Start with a Schematic

A schematic uses symbols to designate the components and shows the components used and how they connect in the circuit and is needed to design the PCB.

PCB Design

The PCB designer uses the schematic and specifications of the components to design the PCB manually or with a computer-aided design (CAD) program like the one offered free through Advanced Circuits.

TIP: To make your PCB look professional:

• Place the components on a 0.10 grid, horizontally (x-axis) or vertically (y-axis), not on angles.
• Place the components with polarity (anodes) facing the same direction in both axes.

The same with resistor stripes.

Inserting the Components on the PCB

The components are inserted manually or by a machine called an automatic insertion machine. This procedure is called PCB electromechanical assembly.

The component wire leads are soldered in place by hand or a wave solder. Some companies bend the wire leads on the solder side of the PCB to hold the components in place before soldering.

Before the Production Run

The making of a prototyping board before the production run is not only a common but wise procedure. By doing so, any errors in the circuitry or printed circuit board design are more likely to be detected.

TIP: Prototype PCBs often lack a solder mask. Make sure the traces are wide enough to handle the amperage with a solder mask.

Advanced Circuits Can Solve Your PCB Needs

If you are looking for a one-stop shop for your PCB needs, Advanced Circuits is your PCB solution. From the design of your PCB to making your boards to assembly.

Some of the services provided are:

• PCB Design Layout software
• Free PCB file checks
• Barebones PCBs
• PCB full spec prototyping
• PCB full spec production
• PCB assembly
• PCB stencils
• 0-10 layers PCB (standard)
• 0-40 layers PCB (custom)
• No minimum order
• DOD contracts ready
• Space & flight approved PCB supplier

Advanced Circuits is your market industry expert, whether you are a student, hobbyist, or a manufacturer of defense, aerospace, or medical equipment.

Contact us today for more information or to have a live chat with an expert.

Turnkey PCB Assembly

Choosing turnkey printed circuit board assembly is a great solution for any business. With this option, our professionals will gather all necessary parts and components as well as assemble the PCB. This PCB assembly solution is cost-effective and helps save time as we will ensure we have everything we need for the proper build.

Kitted/Consigned PCB Assembly

For those who know exactly what they want in their PCB, but perhaps don’t have the time or equipment to assemble, kitted printed circuit board assembly is a perfect choice. You can purchase all of the components and parts you want and need, and our experts will use each when assembling the PCB. This can help you have better control of production costs and know what to expect with the completed printed circuit board.

Combo PCB Assembly

Perhaps you have a few components you know you want to use in your PCB, but still need some parts to complete your PCB electromechanical assembly – that’s where combo PCB assembly comes in. You supply us with the parts and components you have, and we’ll supply anything you still may need, and professionally assemble it all together. This option still allows you to have some control of the production costs, as well as control over your most important components combined with the ease and time-saving capabilities of the Advanced Circuits team completing the work.

To learn more about our available PCB assembly options, view our quote order process page, or contact us today.

The PCB assembly process is critical to get right the first time. A single misstep here could result in malfunctions, lack of functionality, or even the threat of accidents. In this post, we’ll cover some of the most important PCB assembly process steps and what you should know.

It’s Not Board Manufacturing

First and foremost, understand that the PCB assembly process takes place during a specific time in the development of an electronic device. It’s not about manufacturing – that happens first. For instance, at Advanced Circuits, we’ll manufacture the board itself, including all the required layers, creating the traces, and all the other important steps, and then work on PCB assembly.

In short, PCB assembly is the process of bringing everything together into one place and creating something functional out of multiple components. It’s taking that newly manufactured board, adding components and resistors, and then making sure it does what it is intended to do.

Understand the PCB Assembly Technologies

Assembling a printed circuit board requires more than just the raw components and a well-designed board. It also requires the right technology. In this case, there are several options to choose from, and each brings something different to the table. For instance, there’s surface mount technology (SMT), as well as manual soldering, and the use of pick and place machines.

While some PCB assembly processes will require just one technology, others will require a combination of two or more technologies. For example, many boards require the combination of through-hole technology (THT) and surface mount technology. Understanding when, where, and how to integrate those technologies is a critical consideration when choosing a company to handle your project or production.

