Your Guide to Selecting a Reliable One-Stop PCBA Service

Why Initial PCB Assembly Takes Longer than Repeat Orders

Manufacturers often observe that the first production run of a new electronic assembly &#; sometimes called the initial board build or first-time PCB assembly &#; takes longer than repeat orders. This extended timeline is crucial to ensure accuracy, quality, and reliability in the final product. Here&#;s why the initial run of PCB assembly (PCBA) generally requires more time and attention:

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1. BOM (Bill of Materials) Validation

The Bill of Materials (BOM) is the foundation of the PCB assembly process, listing all components needed for the board, along with specifications, part numbers, and approved substitutes. Before beginning the first production run, the assembly provider must thoroughly review the BOM to confirm that all parts are clearly specified and available. This review helps to catch any errors or ambiguities that could lead to incorrect parts or shortages. By validating the BOM during the initial production run, the provider ensures the correct components are used, which minimizes potential issues during assembly and in the final product&#;s functionality.

2. File and Documentation Review

In the initial run, the assembly provider conducts a comprehensive review of all documentation files to ensure that each file is accurate and aligns with the design specifications. Key files that are reviewed include:

• • Gerber Files: These files contain the PCB layout information, specifying where each trace, via, and component pad should be located.
  • Pick-and-Place Files: This file specifies the exact coordinates for each component on the board, ensuring precise placement during assembly.
  • Assembly Drawings and Instructions: Additional assembly instructions or drawings are often reviewed for clarity on special requirements, such as component polarity or handling instructions.

The assembly provider&#;s review of these files helps prevent errors in the PCB assembly process. This review ensures that the physical board, component placement, and assembly processes align with the design requirements, reducing the chance of costly errors and delays later in production.

3. First Article Inspection (FAI) for PCB and PCBA

For the initial production run, a First Article Inspection (FAI) is often conducted for both the PCB and the assembled PCB (PCBA). This is a detailed inspection and testing process that verifies that the assembled board meets all design and functionality requirements before full-scale production begins. Here&#;s what FAI entails:

• • PCB Verification: The FAI includes inspecting the bare PCB to confirm that it matches the design specifications, such as the correct layer alignment, trace widths, via placements, and other structural details.
  • PCBA Verification: Once the components are mounted and soldered onto the PCB, the assembled board undergoes further testing to verify that all components are correctly placed and soldered and that the board functions as intended. The FAI may involve visual inspections, electrical testing, and even X-ray inspection for hidden solder joints on complex boards.

The FAI is essential because it allows both the manufacturer and the assembly provider to catch and correct any potential issues before starting full production. If any adjustments are needed in the BOM, layout, or assembly instructions, they can be addressed during this stage. By resolving these issues upfront, the FAI ensures that the board assembly process is streamlined and efficient for subsequent production runs.

7 Tips of Choosing the Best PCB Assembly Service for Customers

In this passage, we are providing all the details about the methods to choose PCB assembly manufacturer. If you are curious about PCB assembly manufacturer, please check and read the content below in this passage.

If you want to order PCB product, please check and custom your order online.

Main factors affect cost PCB assembly manufacturers

The price of a PCB assembly ranges from 3 or 4 dollars to hundreds of dollars, depending on the complexity of the PCB, component quantity and types, PCB assembly method (automatic or manual).

PCB complexity: the more complex PCB (such as HDI, high-frequency, rigid-flex), the higher PCB manufacturing and assembly costs. If the PCB needs drilling, such as buried vias, blind vias, microvias, its manufacturing cost is higher than those not. If the PCB is designed to be fine-pitch (high-density wiring), its assembly service costs more.

Components: the more components a PCB assembly requires, the cost is higher. If PCBA has expensive components, such as ICs, FPGAs, the assembly cost is also higher. Brand-new OEM components are better and more expensive than aftermarket or refurbished components.

Assembly methods: automatic PCB assembly is more expensive than manual assembly. The automatic assembly has stable quality and high precision, and manual assembly has a higher scrap rate. It costs about one or two thousand dollars for an SMT assembly line to start every time.

Besides, leadless PCB assembly requires higher reflow soldering temperatures than lead assembly, so leadless assembly costs more.

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Follow the proper timeline

You probably want the process of choosing a PCB assembly company to go as quickly as possible so you can keep your project moving, get your product to customers and maximize profit while minimizing expenses. Rushing through this critical step can result in more time wasted than time gained in the long run, though. Take as much time as you need to get a full understanding of what a company offers before committing to partnering with them. That said, don&#;t let a company that is slow to respond to your questions hinder your progress. If getting the information you need, such as a quote, requires reaching out to a company multiple times to check on its status or requires an extensive back-and-forth that seems unnecessary, you may need to look elsewhere. To large corporations, these delays might not be a huge deal, but for smaller businesses, their impacts can be substantial. The company that&#;s right for you should be able to work according to your timeframe, as long as it&#;s reasonable.

The experience of PCB assembly manufacturers

You&#;ll also want to work with a manufacturer that has experience that matches up with your project&#;s requirements. Look for the following information on their website or ask a representative to provide you with it:

·  Do they have experience with surface-mount technology, through-hole manufacturing or both?

·  What size batches do they typically work with?

·  What kinds of products have they assembled and what kinds of components did those projects involve?

·  What industries have they worked with?

·  What other services do they offer?

Select the best PCB assembly service

Knowing and implementing the basics are necessary for all successful operations and building circuit boards and electronics is no different. It is also true that minimization is not adequate for success in the competitive PCBA and electronics markets. And there is no reason to expect that capturing increased market share will be any less challenging going forward, even though continued growth is expected across many business sectors whose products rely most heavily on circuit boards and electronic systems. Therefore, advanced board assembly techniques that take into account issues such as threats to security and supply chains necessitate the need for new manufacturing innovations to remain competitive.

One of the areas in which you can capitalize on innovation is in how your boards are assembled. Optimization of your PCBA development and production keeps you on the cutting edge of the industry and able to compete with your peers. It is also essential if you design and build complex boards; which is typical for critical industries; such as aerospace, medical devices, automotive and industry 4.0 factories.

What is the best PCB assembly manufacturer?

PCBBUY Technology Co. Ltd is a smart factory specialized in quick turn PCB prototyping and PCBA. PCBBUY service center is located in the beautiful city - Hangzhou, China, and its factory is located in the southern gate of China - Zhuhai, Guangdong. There are production lines of Single PCB,2 layers PCB,4 layers PCB,6 layers PCB,8 layers PCB and mm PCB. We has passed the SGS, RoHS, UL and other authority certification, the fastest can achieve 24 hours of delivery.

PCBBUY that relies on Internet plus and Industry 4.0 technology, has fully realized online and offline collaborative office and reconstructed traditional PCB factory production management mode by utilizing new technologies such as big data, cloud computing and &#;the Internet of Thing&#;. We have developed our own MES (Manufacturing Execution system), that connects and monitors machines and work centers on the factory floor, the MES is to ensure the effective execution of manufacturing operations and improve production efficiency which greatly shorten the traditional delivery time. We offer 24H rapid service for 1-8 layer prototype PCB, online quoting, online ordering, uploading files, and real-time tracking etc.

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