PCB manufacturing is complicated because it is closely related to high technology. Additionally, the growing demand for high speed and miniaturization has led PCB manufacturers towards fine-line and micro-fabrication. Along the production line, PCB boards are made based on the PCB design file, and the PCB manufacturers are able to tell where and how each circuit operates, where components should be placed and how vias should be arranged to achieve the corresponding function.

PCB Manufacturers Service

Currently, PCB manufacturers offer different types of boards with various materials and surface treatments, including FR4, high Tg FR4, polyimide, Rogers, Arlon, Nelco, taconic, Isola, and F4B, etc. The PCB has many layers and can be single-sided or multi-layer boards of 1 oz or more on the market. Here are some of the services PCB manufacturers can provide:

Prototyping Services: After designing, a prototype circuit board is created. Some design issues become apparent in prototypes. In this case, these gaps must be addressed and the prototype must be updated. It is essential to obtain rapid prototyping services from selected PCB manufacturers.

Production Services: This is usually the last step in the PCB manufacturing process. Through this process, small batches or large production runs can be performed.

Production Capabilities of High Quality PCB Manufacturers

I believe that many users have a headache when looking for high-quality PCB manufacturers and components, so whether high quality is important or low cost is important. In fact, both are important, but often the price of high-quality PCB products is very high, so what are the factors to judge the high quality of PCB manufacturers?

1. The production process capability of the PCB manufacturers

Production capacity includes not only solving difficult circuit problems for customers, but also controlling product quality. All processes in the circuit board production process must be implemented in accordance with strict production processes. At the same time, each process must be equipped with high-end production equipment and advanced. With advanced testing equipment, PCB manufacturers can guarantee the stability of circuit board quality.

2. The raw material selection of the PCB manufacturers

Choosing cheap raw materials is actually an adventure for PCB manufacturers. Although it temporarily wins the preference of customers, it will cause huge losses to customers. The quality of cheap raw materials often does not pass the test. Formal PCB manufacturers such as Huihe Circuits will use high-quality raw materials, which greatly guarantees the production quality of circuit boards from the source.

3. The production equipment of the PCB manufacturers

Advanced production equipment can promote efficient and high-quality production of circuit boards, while backward production equipment can only slow down the production process, or even fail to produce products that meet quality requirements. Therefore, PCB manufacturers should ensure the quality of circuit boards from the hardware and increase investment in equipment, so as to achieve stable and efficient production.

PCB Manufacturers Design Files

1. Data analysis

Even if the file is checked before sending, the PCB manufacturers will need to analyze the data to confirm manufacturability and determine the file's production parameters. The PCB manufacturers communicate with the customer if there are any missing files or obvious data errors.

2. Document preparation

Customers send files in various formats, such as "ODB++ for Mentor Graphics/Valor", while most PCB manufacturers will prefer Gerber files, because it is easily processed into an internal front-end engineer format, and can be read by equipment. The PCB manufacturers make some modifications to the file to get better production data. Such as: increase the diameter of the hole to get enough plating on the hole wall; do not remove the functional pad; cut or remove the legend on the pad; make compensation on the line and hole, add water drops to reduce cracking, print the company logo on the legend/UL mark and date code.

3. Data output

Instead of making each board individually, pcb manufacturers do it on large production panels, which is more efficient and can add production data on the panel border. Make sure all data is correct and in the format required for the specific manufacturing equipment. During the design process or before production, how to choose materials and how to control the quality of the board to ensure reliability, good communication with the PCB manufacturers is essential for manufacturing the board.

PCB Manufacturers Professional Equipment

The production of PCB is a relatively complicated process. Basically, corresponding equipment is required for processing in each production link, and PCB manufacturers need to invest a lot of energy and cost. Whether a good PCB board can be produced has a lot to do with the production equipment of the PCB manufacturers, especially those difficult boards, which have higher requirements for the equipment. In the PCB production process, PCB manufacturers need the following production equipment:

1. Engineering production: photoplotter, film exposure machine

2. Cutting: cutting machine, oven for baking board

3. Lamination:browning production line, lamination machine, grinding machine

4. Drilling: CNC drilling machine

5. Grinding PCB: grinding machine

6. Metallized hole (PTH): chemical copper production line (immersion copper wire)

7. Graphic transfer: film laminating machine, UV exposure machine or LDI

8. Graphic electroplating: electroplating production line

9. Fading dry (wet) film: film fading production line

10. Graphic etching: etching production line

11. Solder mask production: screen printing machine, UV exposure machine or LDI

12. Baking and curing: oven, tunnel furnace

13. Surface treatment: OSP production line or chemical nickel gold wire, chemical nickel palladium gold wire

14. Forming: stamping machine or CNC routing machine, cutting machine

15. Testing: electrical testing machine, AOI.

A good PCB board has a lot to do with PCB manufacturers and PCB production equipment, especially for some difficult boards, which have higher requirements for equipment.