It’s also important to understand that the PCB assembly steps involved with the various technologies differ, as well. Below, we’ve outlined some basic steps involved, as well as how they differ from technology to technology.

The PCB Assembly Process: An Overview

• Solder Paste: If you’re following a traditional PCB assembly process, the first step is the application of solder paste. Note that this is not the case with THT, but SMT does require paste application and/or printing.

• Component Placement: In the traditional PCB assembly process, the next step is to place the components on the board. This can be done manually, or it can be done with the assistance of machinery (pick and place systems). In THT assembly, components are placed by hand, which requires incredible precision. In the SMT process, robotic systems place components on the board. Note that automated placement is far faster than manual placement and is just as precise.

• Reflow: In the traditional PCB assembly process, the next step is reflow, which is when the solder is first melted and then resolidified. The board and all its components move through an oven, which heats the solder, liquifying it and ensuring that connections are formed before the board moves into a cooler, where the solder is cooled.

Note that the THT process does not require reflowing solder. Instead, the second step here is to inspect the board and rectify component placement. This is due to the manual placement process – a visual inspection in conjunction with a design transport frame helps ensure placement accuracy.

In the SMT process, reflow soldering takes place at this time, as well. The board is sent through a furnace, which melts the solder paste, allowing it to flow as necessary, before the board passes through a series of coolers that gradually bring the temperature down, solidifying the solder on the board and cementing the components in place.

• Inspection: The next step in the traditional PCB assembly process is a visual inspection of the board, soldering, and components. Note that this step has already occurred in the THT and SMT processes.

• Through-Hole Part Insertion: The traditional process requires that through-hole insertion be done manually, after the reflow and inspection process. Soldering is also often done manually, but it may be done using wave soldering.

Wave soldering occurs during the THT process at this point, as well. The entire board moves over liquid solder and then moves through coolers to solidify the solder.

Note that there is no correlating step in the SMT process (it is actually already finished, and wrapped up after just three steps, although a visual inspection should still be conducted to ensure accuracy and to reduce the potential for errors).

• Final Inspection and Cleaning: The final step in the traditional PCB assembly process is a final inspection of the board, the solder points, and the components, and a cleaning to ensure that debris or excess solder is removed.

The Right PCB Assembly Process for You

While the SMT assembly process is faster and often more accurate than either the traditional PCB assembly process or the THT process, it is not always the best option. For instance, if you only need a single prototype board assembled, the THT method might be the better choice. Each situation varies and there is no single solution that will always work for every need.

At Advanced Circuits, we understand that needs, budgets, and goals vary. We pride ourselves on offering exactly the solutions each client needs. Whether you’re producing a single prototype for proof of concept needs or you’re ready to move into full production with thousands of units being produced, we can help. Contact us today to schedule your consultation or to learn more about our services and capabilities.

They should get quality work with a quick turnaround time while having someone they can talk to who helps ensure they stay competitive against other companies. However, knowing what they need from the PCBs for their circuit designs doesn’t always mean it’s easy to immediately find the right company to step into their corner. We’ll share a few tips to make that process easier.

Know the Right Questions That Should Be Asked

When a person chooses someone to create their PCBs, it’s essential to ask them questions to be sure they can handle their needs. Sometimes the answers to the questions can be found on company websites and reviews. Other times individuals might need to contact the company on their own and ask the questions that are important to them. Having answers will provide peace of mind that they’re choosing the right company for their needs.

How Much Experience Does the Company Have?

Experience is important for any product or service that someone chooses to pay for, whether that’s a car repair or PCBs to fit their circuit designs. When it comes to printed circuit boards, a manufacturer’s experience is essential to ensure customers get boards that are right for their needs. Knowing how much experience a company has will give insight into how many resources they have and what amount of knowledge is available. It also shows competence if a PCB company has been in business for a long time. That means they have adapted to the times and continuously put out great products.

What Certifications Does the Company Have?

This is another question that can speak to how qualified a company is with PCBs for a person’s circuit design. Certifications typically require a third party to verify that the company complies with certain standards or requirements. For example, IPC creates standards with regards to PCBs and industries related to electronics manufacturing. Any company someone decides to work with should be capable of meeting the standard required by their products and industry. This includes broad regulations as well as those that apply only to their industry. The best choice is a company that has experience working with other people in the same industry.

