When you’re designing a printed circuit board (PCB) for your product, it’s important that you consult with a PCB manufacturer to help ensure that the finished boards will be able to meet all of your specifications and tolerances. A PCB manufacturer is a company that specializes in producing circuit boards and can offer you a wide range of services, including design verification, prototyping, manufacturing, and testing. They should be able to provide you with a first article inspection report that details the attributes of the board, including plated through holes, solder mask, and component locations. They should also have a good track record of delivering on time and meeting budgetary requirements.
The first step of any PCB manufacture begins with the creation of a blueprint. This blueprint must follow all of the design rules and specifications laid out by the governing body that oversees your product. Once the blueprint is finalized, it must be sent to a fabricator to begin the actual construction process.
Once a design is accepted by the PCB fabrication house, it undergoes a process known as etching. This step removes the non-circuit copper from the board, leaving only the copper that will be used in the final product. The unhardened photoresist covering the copper that will remain is then removed using an alkaline solution.
Depending on the type of PCB you’re creating, the next step may involve putting down a layer of copper foil or coating. This layer serves as the skeleton of the board, and it can either be a conductive material that will carry signals to and from components, or it can simply protect the rest of the board from dust and other contaminants. The copper layer is then bonded to the laminate that will serve as the structure of the finished product.
After the copper is pre-bonded to the laminate, a sheet of insulating material called a “laminate” is applied over the entire surface. This protects the copper from rust or corrosion, and it also helps keep the boards from breaking during shipping and handling.
Once the laminate and copper are in place, it’s time to start the actual construction of the circuit board. The fabricator will use a machine to cut the copper from the laminate, and it will drill holes through the layers that are needed for mounting the components. The holes are then plugged with solder.
Once the final PCBs are assembled, they are packaged and shipped out for delivery to the end users. The final steps of the PCB manufacturing process include sealing the boards in materials that keep out dirt and dust, and they are then placed into containers that prevent them from becoming damaged during shipment. Lastly, they must pass strict tests to ensure that the components are functioning properly. Only then can a PCB be considered ready for use in a customer’s product. PCB manufacturers who take pride in their work are able to deliver top-quality boards with short turnaround times.