How to Select the Ideal PCB Assembly Manufacturer: Expert 7-Step Guide (Part 2)

Jul 05,2019

PCB is one of the key elements of modern-day electronics. If not designed properly, it may lead to major issues. Hence, getting your PCB designed from an experienced manufacturer is important. There are a few important factors to be concentrated upon before choosing the right manufacturer. The previous post gave away a few factors; this post elaborates on five important factors to be considered before making the decision.

The Top 5 Essential Factors to be checked before Deciding on a PCB Assembly Manufacturer

There is no shortage of manufacturers who may assure you a cost-effective PCB for your applications. However, these factors will ease the selection process for you.

• Quality Control:

  This is one of the important aspects of PCB design and manufacturing. Many PCB assembly manufacturers offer low prices and fast turnaround times on PCBs. This may come at the expense of quality. With such an important role to play, you cannot afford to ignore the quality of PCBs used, isn’t it? So, you need to ensure that the manufacturer is using the right material, and employing the right manufacturing as well as testing and inspection processes to assure the product quality.

• Certifications:

  There are various certifications which indicate the quality standards adopted by manufacturers. IPC-A-600F, China GB4588, MIL-STD-105D, and ISO 9001:2015 are a few quality standards adopted by manufacturers. With stringent quality controls in place, these certifications have become mandatory in some industries than others. For instance, the PCBs for military and aerospace industries must meet IPC-A-610E Class 3, MIL-PRF-50884, MIL-PRF-31032, and MIL-PRF-55110 standards. Hence, it is important to assure that the PCB assembly manufacturer is capable of producing PCBs that conform to the required quality standards in your industry.

• Flexibility and Responsiveness:  

  Do you want to alter the specifications of your project? It is never late, unless and until the PCB manufacturer has started with the fabrication. So, you have to check if the manufacturer is capable enough to include any last minute suggestions coming their way. Also, if they can make the changes effectively, without making a fuss about it.

• Customer Service:

  Many PCB assembly service providers do not have customer service teams. They may have a sales team, which may assist customers or may perform customer service duties partially. Thus, it is important to see if the chosen PCB design service provider offers a good customer service. This is important for establishing long-term relationships with manufacturers who might be located in different time zones than yours.

• Manufacturing Facility:

  Many times, you will come across manufacturers, who act as brokers for leading manufacturers. So, it is important that you are dealing with a manufacturer having a proper manufacturing facility.

Although the selection of a PCB assembly manufacturer involves a lot more tasks, the above-mentioned points will allow you to arrive at the right conclusions. There are many PCB design service providers in the USA who also provide PCB assembly manufacturing services, so you need to check on their credibility before making a decision. Creative Hi-Tech is one of the leading PCB assembly manufacturers in USA, which has been serving clients across aerospace and satellite, military, telecommunication, and industrial electronic product industries from past many years.        

Related Blog Post:

• A 7-Step Guide to Choose the Right PCB Assembly Manufacturer Read More   
• Important Guidelines of Design for Manufacture and Assembly of PCBs – Part I Read More