What is the Need of Chemical-Free PCB Fabrication & PCB Assembly?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: February 14, 2022
pcb-assembly-1

Commonly referred to as PCBA, printed circuit board assembly refers to the process of rigidly mounting electronic components onto a printed circuit board. It is essentially a mechanical assembly process of soldering or assembling disparate electronic components onto one printed circuit board in a manner that enables packaging. A fully functioning PCB is by no means a finished product; it needs to be connected to a power source as well as a display monitor for displaying information. PCB assembly is not generic; they are assembled as per detailed specifications related to the placement of connectors, mounting boards, etc. In many specifications the specifications are detailed enough to require a drawing of the exact location and dimensions of each external component, for instance specifications related to height or keep out areas need to be defined and designed before the fabrication and assembly process itself.

It is common to confuse PCB assembly with PCB manufacturing; the two are completely different and distinctive from each other. Manufacturing PCB’s requires Making and prototyping before actual production while assembly requires soldering of electronic components onto the circuit board for use in a variety of gadgets and equipment. There are many materials required in PCB fabrication and assembly, the primary ones being:

  • Printed Circuit Board
  • Electronic components
  • Soldering materials, including solder wire, solder paste, solder bar, solder preforms (depending on the type of soldering to be done)
  • Soldering flux
  • Soldering equipments including soldering station, wave soldering machine, SMT equipment, inspection and testing equipment etc.

By the late 1900’s, the threat to the earth’s ozone layer posed by emissions from CFC based defluxing solvents like Freon and Trichloroethylene brought about a renewed focus on the need to reduce the use of chemicals in manufacturing. The increased clamoring led many organizations to abandon CFC based defluxing solvent sin favor of aqueous based defluxing as well as no clean fluxes. The standards of defining green technology have evolved considerably since then, also because of regulatory directives which have made it imperative for companies to adopt cleaner chemical free PCB fabrication and assembly. Organizations are increasingly looking to adopt methods that reduce product liability as well as environmental liability as a means of bringing down their carbon footprints.

Taking care of the environment

Environmental concerns aside, safety in the workplace also becomes paramount not only during process operations, but also with regards to performing routine cleaning and maintenance functions, which are why many environmentally committed organizations have started adopting lead free soldering, even though it sells at a 200-300% premium. It is not just workers in factories where PCB assembly takes place that are susceptible to exposure from toxins released during the process, but even the end consumer purchasing these products.

Environment friendly PCB cleaning processes

It is in the cleaning process of PCB assembly that chemicals are chiefly used, although there are many industries that require use a no-clean process. However, industries like aeronautics, automotive and medical industry do require post assembly cleaning of solder reside paste. It is these industries that have demanded that manufacturers of PCB fabricators and assembly adhere to chemically reliable cleaning solutions that are also environmentally friendly. The European Union already has strict guidelines regarding chemical free fabrication and assembly of PCB’s. The ROHS directive is very clear in its stipulations that, from July 2006 onwards, member states are required to ensure that new electrical and electronic equipment released in the market should be free of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB or PDBE. Since the ROHS Circuit Board guidelines are a product based initiative, the responsibility for compliance lies with the manufacturer. This means that from an environmental perspective, flux and solders paste residues commonly used for high reliability and long lifecycle PCB assembly products need to be compatible with solvents and detergents required to clean them.

The normal environment that we live in is already rich in pollutants which are why it has become even more imperative to ensure that we do not add to the contamination by adopting manufacturing and assembly processes that do away with using any kind of harmful chemicals. While there is no regulatory body in the US for testing of PCB Fabrication and Assembly processes, the government has come out with initiatives that make it mandatory for organizations to use non lead based products in their fabrication and assembly process. Apart from the government based initiatives there is an increasingly active role played by nongovernmental environmental agencies to raise awareness about the safety hazards posed to workers and consumers by the use of chemicals in PCB fabrication and assembly without sacrificing on quality or reliability. Even organizations now prefer working with PCB assembly suppliers who are committed to implementing advanced processes and using high quality raw materials that reduce environmental contamination and provide an increased level of health and safety to workers and consumers.

TechnoTronix is one of the kingpins in delivering a Chemical-Free PCB Fabrication & PCB Assembly service to the electronics manufacturers. Our main strength lies in the extensive experience and skilled team of experts to provide tailored electronic design and manufacturing solution. You can drop an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 714/630-9200 to solve your queries or to get a quote.

