It frequently does not make sense to invest in high-priced production gear if you just want to spin a few prototypes and rather outsource your PCB assembly and prototype manufacturing to a trusted vendor. I will give some tips as to what to watch out for when hunting for a contract manufacturer.
A lot of contract companies will present an instant quote mechanism on their website for manufacture of circuit boards and assembly of prototypes. This will save you time when comparing unique vendors. Make certain that the quote program permits 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 out any surprises later on.
Usually the price per board will decrease as quantity increases. This is due to the pretty high setup expense of circuit board manufacturing and component assembly. Some vendors will use a method where they combine boards from a number of customers. This way the setup cost will be distributed amongst numerous prospects. When you manufacture a product, you certainly do not want to have to manufacture a large quantity of boards correct away even though you refine your style.
1 limitation with compact-quantity prototypes though is that the decision of components and material thicknesses will be limited. If you are utilizing a unique material then chances are there will not be any other shoppers utilizing the exact same material. In addition, lead time plays a big function in determining cost. A longer lead time enables the manufacturer far more freedom in slotting your production. This is generally reflected in reduce expenses which you will see in the quote section. Definitely if you are in a rush and want to be moved to the leading of the pile you will will need to devote more funds.
Make positive that your contract manufacturer will support the file format for manufacture that you provide. The most prevalent format for PCB manufacture is the Gerber format but some vendors will also accept board files from widespread PCB computer software solutions. Some suppliers also give in-residence PCB design. Even if you design your board yourself, selecting a vendor with design and style solutions may well prove valuable in case there is a dilemma with your files. In this case your vendor can make swift modifications which will stay clear of costly delays.
When subcontracting PCB assembly, make sure that your vendor can assemble all of the package forms that your board uses. Some vendors can not assemble specific sort of IC packages such as BGA, chip-scale packages or incredibly modest component forms. If in what is .pro file be confident to speak to your vendor ahead of time.
Some contract producers will carry an inventory of typical SMT and by way of-hole elements. You will save time if you can pull from your vendor’s inventory rather than getting every single component yourself. Make positive to specify which components you wish to consign your self when you upload your bill of materials.
Most vendors will also provide manufacture of the SMT stencil which is essential for PCB assembly. Be positive to order the stencil right away when ordering the circuit boards themselves to stay clear of delays.
To make sure that your circuit boards will operate, be sure that your vendor is high quality certified and presents the tests and board inspection approaches that are expected. Please note, on the other hand, that particular tests, such as ICT testing needs further time and price to prepare suitable test fixtures.