Why Start With Prototype Assembly?

Some design engineers choose to go straight to production after designing and manufacturing a PCB; this, however, is not wise. There are many issues that may arise in the many stages of fabrication, assembly, and testing. Here is why it is important to start with low quantity prototype assembly:

• Cost – Prototype assembly of your first prototypes can lead you to discover ways to reduce costs in manufacturing and assembly of your circuit board; plus, mass producing a design with flaws can cost a fortune.
• Discover Design Flaws – PCB prototypes may help you discover design flaws that can be corrected before your production run.
• Proper Testing – Testing ensures proper functioning of your PCB design and reduces the risk of errors prior to production.

How to Choose a PCB Prototype Assembler

Before embarking on the design and production of a PCB prototype, it is crucial to select the right prototype assembly partner. Here are important questions to make the proper selection:

• Does the PCB assembler internally manufacture the bare printed circuit board?
• Will all or some parts of the manufacturing be sub-contracted to third-party?
• Does the PCB assembler have technical experience and capabilities for your circuit board design requirements?
• Does the assembler have direct and prompt access materials and components needed?
• Can the PCB prototype assembler produce the pieces by the required timeline?

What Information is Essential for a PCB Assembly Order

Prior to a PCB prototype assembler beginning a new project, the majority will require this relevant information:

• Amount of prototypes needed
• PCB Gerber files
• Bill of Material (BOM) detailing all components
• Precise timeline of prototype turn-around

After receipt of the necessary information, assemblers can review the material and determine if they can properly meet the deadlines and specific execution of the PCB prototype.  For a complete list of PCB assembly requirements from Advanced Circuits, click here.

• No setup fees
• No stencil charges
• Files receive detailed CAM review
• One seamless process from PCB fabrication to assembly

Prototype PCB Assembly Solutions & Capabilities

Our PCB fabrication and prototype assembly services under one roof eliminates the complications you may encounter when the PCB assembly service is performed by a third party, such as miscommunication and shipping delays.  Knowing that you can rely on a single vendor for quickturn PCB fabrication with advanced capabilities, easy component procurement, and small quantity assembly services in-house can be extremely valuable; especially when facing fast-approaching deadlines.

We source all components from reliable authorized distributors to ensure their authenticity and offer three different ways to process your prototype PCB assembly order.

Three Ways to Order PCB Assembly

• Turnkey: We source all components required
• Consigned: You send all components to us
• Combo: You send some of the components and we source the rest

PCB Assembly capabilities include both surface mount technology (SMT) and thru-hole manual assembly.  We use the latest MYDATA Pick & Place equipment, Glenbrook Technologies precision X- Ray imaging, and YESTech Optical Inspection units.  To view a complete list of our PCB assembly equipment, click here.

Our quickturn prototype assembly service supports fine pitch components as small as 15 mil pitch, passive components as small as 0201 package, and ball grid arrays (BGA) as small as .4mm pitch with X-Ray inspected placements.  Solder types include leaded and lead-free RoHS compliant and we use laser-cut stainless-steel stencils (nano-coating available).

For more information about our full service PCB manufacturing capabilities and our in-house prototype PCB assembly services, please contact your Advanced Circuits Sales Representative or call 1-800-979-4722.

Below are just some of the ways Advanced Circuits makes PCB prototyping easy:

Low Cost PCB Prototyping Special Offerings

We offer three great low cost options, BareBones, the ultimate cost saver for quickturn 2 layer PCB prototypes that ship in just 1 day.  When you need to test a simple 2 layer design and need it quickly at a low cost, BareBones is the perfect solution.

Another great option for 2 & 4 layer quickturn PCB prototypes, is our $33Each and $66Each Special.  This special pricing offer is great for PCB prototypes that require just the basics while the price per board does not change as long as it stays within the 60 sq.in. maximum size restriction for 2 layer boards and 30 sq.in. maximum for 4 layer boards.

Click here or click on the image above to view all the details about these great PCB prototyping specials.

Turnkey PCB Prototype Assembly

With Advanced Circuits’ in-house PCB prototype assembly, you can have turnkey circuit boards delivered faster since your bare boards will flow seamlessly into our own PCB assembly department located alongside our PCB manufacturing – under the same roof.

We have the capabilities to finish both manufacturing and assembly of your boards in as quick as one day.  For more information about our assembly requirements, click here or contact your sales representative.

Tools That Help Speed Up Your PCB Prototype Design Process

PCB Artist is Advanced Circuits’ free PCB design software.  The complete software download takes just minutes and is free of subscriptions or paywalls of any kind.  Design PCB prototypes with up to 28 conductive layers using the sophisticated features and professional-grade layout capabilities with its easy-to-use interface.  The integrated ordering feature allows you to quickly configure your PCB order within the application and makes exporting your file for manufacturing with Advanced Circuits easy.

FreeDFM is another free tool that simplifies the ordering process.  Simply upload your PCB prototype design files to FreeDFM and quickly receive a detailed report of any possible manufacturability issues found in your design, a detailed quote, and a discount code for up to $100 off your next order – all within minutes.

To learn more about our PCB prototype manufacturing capabilities, click the link below or contact your Advanced Circuits sales representative.

