Guidelines For Outsourcing PCB Assembly and Prototype Manufacturing
It frequently does not make sense to invest in high-priced production equipment if you just want to spin a handful of prototypes and alternatively outsource your PCB assembly and prototype manufacturing to a dependable vendor. I will give some tips as to what to watch out for when seeking for a contract manufacturer.
A lot of contract producers will supply an instant quote mechanism on their web-site for manufacture of circuit boards and assembly of prototypes. This will save you time when comparing different vendors. Make confident that the quote method allows you to enter all of the information, such as board material, thickness, copper thickness, milling and so forth. so that you can get an correct quote with no any surprises later on.
Normally the price per board will decrease as quantity increases. This is due to the fairly higher setup cost of circuit board manufacturing and component assembly. types of electronic connections will use a technique exactly where they combine boards from a number of customers. This way the setup expense will be distributed amongst various customers. When you manufacture a item, you certainly do not want to have to manufacture a big quantity of boards right away when you refine your design and style.
One particular limitation with smaller-quantity prototypes though is that the option of components and material thicknesses will be limited. If you are applying a unique material then possibilities are there won’t be any other buyers applying the very same material. In addition, lead time plays a huge function in determining price. A longer lead time enables the manufacturer much more freedom in slotting your production. This is generally reflected in reduced charges which you will see in the quote section. Clearly if you are in a rush and want to be moved to the major of the pile you will need to spend far more dollars.
Make sure that your contract manufacturer will help the file format for manufacture that you offer. The most popular format for PCB manufacture is the Gerber format but some vendors will also accept board files from widespread PCB software program products. Some suppliers also offer you in-property PCB style. Even if you style your board your self, selecting a vendor with design services could prove helpful in case there is a issue with your files. In this case your vendor can make rapid adjustments which will keep away from expensive delays.
When subcontracting PCB assembly, make certain that your vendor can assemble all of the package sorts that your board makes use of. Some vendors can not assemble specific form of IC packages such as BGA, chip-scale packages or pretty modest component forms. If in doubt be sure to contact your vendor ahead of time.
Some contract manufacturers will carry an inventory of standard SMT and through-hole components. You will save time if you can pull from your vendor’s inventory rather than getting every single component oneself. Make sure to specify which components you wish to consign yourself when you upload your bill of components.
Most vendors will also offer you manufacture of the SMT stencil which is needed for PCB assembly. Be positive to order the stencil right away when ordering the circuit boards themselves to prevent delays.
To make certain that your circuit boards will operate, be positive that your vendor is top quality certified and presents the tests and board inspection procedures that are expected. Please note, having said that, that specific tests, such as ICT testing demands added time and price to prepare appropriate test fixtures.