There is a lot of competition in the PCB manufacturing industry. Everyone is looking for the smallest improvements to give them an edge. If you seem to be falling behind schedule, it's possible that your manufacturing process is to blame. Use these simple tips to streamline your manufacturing process and keep your customers coming back.
Like many aspects of the electronics industry, the manufacturing process for printed circuit boards is extremely competitive. Customers demand the highest quality products done quickly at the highest lowest price. This has motivated some manufacturers to cut corners to keep costs down and remain competitive. However, this is the wrong approach and will only serve to alienate customers and damage the business in the long run. Instead, manufacturers can achieve better results by improving every step in the manufacturing process to make them more streamlined and efficient. By using better tools, products and saving as much cost as possible, PCB manufacturers can provide customers with quality products at less cost. Here are a few ways to start the process.
1. Use design software
Today's PCBs are truly works of art. As electronic devices steadily shrink, customers are demanding smaller and more complex PCBs than ever before. This means that PCB manufacturers must find ways to fit more components onto smaller boards. As a result, PCB layout software has become almost a standard tool for designers. However, some designers are still doing things the old-fashioned way or using the wrong software. Professional PCB design software will have built-in tools that help improve process flow, identify best practices and perform design rule checks. Additionally, the software will allow you to create and store templates to simplify the development of future orders.
2. Apply the solder resist to the PCB
Many small-scale PCB production operations do not use solder resist in their manufacturing process. Soldermask is a polymer layer applied to the PCB to prevent oxidation and unwanted shorts during assembly. Because circuits are getting closer together on today's smaller and smaller PCBs, manufacturing without a high-quality solder mask is inefficient and presents unnecessary risks.
3. Do not use ferric chloride to corrode
Historically, ferric chloride was the most commonly used etchant for PCB manufacturers. It's cheap, available in bulk, and safe to use. But once it's used for etching, it turns into a dangerous by-product: copper chloride. Copper chloride is highly toxic and poses a major hazard to the environment. Therefore, copper chloride is not allowed to be poured down the drain or thrown away with the trash. In order to dispose of the chemical properly, you will have to use a neutralizer or take it to a dedicated hazardous waste disposal site.
Fourth, the use of ultraviolet laser for panel separation
The ultimate way to improve the PCB manufacturing process, and perhaps the most effective, is to invest in the purchase of a UV laser for panel separation. There are many separation methods on the market, such as crushers, punchers, saws, planers, etc. The problem is that all mechanical methods put stress on the board. This means that manufacturers using mechanical depaneling methods cannot produce flexible, thin and otherwise fragile printed circuit boards. In the past, this was not an issue. Today, however, rigid circuit boards are rapidly becoming obsolete. The electronics industry requires custom-shaped PCBs to fit smaller devices and hold more information.
UV lasers solve this problem because they don't make contact with the circuit board. This means they don't put any physical stress on the PCB. Thin cardboard makes it easy to detach the panels without fear of damaging sensitive components. Manufacturers investing in UV lasers today will be well-positioned to meet the future demands of the PCB industry, while competitors will be scrambling to catch up.
But UV lasers have other capabilities as well. They also don't apply thermal stress to the board. Other laser depaneling methods, such as CO2 lasers, use heat to separate the panels. While this is an effective method, the heat can damage the ends of the board. This means designers can't take advantage of the perimeter of the PCB, wasting valuable space. On the other hand, UV lasers utilize "cold" cutting techniques to separate PCBs. UV laser cutting is consistent and hardly damages the edges of the board. Manufacturers utilizing UV technology can offer customers smaller designs by utilizing the entire surface area of the circuit board.
5. Efficient manufacturing process is the key
Of course, while these are just a few simple ways to improve your PCB manufacturing process, the gist remains the same. PCB manufacturing technology is improving every day. However, as manufacturers, we can be complacent and fail to keep up with the latest trends. This means we may be using outdated equipment. But by taking a few simple steps to ensure our manufacturing processes are efficient and up-to-date, our business can stay competitive and stand out from the competition.
Shenzhen Jiban Technology Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer specializing in PCB boards, FPC boards, and membrane switch panels. The main products are: PCB circuit board, FPC flexible circuit board, membrane switch, membrane panel, acrylic panel and other products, the company has a vigorous, professional and experienced technical, production and management team, with advanced printing The special production and testing equipment for boards has a standardized operation system, which makes the internal operation more accurate and efficient, and the external service is more systematic and timely, creating greater value for customers.
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