How pcb layout and PCB assembly is setting a new trend of electric vehicle charging stations

By | Date posted: | Last updated: April 9, 2021
PCB Design

With the Electric vehicles (EV) becoming a recent buzz in the UK, new modifications in the vehicle charging stations come up every other day to reap the advantages of the saving fuel. People are also staying conscious about the environmental protection and using Eco friendly products and gadgets as much as possible. To derive innovations in car charging stations, an exact pcb layout and PCB manufacturing solution is the key success factor. This article drives you to the basics of vehicle charging station and the printed circuit board used in its manufacturing and installation. It also outlines the current modifications seen on charging stations.

As more and more people choose to opt for a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric car, it is vital to first get a short brief about the PEV’s. The battery electric vehicles operate through the an electric motor. While the plug in hybrid electric vehicles has both, an electric motor and gasoline engine. The PEV’s need to be charged on a regular basis to get high efficiency in the average miles. This has made the researchers forecast the increased use of PEV’s will drop down the number of conventional fuel stations than that of electric car charging station with making the electricity to be a propulsive dominance for vehicles, especially in the UK. The issue of car charging station is heading the electronic industry to come up with far reaching unique solutions.

With this, the tipping point for the modified charging station is grounded on the PCB Assembly manufacturing to come up with an improved electric design and manufacturing solution. In order to increase the potential of EV’s, the issues pertaining to the lack of charging station in every zone be it a free vehicle recharge or a ‘pay to charge’ option becomes a prime concern.

Giving a dynamic arena to the PEV’s, many charging stations are now installed in the UK, but still there is many more developments to be made with up-gradation of technology. The high tech PCB prototypes to design and manufacture the charging stations, be it charging point for homes, commercial or public use is taking a next step in enhancement that has multi functionality features. Also modifications are addressed in getting customized solution for wall mounted type of charging station or a pedestal structure or a ball top/curve top style of the charging station.

To manufacture an entry level commercial charging unit or robust vandal resistance EV charger that has a versatility in 1 way or 2 way plug in with custom fast charging versions or to discover a heavy vehicle charging station needs an effective electronic and design solution. With the help of flexible PCB, technology has made it possible to come up with security innovations that includes c/w hatch lock and overload protection with fault current security. For the manufacturer of charging stations, it proves challenging to also have well defined charging test equipments.

A device that has automatic charging capabilities with auto plug-in and payment facilities is a challenge to the electronic manufacturers. The use of an embedded controller in the system gives NFC and internet capabilities for mobile payment. The major challenge here is on the electronic manufacturers to reduce the cost of production with high efficiency grounded on the systems installed in the charging station.

The EV control center is also high in trend that offer both the options- pay to use Or free to use car charging service. With a single control panel it manages the multiple local EV charging points. The driver has to simply park the car in EV charging point which automatically initiates the charging procedure.

The customized PCB assembly with state-of-the-art techniques of production like the Surface Mount Technique (SMT), Through-Hole Technique and many others are highly in use to get a compact and multi feature printed circuit board used in automobile industry. To get a complete turnkey PCB Assembly for the high-tech control system used in EV’s, it requires an effective PCB assembly and also a consultation of a PCB expert.

Technotronix provides a tailored electronic and layout solution for the manufacturer and designer of vehicle charging stations. Having an experienced team of technical experts, we provide customization in PCB assembly and derive a tech savvy pcb layout for your project by providing a consigned and complete turnkey solution. Our main strength lies in the extensive experience and offering quality electronic design and manufacturing solution. You can drop an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 714/630-9200 to solve your queries or to get a quote. To get more insights into the PCB assembly, Check out our PCB Assembly Services!!

Solder Bridges becoming a major challenge during PCB assembly

By | Date posted: | Last updated: February 14, 2022
pcb-assembly

The next generation Mantra is to provide uniqueness in the electronic solution raising the level of innovation in this modern world of electronics. The main innovation grounding the electronic manufacturing mechanism is the printed circuit boards. With this, it is important for the electronics manufacturer and OEM’s to update on the major challenges in pcb layout and assembly. Solder Bridges during PCB assembly are becoming a tough challenge for both the PCB manufacturers and the customers. This article is a brief guide for all the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM’s) to know the importance of solder mask during PCB assembly and pcb layout to prevent solder bridges. It also takes you to the root cause and preventive measures to avoid solder bridges during PCB assembly and avoid damage to the components and circuit board resulting into a PCB rework.

