INTOPCB is a professional PCB and PCBA manufacturing service provider since 2000. We can offer you one stop solution service including PCB fabrication， PCB assembly, PCB SMT and through holes assembly, turnkey assembly and box build assembly etc.
Finding a reputable PCB manufacturer to create the boards you need is crucial if you plan to acquire PCB items. Additionally, the finished PCB’s quality and performance will be evaluated by a qualified manufacturer.
How to select a reliable PCB manufacturer?
The following questions are very important. You need to be clear about them before you decide whether cooperate with the PCB manufacturer or not.
Experience
In the production of PCBs, experience is vital. It gives information on a manufacturer’s expertise, awareness of available resources, and ability to adjust through time to changes in the industry.
Certification
Additional information about a manufacturer’s qualifications can be found in their certifications. Typically, a third party must certify that the business conforms with a standard or other criterion before it can acquire certification. Standards for quality management, like ISO 9001, are published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). IPC develops standards specifically for the PCB and electronics manufacturing sectors.
Verify that any manufacturers you are thinking about working with are able to meet all of the requirements that are relevant to your business and products. Of course, this includes general laws and guidelines like the RoHS restrictions on hazardous compounds, but it also includes specifications unique to your sector. Working with a business that has experience in your field can be beneficial in this particular situation.
PCB Types
Make sure the PCB manufacturer can provide the PCB types you need. Find out what kinds of PCBs are available from each manufacturer. In addition to metal core, aluminum-backed, and hybrid boards, this may also comprise stiff, flexible, and rigid-flex boards. Ask the businesses what materials they use as substrates for their boards as well. Heavy copper boards, on the other hand, are perfect for high current applications whereas aluminum boards, for instance, offer great thermal conductivity and excellent electrical insulation.
Quality Control
You should also look at the standard of the boards each manufacturer offers and the quality assurance procedures they employ. How do they manage your PCB quality?
Cost
Another aspect that is always important to take into account is price. Naturally, you want to keep your expenses as low as possible, but you also need to watch that the boards’ quality doesn’t suffer. You must locate a producer whose goods satisfy your requirements for quality while staying inside your budget.
The first quote is one cost factor to take into account. A manufacturer can provide you a quote after learning more about your project from you. Ask whether there will be any additional fees added after the order has been placed to be sure the figure they give you represents an accurate approximation of the entire cost.
Additionally, ask about potential discounts for bulk orders or frequent orders. Some manufacturers will offer discounts or special arrangements for return customers. Ask whether these opportunities exist to ensure you’re getting the best possible price.
Services
The time and expense of your production process might be decreased by making a prototype PCB before moving to production. Making prototypes will provide you with sample boards you can use to test your design, make necessary corrections, and improve it—all of which can be done much more affordably if done earlier in the manufacturing process. Whether they can make the prototype for you?
If you have design files whether they can help you to check the error? Before they build, certain PCB manufacturers will study and analyze your design. This helps to guarantee that the manufacturer gets all the required files and information before starting manufacturing, preventing delays after you place your order. It also serves as a final check for design flaws and faults.
If you don’t have design files, whether they can design for you? You may speed up your production process by using layout and design services. After receiving the bare minimum of information regarding your requirements, some businesses will create a comprehensive design for you. It might be possible for you to send in current files and have a business make adjustments or assist you in fixing a design issue.
PCB Manufacturing capabilities
Order volume service
What are the highest and lowest order quantities each manufacturer can fulfill within the time frame you’ve specified? Through large volume PCB fabrication process is also same with low volume PCB manufacturing process, but low volume service company can’t finish large volume production, and large volume PCB manufacturer don’t want to operate small quality order. you should know that situation.
Delivery Time
You should find out how long each company takes to complete orders for prototypes, small, medium, and large volumes. Make sure the projected delivery time provided by the business for the kind of order you’ll be placing meets your needs. Additionally, find out if the business offers a quick turnaround service for last-minute purchases. Some manufacturers provide an order tracking service that makes it simple to find out the status of your order and when it will arrive.
Layers quantity
Whether they can finish your PCB layers? Think about the number of layers a manufacturer can accommodate as well as whether they can produce bare, single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer boards. Make sure you have the specifics for the board types you intend to acquire because the number of layers probably changes for flexible, flex-rigid, and rigid boards.
finish
Whether the manufacturer can make the surface finish you request for you? PCB surface treatments offer additional benefits, such as making soldering simpler, and protect the copper surface of boards from corrosion. There are numerous conceivable surface finish choices, and various PCB manufacturers might provide various possibilities. Electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), immersion silver, immersion tin, hot air solder leveling (HASL), organic solderability preservative (OSP), and hard gold are examples of potential surface treatments.
via types
Which via types can each manufacturer offer? Whether you require copper-filled vias, blind vias, buried vias, or micro vias, make sure each manufacturer can supply them.
Impedance
Some special PCB board, you might need controlled impedance for boards that operate in high frequency bands. Check that manufacturers offer controlled impedance modeling and are knowledgeable about trace impedance if you need consistent high-frequency performance.
Tolerances
Do they suit your criteria and what sorts of tolerances can each manufacturer manufacture to? The capacity to generate copper-plated holes via chemical procedures depends on a crucial specification known as the drill aspect ratio, which is the ratio of the PCB’s thickness to the drilled hole’s diameter. It becomes harder to achieve accurate plating as the aspect ratio rises, or as the holes get smaller. The outer layer trace and space, inner layer trace and space, minimum and standard drilled holes, minimum pad size, minimum feature to edge, and minimum core thickness are additional crucial specifications.
INTOPCB, established in 2000, own 120,000 square foot facility, include from raw material to complete PCB fabrication lines, 15 SMT assembly lines, 20 through hole assembly lines. As an leading PCB manufacturer, INTOPCB owning certifications such as ISO 9001, TS16949, UL, Rohs, IPC 2, IPC 3. can provide you excellent PCB custom service.