Advanced Technology Solutions for Electronic Product Design

Electronic product design and manufacturing are tasks that should be left to the experts if your goal is to create a high-quality product according to how you envisioned it, exactly. It is best to outsource to a service provider with a team of talented and skilled engineers who have mastery of electronic product design as well as access to advanced technology solutions that make the entire process more cost-effective and faster. Reputable and seasoned companies specializing in electronic design and circuit board assembly can provide the solutions you need to create new products for any industry, including telecommunications, automotive, medical, military, and aerospace.

Seasoned electronic design providers introduces every new assembly into a manufacturing environment only after carefully reviewing all the disciplines involved in producing the box build or the circuit board assembly. This is accomplished by following a detailed checklist that considers all planning and manufacturing controls, which were developed through decades of experience.

An advanced planning and quality production process ensures a well-designed and flawless electronic product. Once ready for manufacturing and testing, a new product introduction team tracks the initial build through the plant. The operation is monitored following a checklist. Some companies can provide customer feedback and propose changes to make sure that production ramps and product launches can be accomplished as cost-effectively as possible. That way, you can understand cost possibilities of electronic product design and become more successful, while making sure that you gain market share.

Electronic design and manufacturing engineering companies use advanced technologies like rapid prototyping, surface mount technology for printed circuit boards, and box build/system integration. Prototypes can be put together using supplied parts and boards from your business, or the company can quote and provide the materials for a comprehensive turnkey solution.

PCB Assembly Service: Reduce Overall Cost and Wait Time

Printed circuit board (PCB) assembly services are important in consumer electronics manufacturing. Rather than doing it in-house, electronics manufacturing companies outsource PCB assembly services to qualified and experienced electronic design and circuit board assembly specialists, and they have good reasons why they do that. With PCB assembly services, you can reduce the overall costs in production and minimize the time it takes to manufacture, assemble, and launch your products. The most reliable and experienced PCB assembly companies can handle low to medium volume productions for various equipment markets, including industrial, telecommunications, medical, automotive, military, and aerospace industries.

PCB assembly companies can manufacture different electronic assemblies that are either mixed technology or through hole. They are well-equipped with surface mount lines and automatic through whole axial and radial equipment to meet high volume PCB production requirements. IPC-certified manufacturing personnel are qualified and skilled in assembling any additional parts that are not assembled or placed by machines. If you have complicated PCB assemblies, you can count on a PCB assembly service to accomplish them easily. The service is provided by manufacturing engineers who can create a control plan to exceed IPC class 3 requirements.

With a PCB assembly service, you do not have to invest in your own equipment and additional staff. Another important advantage to outsourcing PCB assembly to a qualified company is that it leverages your investment for production technology. A dedicated and well-equipped electronics assembly company can produce more units more efficiently, quickly, and at a lower cost compared to when you do it yourself. You can rely on their expertise in producing and assembling PCBs with your unique requirements in mind. They follow the best quality control procedures, too. That way, you can be sure that you are getting high-quality parts that are ready to assemble once they are delivered to your office.

Important Properties of PCBs for Industrial Use

Printed circuit boards have become crucial to electronic equipment and devices used in many different industries. Because of their construction, they can be very small and compact, enabling them to be suitable for small electronic devices like smartphones. The electronic components are usually small, so it is possible to arrange them in a more efficient and compact way, enabling manufacturers of industrial machinery to make smaller and more compact equipment. PCBs can be convenient for industrial use, especially for equipment and machinery that must be both compact and powerful. There are other reasons why PCBs are great for industrial use:

•    Minimal noise – As long as it is properly constructed, a PCB can reduce electronic noise that could degrade the equipment's performance. A printed circuit board's electrical components are organized in a way that can minimize electrical currents between them, resulting in lower electromagnetic wave generation and low radiation for minimal cross-talk among components and traces. This feature can be beneficial when different types of electronic devices must be placed in close range to one another.

•    Rugged construction – PCBs have fixed components, so they do not shake or become misplaced when the equipment is moved. This feature is important in industries that must place its electronic devices in harsh environments, or for when the equipment must be frequently moved from one place to another. The ruggedness of printed circuit boards can resist vibration, too, so you do not have to worry about any mechanical vibrations affecting the circuits. Reputable PCB assembly services can use lightweight, shock-proof, and corrosion resistant parts for added durability.

•    Easy to repair and diagnose – If something goes wrong, the equipment can easily be repaired because PCBs have clearly labeled polarities and components. This can be handy when performing diagnostics or repairs, so these can be accomplished faster to minimize downtime in the workplace.