To come up with a perfect PCB prototype, The pcb layout and PCB assembly stage play a vital role in deriving a proper electronic manufacturing and design solution. Be it a PCB used in aerospace, defense, military, renewable energy, transportation, telecommunication or any other industries, the PCB manufacturers need a well defined PCB manufacturing process that uses quality raw materials and comes up with an exact pcb layout that prevents solder bridges or PCB rework with giving highly durable and effective solution in turn saving time and money for the electronic manufacturers.

To get insights into the things to be taken care of at the time of PCB assembly, all the electronic manufacturers should first understand the common major problems to be considered. Among all, solder bridges are the main blunder to be taken into consideration. With this, it is significant to understand the solder bridges at the prima facie.

Solder Bridges:

A solder bridge is an unwanted and unintended electric connection occurring between the conductors due to a small blob of solder. They are also known as “shorts” in PCB terminology. Detecting solder bridges are a difficult when there is involvement of fine pitch components. If it is kept unresolved, it can lend up causing a damage to the other components and the circuit board as well. The solder mask (ie) a thin layer of polymer applied to the copper traces on the printed circuit board to protect it from oxidation and avoid solder bridges forming between the solder pads. This solder mask is necessary for the mass production of the PCB but it is of less use in case of hand soldered PCB assemblies. For the circuit boards to be soldered automatically, Solder bath and Reflow techniques are high in trend. To avoid the solder bridges during the PCB assembly, it is first needed to decide a proper type solder mask to be used during the PCB assembly. This becomes a sensitive point of consideration while deriving a proper pcb layout and type of PCB for your project.

The electronics manufacturer should investigate thoroughly the merits and demerits of each type of solder mask and then decide whether to opt for Epoxy Liquid, Liquid Photoimageable Solder Mask (LPSM) or a Dry Film Photoimageable Solder Mask (DFSM). They can even take help of PCB manufactures to get a consultation and to go for a perfect type of PCB assembly with well defined techniques and flow of PCB production. For all the electronics manufacturers, though the prevention of the solder bridges can cause additional investment of time and money, but it can help you to derive a significant long term payback.

Causes of Solder Bridges:

The root cause of the solder bridges is the inappropriate pcb layout. Less than the idea package size of their components and also inadequate use of material melds has increased with the requirements of introducing more compact and faster technology. This is a big challenge for the OEM’s to go for a perfect and adequate layout of the printed circuit board. They usually end up compromising on the PCB layout to launch a new product in the market.

Other causes of solder bridges include the lack of solder resistance in-between the pads on the circuit board. The insufficient layer of polymer on the copper traces of a PCB usually known as a solder mask also acts an issue leading to solder bridges. When the device pitch is 0.5 mm or less, the inappropriate pad to gap ratio also becomes the cause of the solder bridges. The incorrect stencil specification can lead to excessive solder paste thus causing the solder bridges. The uneven distribution of the solder paste due to the inappropriate sealing between the PCB and the solder stencil, inappropriate stencil thickness, errors in the Surface Mount Component Placement or compared to the PCB-the solder screen has a poor registration, these are the common issues leading to solder bridges during the PCB assembly.

Remove Solder Bridge

To verify that the solder resist is applied between each lead and if it is not possible due to tight tolerances, then it accounts for a design change around that particular component. Also the recommended solder stencil of 0.127 mm thickness, stainless steel stencil with a laser cut works well for a device pitch of 0.5mm. These are the preventive measures to avoid solder bridges and to get a perfect PCB assembly solution. Checks out handy tips on PCB Solder mask.

TechnoTronix is one of the kingpin in delivering a well defined and proven pcb layout and PCB assembly service to the electronics manufacturers. Our main strength lies in the extensive experience and skilled team of experts to provide tailored electronic design and manufacturing solution. You can drop an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 714/630-9200 to solve your queries or to get a quote. To get more insights into the PCB assembly, layout and prototyping services, visit www.technotronix.us

Printed Circuit Board For Industrial Application Drives a wave of Innovation

By | Date posted: | Last updated: April 30, 2021
PCB Application

The next generation FUNDAS rest on one and only one motto (i.e.) technology up-gradation. For innovations in any corner of the world, a completely unique electronic solution is derived that accounts for fast trending modernization in the lifestyle of humans. With electronic design or manufacturing solution, the printed circuit boards are the groundwork for every electronic project. As the electronic control system and instruments are now applied in every predominant market across the globe, the use of PCB is predicted to have universal application in the global society. This article details you on the type of PCB’s used in the industrial sector, the application of PCB and innovations marked in the industrial sector with current steps taken by PCB manufacturers to provide unique solutions to the industrial sharks.

The traditional printed circuit board was traced in early 1920’s with a frequent use in radio and gramophone instruments. A push towards innovation picked up a pace with the introduction of Plated Through Hole technique implemented in a double sided PCB during the year of 1947. Gradually various customization in the size, shape, material to be used and production techniques were adopted having varied proven pcb layout in the circuit board. The PCB market then had a wide scope catering to the defense, military, medical device, automotive, consumer electronics, transportation, aerospace, Telecommunication, renewable energy and industrial sector. The PCB manufacturer’s are now strongly conscious in their manufacturing capability, certification and training programs. With the growing trend of miniaturization and Eco-friendly gadgets and electrical control system, the use of PCB in the industrial sector is increasing every other day.

Industrial PCB Application:

The realm of Industrial PCB Prototypes application in current times demands for a complete pack of the quality with high durability and tough designs being manufactured implementing upgraded technology and production techniques that can result into cost effective electronic design and manufacturing solution. The recent innovation in the industrial sector has a high use of time critical printed circuit board to bring out a perfect electronic solution. The industrial PCB has its application in controls, mobile devices, indicators, lighting sector and testing system. Among all the major demand portion is focused on the rigid/flex printed circuit boards and flexible PCB that can well suit the new discoveries. Be it a manufacturing of welding machines, portable printers, security and safety devices, mining instruments, power supply unit, power conversion application, solar panels, robotics, electronic switch gears, seismic monitoring device, machineries in oil & gas industry, utility metering and many other electronic equipment, the industrial PCB board with tech savvy pcb layout marks a ray of innovation for the next generation.

The majority of the electronic solution that needs high performance printed circuit board includes ultrasonic technology, water treatment system, process thickness measurement control and piezoelectric transducers having flexible circuits. Furthermore, the PCB application in Industrial automation is seen in Ventilation and air conditioning system, analog to digital convertor, audible devices, amplifier, battery charger, computer, digital meter, fiber optics, electromechanical controls, gauges, HVAC controls and many more.

The modifications in hybrid printed circuit board with tough outlay are rich in features with retention of precision density and reliability in the circuit boards that can give high performance electronic PCB solution. Furthermore, Cable Harness PCB Assembly, Wire Harness PCB Assembly and Box Build Assembly having complex design have high industrial application worldwide. The digital/analog PCB assembly with selective soldering and Surface Mount Technology (SMT) assembly also has high application in industrial electronic projects. Be it a thermal product with copper bonding, multi layered PCB consists of blind and buried via connections and heavy duty copper PCB or controlled impedance are concepts highly meeting the current industrial PCB needs.

These varied types of PCB assembly has recently put forward innovations in Laser and sonic anemometer, LED system, tachometer, timing device, transformers, velocity controllers and weather detection instruments.

Eco-Friendly PCB in the industrial sector

With development becoming a prime time driver to flourish the industrial sector, new concepts have been introduced in the global market that can prove beneficial for human life. The recycling, E-waste and Eco-friendly solution are some of the vital hypothesis that have brought great transformation in the industrial sector. With this, a new trend is set for the demand for high mix low volume PCB manufacturing that has a perfect combination of the fiber interconnect, mixed technology for PCB assembly, copper interconnect and testing operations which can well suit the above vital hypothesis.

In this present world of competition, the PCB manufacturers are constantly striving to offer a unique Industrial PCB assembly solution to providing an added value in their services. This has also increased the modification in providing a personalized approach to every project that includes developments in engineering support, strong vendor management, just in time inventory, rigorous inspection/testing of batch of production as well as the raw materials sourced from the certified vendors. Thus, the race in providing power pack package of quality, inspection, tech support, engineering and customization in providing PCB solutions is still not over that counts for many more innovations yet to come on the market.

Be it PCB prototyping, new product launch, PCB assembly, inspection, testing, DFM /DFT, BGA rework, PCB assembly, complete turnkey or consigned solution, TechnoTronix caters to a varied sector of the markets. Our core deliverables are focused on offering high quality layout and manufacturing solution with customer satisfaction as the key success factor of our business trend.

Technotronix offers professional PCB Assembly services with 40 years of expertise. Our accurate PCB assembly process meets the quality standards, including ISO-9001:2015, RoHS, and more. You can rely on our PCB design tools that, in turn, lead to that perfect PCB Assembly. Our superior engineering capabilities mean that each board matches your exact requirements and technical specifications. If you have any questions or any requirements related to PCB assembly service, please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected] or call at 714/630-9200.