How Does the Company Stand Out?

This might seem like a broad question that could have any number of answers, but it can help people narrow down the right business to help with their product. This is especially the case when they have a few options for companies that offer all the services and products that they need. This question can be as simple as asking what makes the business different from others or can delve into what value-added services are provided. For example, Advanced Circuits can help with their circuit designs by providing free PCB design and file check software which will save customers money and time.

Important Considerations When Choosing a PCB Company

The reality is that there are tons of companies that provide PCBs and many of them also have services to assemble and create circuit boards that match specific needs. This can make it a challenge to choose between them since some companies may appear to be quite similar. However, there are a few things people can look at early in the search to get a grasp on which company may best fit their needs.

Types of Products Provided

The first thing for people to check is what products are offered by a company to be sure they even provide what is needed. If the company specializes in the needed products, that’s even better. Once they know the products exist, they can find out more about the pricing and quality of the products.

For instance, what kind of PCBs are available? These can range from rigid to flexible and rigid-flex. They might be metal core, aluminum backed, or hybrid board. People can ask about which substrates are used in the board. They can also look into the quality and consider the prices and how they stack up to the competitors. All of these things can help with the decision.

Services Available

In addition to products, people should consider services that they might need. If the company offers everything they need, they won’t have to go between businesses to get their product ready. Some of the services that should be considered are:

• Prototyping – Ability to create prototype PCBs before moving into production so customers can reduce costs and timeframe through thorough testing.

• Layout and Design Services – These can speed up their production by offering a complete design or providing software to make someone’s own designs.

• File Review – File reviews can help by ensuring a design is free of errors and that the company has all of the needed components to start creating its PCBs.

• SMT Prototype Stencils – Stencils are laser cut and made of stainless steel foil to ensure the solder is placed in the right areas of the PCB. The stencil helps with accurate circuit designs.

Other services that can be helpful include DXF to Gerber conversion, panelization, and PCB design for manufacturing services.

Accessible Capabilities

It’s also important to be sure the company is capable of offering what is needed for a customer’s PCBs. This includes everything from being capable of handling the size of their order to having a certain lead time and offering the right layers on a PCB. Other things to consider are the surface finish options available, the via options, specs and tolerances, and other things that they prioritize with their circuit designs. It might take some time to get answers to all these things, but once someone does, they will know whether a company is right for them.

Advanced Circuits is the third-largest manufacturer of printed circuit boards in the United States and offers excellent customer service and reliability. The company also offers a variety of services to customers like free PCB layout software (PCB Artist) and a free PCB file check. Those who want a streamlined PCB company in their corner can get in touch with us to learn more.

This is a type of technology called surface mount technology or SMT. Almost all of the equipment manufactured commercially today uses this innovative technology. Surface mount technology has huge advantages when manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs). Because the components on SMT boards are so small, it also lets people pack more electronics into a small space.

What Surface Mount Technology is All About

The 1970s and 80s were a time when automation started to take off for printed circuit boards used in all sorts of equipment. Traditional components using leads weren’t easy to use with PCB assembly. For capacitors and resistors, the leads had to be pre-formed to fit through holds and integrated circuits had to have leads set at a specific pitch to go through holes quickly and easily.

This led to difficulty since many of the leads would miss the holes because the holes were quite tight. Because of that, an operator would need to step in and resolve the problems to make the components fit. This meant a loss of time and money since the machines automating the process had to be stopped.

Printed circuit boards remove the need for leads to go through the board. Instead, components could be soldered right to the board. This led to the birth of SMT and the use of components for SMT has risen quickly because of its many advantages. Nowadays, surface mount technology is the primary option for assembling PCBs in electronics manufacturing. The products made can be small and used in many different ways.

Why Surface Mount Technology is Favored in Design

While the primary reason for moving to surface mount technology was related to cost, speed, and reliability, there are other benefits. This technology has had a huge impact on the way that people today design and develop new circuits and equipment. The good thing about this is that the change has largely created advantages rather than disadvantages. Some things to be aware of for developers using surface mount technology are listed below.