Find the Best PCB Assembly Services for Commercial Purposes

Fast and reliable PCB assembly services can reduce your product development cycle and ensure a timely and prompt release of your new device. Outsourcing PCB assembly can be cost-effective and can help you save time, but it can be challenging to find a good service that can quickly and accurately complete the job, especially for high volume requirements.  Here are a few points to consider when finding the best PCB assembly services for commercial purposes:

•    Look for an expert – Find a PCB assembly service provider with decades of experience and expertise in circuit board assembly and electronic design. Make sure that it has offered its services to many different companies in the automotive, industrial, aerospace and military, and telecommunications equipment markets.

•    See if they have their own facilities – PCB assembly service providers who have their own state-of-the-art facilities can reduce the costs of labor when they are able to work on their own. Reputable companies are capable of handling medium to low volume assemblies and testing with advanced capabilities such as automated selective soldering, an automated stock room, and in-line automated 3D inspection and BGA x-ray with their flex-SMT lines.

•    Verify certifications – Make sure that the PCB assembly service is TS 16949 and ISO 9001 certified. It is important for an electronic design and circuit board assembly company to be compliant to ISO 13485 and AS 9100, too. The personnel must be trained to IPC-A-610 class 2 & 3 and IPC J-STD-001 class 2 & 3.

•    Check the equipment – A good PCB assembly service provider will ensure the highest-quality and accurate results, plus faster turnaround. Hence, they use advanced machinery to complete the job in the shortest times possible. Look for a company that uses high-speed surface mount lines and other devices that can shorten the time to create mixed technology and through whole assemblies.

Hiring the Best Electronic Contract Manufacturing Company for Your Requirements

Hiring an electronic contract manufacturing company can help you save money and time when you need to produce accurate and high-quality prototypes or actual products for your business. With their help, you do not have to worry about buying expensive equipment or hiring additional employees. However, you need to make sure that you are hiring the right company that can work with your requirements in mind. Here are some factors you should consider when hiring a reputable electronic contract manufacturing company:

·         Industry experience – Hire a company that has, at least, two decades of experience in rapid prototyping, electronic design, and circuit board assembly services to various clients in the medical, industrial, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and automotive markets. Choose a company that serves as a full service turnkey supplier of custom electronics so they can provide everything from the design to prototyping, full rate production, and new product introduction.

·         In-house manufacturing – Hire a company that has its state of the art facility that is capable of low to medium volume assembly and test. Make sure they have advanced capabilities like automated selective soldering, Flex-SMT lines with automated in-line 3D optical inspection, BGA x-ray, and an automated stockroom. Look for capabilities like developing and building custom functional test equipment.

·         Certified and compliant – Choose a company that is TS 16949 and ISO 9001 certified. Moreover, make sure they are compliant to ISO 13485 and AS 9100. The staff must be trained to IPC-A-610 class 2 & 3 and IPC J-STD-001 class 2 & 3.

·         Design capabilities – Make sure the company can help you in designing your product, whether you are completely starting from scratch or in need of an expert to review your existing specifications. This way, you may be able to streamline plans and make sure that they are efficient and effective.

Surface Mount - The Most Preferred PCB Assembly Method

Surface mount technology is one of the most preferred methods of placing or mounting components on printed circuit boards. It has greatly replaced through-hole technology and gave electronic designers and circuit board assemblers an alternative and more reliable means to fit components into the circuit board. In some cases, surface mount technology may be used in conjunction with through-hole technology, especially when certain components are unsuitable for surface mounting, as in the case of heat-sinked power semiconductors and large transformers.

There are various reasons to prefer surface mount to conventional PCB assembly methods. One of its advantages is its versatility and reliability when it comes to linking different individual parts in a single electronics system. This results in higher productivity, minimal downtime, and improved product quality. With the surface mount technology, you can manufacture smaller and more components for improved performance, especially in smaller hand-held devices.

Components that are made using surface mount technology are smaller and enable higher component density on printed circuit boards. With surface mount, automated assembly can be faster and seamless because it allows more than a single component to be placed on the board per hour. Small errors can be corrected automatically to reduce downtime. SMTs are better in mechanical performance, too, especially under situations where shaking or vibrations are common.

Experienced and reputable electronic design and circuit board assembly companies use surface mount technology to assemble printed circuit boards. They use high-end machinery—such as high-speed surface mount lines—to manufacture a large amount of various electronic assemblies. At the same time, they utilize the services of IPC certified manufacturing technicians to manually assemble other additional parts that machines may not be able to assemble or place.