Complete Capabilities List →

Once your circuit board design is complete, simply place your bare board order and send your BOM (bill of materials) to your Sales Manager to request an Assembly Quote.  Parts procurement is easy; you can mail us all of your parts, some of the parts, or let us source all of the parts from authorized parts distributors like Digi-Key and Mouser.

Below, we have put together a list of tips that will be helpful when creating your printed circuit board design to minimize the cost associated with PCBA.

Smart Circuit Board Design to Minimize PCB Assembly Cost

Follow this short list of best practices to make sure your PCB Assembly will not be unnecessarily costly due to the layout of your circuit board design.

Component Location in Your Circuit Board Design

This can be an important cost driver for your PCB design if it is not taken into consideration during the layout phase.  Begin with the components that require a specific location first such as buttons, screens, or ports.

Keep your components on one side of the board whenever possible.  When components must be placed on both sides, try to keep sensitive, heavy, and/or thru-hole components on a “primary side”.  Components that will need special attention should also be placed on the “primary side”.

Minimize Trace Length

Try to place your circuit board components in a way that will minimize the trace length without jeopardizing functionality.

Component Orientation

When possible, make sure your components are place at a 0° or 90° angle in your PCB design.  Orient like components in the same direction whenever possible and make sure that the orientation of all polarized parts is the same.  Avoid placing your components in odd angles unless it is necessary.

Spacing Components in Your Circuit Board Design

It is best to space out your components evenly horizontally and vertically, leaving at least 100 mils between each component and 100 mils from the circuit board edge to minimize assembly costs.

Circuit Board Finish

Consult with your PCB Assembly provider to make sure the finish you choose will work best with the assembly process.

Circuit Board Design Software

Use a circuit board design software that has a library of a broad range of components such as PCB Artist® to avoid the need to create component footprints from scratch.

Contact your Sales Manager for more information about our PCB and in-house PCBA services.

Quick Turn Assembly for Small Quantity PCB Prototypes

Having your small quantity prototype boards fabricated, populated, and shipped as fast as one day is made possible by Advanced Circuits™ because we can do all the work in-house within the same facility which eliminates miscommunication issues and delays that can occur when shipping your printed circuit boards to another vendor for prototype assembly.

Our prototype assembly capabilities include Surface Mount Technology (SMT), Thru-hole, Mixed Technology (SMT & Thru-hole), Single or Double Sided Placement, Fine Pitch Components, and so much more.  We have no assembly “set-up” charges, no NREs, and no stencil charges and use the latest state-of-the-art MyData equipment.  All PCB files receive a detailed CAM review to ensure your printed circuit boards flow seamlessly from fabrication to assembly.

PCB Assembly Capabilities

We specialize in Quick Turn PCB assembly for small quantity orders.  However, we do offer many flexible turn time options, such as Weekend turns for Monday morning delivery, longer lead times such as 4 week turns, and scheduled shipments.  Advanced Circuits offers parts procurement for turnkey assembly, partial turnkey, and kitted/consigned.

Assembly Types

• SMT (surface mount technology)
• Thu-hole
• Mixed (SMT/Thru-hole)
• Single/Double Sided Placement

Assembly Solder Types

• Leaded PCB Assembly
• Lead Free PCB Assembly
• RoHS Compliant PCB Assembly
• “No-Clean” Process Available

Assembly Stencil Types

• Laser-cut Stainless Steel PCB Assembly Stencil
• Nano-Coating Available

Assembly Component Types

• Passive components as small as 0402 package (as small as 0201 with design review)
• Ball Grid Arrays (BGA) – X-ray inspected (as small as .4mm pitch)
• Fine Pitch Components as small as 15 mil pitch

Other PCB Assembly services include:  Repair/re-work, mechanical assembly, box-build/electromechanical assembly, and sub assemblies.

Why is out-sourcing becoming even more prevalent for PCB assembly? PCB boards are rapidly evolving in the application of technology in assembling and mass-producing the end product. Such requirements as multi-layer fabrication, high-density interconnect boards (HDI), laser direct imaging (LDI), and manufacturing utilizing flex or flex-rigid materials has made in-house fabrication even for prototypes an expensive proposition.

Most PCB designers do not have such fabrication capabilities at their immediate disposal, and turn to assembly and manufacturing experts to transform their prototype PCB designs into working boards.

What Does a PCB Prototype Assembler Need?

Before a PCB assembler can turn the prototype design into a working product, most need a full complement of information related to the project:

• Gerber files
• Number of prototypes required (often multiple prototypes are needed for various test cases)
• Bill of Material (BOM) documenting the full list of materials that are required
• Any special manufacturing requirements (surface mount technology, through hole, single or double-sided, multi-layer, lead free assembly, substrate materials, etc)
• Timeline required for turn-around of the project

With this information, prospective PCB assemblers can generate a quote for their services, and can also determine if the time requirements can be met.

Choosing a PCB Prototype Assembler

Selecting the right resource for fabrication of a prototype is a process that requires several factors in vetting the prospective vendors:

• Does the vendor have experience with the technologies relevant to the design? (handling of specific materials, multi-layer construction, HDI, and other requirements will require specialized equipment and expertise)
• Will the fabricator perform all assembly internally, or will all or parts of the construction be sub-contracted? Sending work outside could cause delays or lack of control in the end results.
• Are the components called for in the design available to the manufacturer?
• Ensure the vendor can deliver to the project timeline. Falling behind in schedule due to assembly delays may not be acceptable in many cases.