufacturing Processes?

Before the board undergoes any more machining, it will be coated in a solder mask to prevent oxidation and corrosion and to protect the solder pads from contamination. Once this is done, the board is ready for assembly. Depending on your order complexity and the manufacturer’s current workload, your lead times will vary. It’s important to communicate your desired timeline with your CM during the quoting process, so that your CM can give you an accurate quote before starting work on your boards.

Once the boards are finished, they will undergo a series of tests to verify that all components were installed properly and that no connections were unintentionally shorted or disconnected. This testing will include continuity, resistance, capacitance, and temperature, among others. In some cases, the CM may also use a flying probe test to detect shorts between the pins of complex components like BGAs and QFNs. Once the tests are complete, the CM will depanelize the boards from their panels using routing or a V-cut on the board outline or by cutting out the entire board except for small breakout tabs. They will then ship them to you for assembly.

PCB (Printed Circuit Board) contract manufacturing involves the production of PCBs on behalf of another company, typically an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Various types of equipment are utilized throughout the PCB manufacturing process to ensure precision, efficiency, and quality. Here are some of the key types of equipment commonly used in pcb contract manufacturing: