Top Challenges of Supply Chain Management in Electronics Manufacturing Industry! – How Your PCB Contract Manufacturer can Help?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 17, 2020

That PCBs are the heart of an electronic device, on which the success or failure of the device depends, is a well-known fact. What is at the heart of the PCB, however, are components that the board is built with. While the layout or the schematics of the board has a scope to be changed, the right components can make or break the PCB. Supply chain management in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry, therefore, remains a very critical aspect. There are a whole lot of challenges that this area is faced with. Let us look at some of the top challenges in supply chain management:

Availability

The primary challenge of course is the availability of materials. In fact, most delays in PCB Manufacturing can be traced to the fact that the specific components that have been mentioned in the bill of materials may not be readily available. It is even a possibility that the requirement could have simply been copied from an older CAD, while its production has currently been discontinued. Some parts could also be out of stock and can lead to delays. It is, therefore, imperative to check the bill of materials thoroughly to see that all the parts are available much before the production process begins.

In fact components, very often, have a status column attached to them. This can offer some critical information to the engineer. For example:

  • NRND or not recommended for new designs can indicate to the engineer that for newer products these parts should not be used
  • OBS or obsolete parts again means that other options should be chosen
  • EOL or end of life once again indicates that such parts should not be used.

A fair understanding of these aspects will ensure that production is not stuck on account of unavailability of components at a later stage.

Quality Control

This of course is a non-negotiable aspect. It is important to go with component manufacturers who exercise the highest level of quality control. This is where a PCB manufacturer USA who has a relationship of trust with vendors, comes in handy. They can ensure that the PCB boards and in turn the final products are consistent as far as quality is concerned. Not only do you need to look for product quality, other aspects to watch out for include:

  • Does the vendor have a structured quality assurance program?
  • Does the packaging, shipping and handling conform to quality protocols? This includes a number of aspects including moisture control, so that the products aren’t damaged during transit
  • Do the parts meet traceability requirements?

Price

Price of components, of course, is an important aspect that determines whether or not the PCB boards will be competitive. Attention therefore needs to be paid to getting the best possible price of the component. Some of the aspects that will determine the price include:

  • Bulk orders
  • Ordering well in advance
  • Existing relationships with vendors

PCB Contract manufacturers who have years of experience in the field, will therefore be able to offer far more competitive quotes rendering the final product that much more competitive in the market.

Here is how your PCB Contract Manufacturer can help:

There are many aspects of Supply Chain Management that an experienced PCB Contract Manufacturer can help with. These include but are not limited to:

Review the design for manufacturability

  • Review the design for manufacturability
  • First things first, a PCB Contract Manufacturer can study your design from the manufacturability standpoint. This process, done well, can go a long way in reducing issues faced during PCB fabrication and assembly. Without a thorough DFM analysis, there could be a host of costly errors at the production stage.

Bill of materials

  • Bill of materials – Also with the PCB manufacturing service closely looking at the bill of materials, it will be ensured that the materials listed are:

Available

Are procured from a trusted source

Are high quality

Are bought at the best-price

  • Available
  • Are procured from a trusted source
  • Are high quality
  • Are bought at the best-price

With years of experience in the field a PCB contract manufacturer can be your trusted partner in making available the right components, through a network of component manufacturers. The right PCB Manufacturing service, California, can thereby help you with quality PCBs that will ensure the reliability of the final product along with a quick turnaround time.

With over 40 years of combined experience in rendering high tech PCB assembly and manufacturing services, we are not just an assembler, we can completely test at board level to box build level to provide the benefit of unparalleled technical expertise and the most progressive solutions at competitive prices. TechnoTronix has a state of the art facility that enables our clients to successfully overcome production challenges to produce the innovative, cutting-edge products so highly in demand in today’s marketplace. We have outreached our customer base from varied industries like aerospace, telecommunication, defense, medical etc. to provide quick turn and customized prototyping services with great customer retention ratio. Get a Quick Quote for any type of your requirements.

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What are the Benefits of Choosing USA Based PCB Manufacturer?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 17, 2020

When it comes to the choice of a PCB Manufacturer, the decision is between opting for a US based PCB manufacturer versus choosing an overseas supplier. It is a fair question to ask if there is any real advantage of choosing a manufacturer based in the US versus looking for a supplier, in China, for example, where there could be a price advantage. Here is a detailed response to your query; one that will allow you to take the final decision of PCB Manufacturing with complete peace of mind. Read on:

Advantages of Choosing USA PCB Manufacturer

Quality

Expertise

Reliability

  • Quality – First up, when it comes to the choice of PCB, you have to take into account the quality aspect. After all, PCBs are known to be the heart of electronic devices and the quality and reliability of the final product has a direct correlation with the quality of the PCB. When you are dealing with a US based manufacturer, you are far more certain that there is a common understanding of the quality standards required catering to the US market.
  • Expertise – PCB Manufacturing is an extremely technical process. What is required is state-of-the-art industry knowledge and expertise in order to navigate a very dynamic and changing industry. Again, a US based manufacturer is far more likely to have that necessary expertise. Also it is far easier to collaborate with other US based companies for components as and when the need arises.
  • Reliability – Reliability of your supplier comes from a host of factors. It could be on account of proper lines of communication, on-time delivery of products, excellent customer service as well as the ability to provide bespoke products suited to the customer’s unique needs. Now, all of these are aspects that work far better with USA PCB Manufacturer, rather than any off shore supplier where you could encounter multiple issues related to delivery time, customer support on account of difference in time zone as also the likely losses in communication.

Disadvantages of dealing with an offshore supplier

Should you opt for a PCB Manufacturing Service that is not based in the US on account of the fact that you may get a better cost, here are some of the aspects that you need to keep in mind, that you may have to compromise on:

Shipping Costs

Quality Control

Prepayment

  • Shipping Costs – While you may have negotiated good rates for your PCB, the fact is that International Shipping costs can render your budgets awry. Another aspect to be wary of includes custom compliance. Unless you are an expert when it comes to custom rules and requirements, you could land up spending a lot of time and energy in this area, which you could otherwise expend in your core business activity.
  • Quality Control – The fact is that you have little control over quality when it comes to an off shore supplier. Once the products have been shipped to you and you find that they do not meet your quality requirements there is little you can do. Also, importantly what you have lost, is precious time, that will impact your time-to-market.
  • Prepayment – The way that the industry works, you are required to make prepayments to overseas suppliers, in advance. Of course this has an impact on your budget, but more than that having made all the payments upfront the probability of having a quality issue corrected reduces significantly.

These are the exact reasons why availing the PCB Manufacturing service in USA works far better for your business. What you are really signing up for is:

  • High-quality products
  • Custom made to your unique requirements
  • Instant quotes
  • On-Time delivery
  • High level of service and support
  • Competitive prices

In turn this will translate into:

  • Faster go-to-market
  • Reliability of products

Be sure, therefore, to choose a PCB manufacturing service, California, who has the necessary experience and expertise to offer you industry- leading products.

At Technotronix, we use state-of-the-art technology to deliver unparalleled quality and service. In turn, this offers you a significant competitive edge as what you get is high-quality products with the best turnaround time and at the most competitive prices.

Our defense, industrial, and medical customers gain a competitive edge with fast prototyping, domestic and off-shore manufacturing and the consistent delivery of high-quality, on-time, price-competitive products.

For PCB Manufacturing Service, Get A Quick Quote!

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How Digitalization is Transforming the Future of the Electronics Manufacturing Industry?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: June 11, 2020

Like many other other industries, the electronics manufacturing industry is also facing a slew of challenges, such as rising global competition as well as increasing consumer expectations.

What is required to meet these challenges is to innovate as also have a greater level of transparency. Now these are tasks that can be achieved with the help of digitalization. The digital supply network includes a wide range of solutions including but not limited to:

  • Augmented Reality
  • 3D Printing
  • Cloud
  • Big data
  • Internet of Things and more.

Let us look at some of the benefits that are offered by digitalization and which in turn, are transforming the Electronics Manufacturing Industry:

Control of Supply Chain

As opposed to a linear supply chain, a Digital Supply Chain offers an integrated ecosystem where a real time view of aspects such as production and distribution is available. A digital supply chain makes it possible that information is made available to all members of the chain and offers the electronics manufacturer the ability to take full control of their supply chain. Right from sourcing of raw material to final delivery of the product to the consumer, to returns and after-sales, it offers for a high degree of transparency. It also allows the electronics manufacturer to anticipate any potential bottlenecks and to proactively take the necessary action.

In turn, what this offers the business is a degree of resilience and collaboration.

Smart Manufacturing

A key advantage of digitalization is also the fact that it lends itself to smart manufacturing. This could imply a wide variety of advantages such as:

  • Better planning
  • Quicker validation of product alternatives
  • Improved efficiency of manufacturing operations
  • Smart procurement, warehousing and analytics.

Smart manufacturing involves digitalizing data right from PCB design to factory floor optimization and even incorporating customer feedback when it comes to new designs. In turn, what this offers, is a high level of flexibility in managing physical processes that is much needed to meet the dynamic demands of a global market place.

With a digital strategy in place, manufactures can create accurate digital replicas of their products, which in turn, accelerate the development and manufacturing of their real world counterparts. Refining the products and their accuracy therefore becomes far simpler.

With the use of digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, analytics, robotics and more, manufacturing processes tend to become more efficient as well as customer-focused. The industry is also well poised to gain from technologies such as Computer aided design and engineering software, which positively impact product accuracy.

Improved lead time for PCB Manufacturing

A key benefit of digitalization of PCB manufacturing also accrues in terms of improved lead time. The way that it manifests itself is that the digital factory is capable of generating fabrication instructions from design data. This significantly reduces tooling and configuration time and significantly improves time to market.

Ability to Manufacture on-demand

PCB and Electronics Production also benefits from digital manufacturing in terms of the ability to manufacture on demand. In fact a layer-by-layer printing process can be utilized to print different variants of a product in a single print run. This allows for rapid prototyping regardless of the level of complexity.

Greater control over cost structure

A key impact of digitalization in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry is in terms of cost. A primary reason for this, of course, is the fact that digitalization reduces the need for human intervention and thereby reduces overall cost and improves efficiency. In turn it renders digital manufacturing companies more competitive.

For the electronics manufacturing industry to reap these benefits, however, what is needed isn’t just the right technology but also the right operating systems. In fact some of the other things that are integral to digitalization success include:

  • High degree of acceptance
  • Training of people involved
  • Business skills and incentives to make it work

Also the way forward for digitalization to transform the Electronics Manufacturing Industry is that the manufacturers do not take to digitalization in a piece meal fashion. While it may seem easier to apply digital solutions for individual functions such as PCB Assembly, supplier collaboration, virtual design and more, the fragmented approach can result in silos that do not allow the business to reap the overall advantages of digitalization. Integrated solutions, on the other hand go a long way in breaking down silos. These solutions span the entire manufacturing lifecycle and bring about horizontal integration.

With changing consumer preferences as well as the pace at which new product development is happening, it is only a matter of time before the industry takes to digitalization at an integrated level and further revitalizes the manufacturing process.

Technotronix Electronics Manufacturing Service combines state-of-the-art technology with our advanced engineering to deliver unparalleled quality and service. Our defense, industrial, and medical customers gain a competitive edge with fast prototyping, domestic and off-shore manufacturing and the consistent delivery of high-quality, on-time, price-competitive products.

For PCB Manufacturing Service, Get A Quick Quote!

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How to Select Most Extensive Surface Finish in the PCB Manufacturing Process?

By | Date posted: | Last updated: August 14, 2020

When it comes to electronic assembly, surface finish of the PCB is one of the most crucial decisions that you could take. Surface finish, in turn has implications on a whole lot of issues, including but not limited to:

  • Process yield
  • Scrap Rate
  • Ability to test
  • Cost and more.

Selection of the surface finish must be done basis a whole range of factors. Sometimes the mistake that is made, is to go by costs alone. While in the short run you may seem to be saving costs, you could be in for a rude shock in the long term.

The 5 most popular surface finishes available today include:

  • Electroless Nickel or Immersion Gold
  • Immersion silver
  • Immersion Tin
  • Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP)
  • PB-free HASL

Each of them come with their own characteristic advantages to do with:

  • Solderability
  • Reliability
  • Shelf-life
  • Fabrication
  • Testability

When choosing a surface finish some of the aspects you must consider include:

  • Do you need direct wire bonding?
  • Is corrosion a concern for you?
  • Do you need wave solder?
  • Is shock or drop a concern area?
  • Do you require fine pitch assembly?
  • What kind of cost sensitivity do you have?

Let us look at the attributes of some of the surface finishes used in PCB Manufacturing, in some detail:

OSP

This surface finish is typically advisable to use when:

  • You need high volumes
  • When shock or drop is a concern
  • When you are looking for a cost-sensitive product
  • Fine pitch components are used.

OSP, however, isn’t recommended in cases where:

  • High yield ICT is required
  • Wire bonding is needed

Immersion Silver

This surface finish is used by PCB Manufacturers where:

  • High yield ICT is required
  • Cost sensitivity is important
  • Wire bonding is needed
  • Shock or drop is a concern area
  • Fine pitch components are used.

The limitations of Immersion Silver appear in:

  • Where corrosion failure is possible
  • Where the cosmetics of the finish are important to your overall scheme of things

Since tarnish is an issue, perception of quality often emerges as an issue with this surface finish.

Immersion Tin

It is recommended to use Immersion Tin Surface Finish in cases when:

  • Your requirement is high volume
  • You need high yield ICT
  • The look and feel of the finish is important to you
  • Cost is a concern area
  • PB shock is a concern

However, in cases where wire bonding is required or lead-free wave solder is needed it is best not to go in for this surface finish. It is also not a very popular choice with PCB Manufacturers, USA as it comes with a host of environmental and health concerns.

Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold

The use is this surface finish is rampant where:

  • The look and feel of the finish is important
  • Wire bonding is needed
  • High yield ICT is required
  • Fine pitch components are used
  • You need a high shelf life

Clearly, however, this surface finish will not fit your bill if:

  • You need high volumes
  • Shock or drop is a concern area
  • You are looking at a low-cost finish

Pb-free HASL

This surface finish is the first choice for PCB Manufacturer California, where:

  • Cost sensitivity is a major concern
  • Look and feel of the finish is important.
  • High yield ICT is required.

In case of high volume requirements or where wire bonding is required, this isn’t a preferred surface finish.

As the above charts reveal, choosing the right finish is a fairly technical task. PCB manufacturers with experience and industry expertise are best suited to choose the right surface finish, which in turn has a lot of implication on the overall success or failure of the electronics assembly. Some of the industries where these finishes typically see a lot of application, include:

OSP

  • Computers
  • Handheld electronics

Immersion Silver

  • Consumer electronics

Immersion Tin

  • Aerospace
  • Peripheral components

Sometimes, however, the decision of the surface finish is taken erroneously based on:

  • The cheapest finish available
  • The one that is easily available from the supplier
  • The one that allows for testing
  • Where field failures are minimum

Each of these approaches can have long-term consequences and need to be avoided in isolation.

Technotronix is one of the leading printed circuit board manufacturer based in the California, USA. We have over 4 decades of experience in providing innovative PCB manufacturing services using modern technologies and latest machinery. We capable to fulfill the varied need of our customer from the simple board to the most complex board for PCB Manufacturing to Assembly and PCB prototype to production.

Know More About Our PCB Manufacturing Service.

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