What is contract manufacturing PCB assembly: (PCB Manufacturing Process?)

5 Simple PCB Fabrication Steps

 

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the electronic devices that use the metallic core materials for the transfer of electricity. In this way, the electric current reaches the electronic components in a smooth way. Due to this smooth flow of current, the working of the printed circuit board becomes continuous and easy.

After the formation of printed circuit board, the next task is to assemble and make a PCB assembly. In this article, you will get the information about PCB assembly and its manufacturing. Moreover, it will also describe the formation of contract manufacturing PCB assembly.

 

What does PCB assembly mean?

 

The PCB assembly is the process of assembling the electronic components on a board with the help of wirings. It is the phase that we operate after the formation of the components of PCB. In the PCB assembly, there is a pathway of the metal core for the conduction of electric current.

However, in the advanced age, the field of microelectronic and technology is in the leading condition. The engineers are advancing towards the newer and more precise equipment and devices. The formation of the printed circuit board assembly can lead towards the more accurate and precise devices and applications in the industry.

There are many different types of the PCB assembly. The have different uses and applications in the industry. Some of them are consignment prototype assembly, consignment production assembly, turnkey prototype assembly and full turnkey prototype assembly.

 

What is the PCB Manufacturing Process?

 

The PCB manufacturing process is a complex procedure for the best and perfect applications in the industry. The manufacturing of PCB involves certain steps. Therefore, the manufacturing of PCB starts with the design of the PCB and follows up to the fabrication of the board for the assembly.

Ø  Step One: Designing the PCB

The first step of the PCB manufacturing is the design of the PCB. The manufacturer of PCB constructs the sample or blueprint for the design of the PCB. This model of the PCB design is according to the requirements of the industrial applications. The most common software used for the design formation of the PCB is Extended Gerber. The design of the PCB is the main thing to consider for the contract manufacturing PCB assembly provider.

Ø  Step Two: Design Review and Engineering Questions

In the next step of the PCB manufacturing, the manufacturer goes for the inspection of the design. Here, the manufacturer searches for the errors and faults in the design of the PCB. Once there is a clarity of design of the PCB, then it goes for the printing phase of the manufacturing.

Ø  Step Three: Printing the PCB Design

Once there is a clarity of design of the PCB, then it goes for the printing phase of the manufacturing. The printing of the PCB design does not come on the normal paper like other designs in the industries. The design of PCB comes out with the help of the plotter machine.

The result of the plotter printer is in the form of a film. This film is actually a photograph of the design but it lacks only the board of the PCB. The inner layer of PCB uses two types of the inks for this purpose. These two are the black ink and clear ink. The black ink has the use in the case of copper sheet. While the clear ink is helpful for the non-conductive parts of the PCB.

Ø  Step Four: Printing the Copper for the Interior Layers

The printing of copper is the true start of the manufacturing of PCB. When we get the design of the PCB on a laminate, we can move ahead for the printing of copper on board. The copper that we attach to the same board, is the main and fundamental structure for PCB manufacturing. The contract manufacturing PCB assembly providers take into account all the instructions regarding the design of the PCB.

In the next step, we apply a resist on the laminate of PCB. The resist is the type of a film that is sensitive to the ultra violet light. When we apply this resist on the laminate and expose it to the ultra violet light, it hardens on it. It helps us to make a match between the laminate and board design.

Ø  Step Five: Etch the Inner Layers or Core to Remove Copper

The inner layer of the PCB contains the copper in the two forms. One form is in the core of the PCB. While the other extra copper is also present on board. This extra copper has to be removed from the board later.

The etching process in the PCB manufacturing is the process to cover the necessary copper on the board. While an etching chemical applies to the rest of the copper on the board. The chemical etching removes the extra copper from the board. However, the essential copper does not go out from the board.

 

What is an example of contract manufacturing?

 

Contract manufacturing PCB assembly is a process to produce the PCBs by a company for the other companies. This is an outsourcing process by a company for the quick and fast PCB manufacturing of their PCBs. The service providing company produces the product according to the instruction of the business company.

Ø  Example of contract manufacturing

Let a PCB manufacturing company is facing the criticism by its customers due to the poor quality of its products. The customers are continuously complaining about the poor quality of the products. The company decides to contact a contract manufacturing provider for the purpose of inculcating the better quality.

Therefore, the company orders a well reputed contract manufacturing provider to produce its products. In the return, the products manufactured by the manufacturing provider become attracting magnet for the customers in the market. Thus, the company has a huge increase in the profit as well as the revenues in the market.

Thus, due to this burst and enhancement of the revenues due to this better-quality management, the company decides to continue contract with the provider. Therefore, the company also orders its products in the future to this Contract manufacturing PCB assembly provider.

What is the difference between SMT and SMD?

 

The main difference between SMT and SMD is that one is technology and the other is electronic device to be mounted. SMD refers to surface mount device. It is the electrical component that we mount on the PCB board.

On the other hand, SMT refers to the surface mount technology. It is the technology that we use for the purpose of mounting the electrical component called SMD on the PCB board. This method successfully places the electronic component on the PCB board. The contract manufacturing PCB assembly providers use best type of surface mount technology for this purpose.

 

What is a PCB used for?

The invention of the PCBs has enabled us to make the electronic circuits in a compact and customized size. Moreover, they are capable to mount many electronic components in a particular way to deal with the capacitors and inductors. The hole drilling and soldering process helps us the fit the most of the components on the board.

The computer is the prominent example of the use of PCBs. The mother board of the computer is a fundamental PCB board. The others are RAM, power, supplies, modem and video cards. The contract manufacturing PCB assembly provider consider the type of use before manufacturing the PCBs for any company.