• Circuits Are Smaller and Denser Than Ever – The electronics industry has always had the drive to offer more function in smaller packages, but that was never an easy task before surface mount technology became widespread. SMT is designed to make this simple since everything is in a miniature format. Components can be extremely small and mounted closer together on the circuit board than would ever be possible with typical components with leads. This, combined with the better functionality available through integrated circuits, makes life easier for a development engineer.
• Lower Power Rating Requirements – One of the most important things to look for when designing and producing electronics is the power rating of the components. With surface mount technology, devices can have lower power ratings than ever before. As an example, a standard resistor with a lead can dissipate 0.25 watts or even more. However, surface mount resistors are smaller so the dissipation is also lower. People should be aware of this during a build but always make sure to check the manufacturer’s data for the exact numbers.
• Less Inductance and Spurious Capacitance – Since surface mount technology components are smaller, that also means that spurious inductance and capacitance are also going to be smaller. An SMT resistor, to keep with the previous example, will be closer to an ideal resistor than a resistor with leads. In the same way, a surface mount technology capacitor is going to create less parasitic inductance. When taking this all together, standard SMT components will have higher frequencies and faster speeds than leaded components are capable of.

Using Surface Mount Technology with Printed Circuit Board Assembly

Nowadays, SMT is used in almost all facets of PCB manufacturing and assembly. More electronics can be placed in a smaller space using the technology. All of the components are smaller and many of them offer better performance than traditional components. They also can be easily used with automated machines to eliminate the need for worker intervention during the assembly process.

With wired components, it was always a challenge to rely on automatic placement. All wires had to be pre-made to fit the correct hole spacing and, in some cases, there were still issues with placement. PCB assembly typically has all components placed automatically. Manual assistance might be occasionally needed but it is rare. High-quality circuit boards reduce the need for this to the point of even changing a design so components fit perfectly.

One issue that used to be common with surface board technology components was their lack of resistance to heat. Since the components are soldered in, this raises the temperature of the part and could cause issues in some situations. However, new components have been developed that have no problem tolerating the temperatures associated with the soldering process.

SMT Components and Devices

Surface mount components differ from leaded components since they are set into a board and soldered to it rather than wiring between two points. The leads don’t go through holes as might be expected of traditional components. There are three package styles used for SMT components: transistors and diodes, integrated circuits, and passive components. Many passive components consist of resistors and capacitors in standard sizes with typical package sizes. Transistors and diodes often come in a small plastic package, while there are many package options for integrated circuits.

Any business creating a project using printed circuit boards should consider the ease and convenience of surface mount technology. At Advanced Circuits, we offer printed circuit boards that are high-quality and ready for this kind of technology. We also provide assembly and manufacturing services to save people time and money. Regardless of the size of a business or how large their circuit board order is, we’d love to help. Get in touch and find out more about what options we offer.

Is Surface Mount Technology Better?

Surface mount technology has been around for decades, so some people are confused as to why there are still questions as to how well it works. Primarily, SMT was reserved for larger applications and high-end tech until the late 20^th century, so even though it’s been around for a long time, it still has a large audience that doesn’t even understand how surface mounting works or why it’s the better choice.

As manufacturing becomes more accessible and affordable, thanks to solutions like ours where we can even prototype a single board for validation and testing before you order hundreds, there are plenty of advantages to be had with this technology. As more people continue to embrace it, the benefits become quite obvious. First of all, it’s easier to fit components on a board and you can fit more of them, or fit more on a smaller board. For small electronics and microprocessors, this is a great advantage.

Surface mounting also allows for easier repetition and better quality control. The process is efficient and easy to streamline, and once it is in place the quality rates are almost impossibly close to perfect. Unlike drilling, which could create more variation and flaws, surface mounting is a simpler, more effective process that is easy to replicate and get great results from.

This makes it more effective, as well as more of a cost-effective solution for companies that are trying to save money. When you have fewer errors, there is less waste. That means that you’re saving in a lot of different ways.

When Should Surface Mount Technology Be Used?

Surface mount technology is used in many products manufactured today. If you are looking to create a smaller or more compact design, or even just fit more components in, this might be the way to go. Here are some good uses for the technology:

• A product that has requirements for producing little to no noise can benefit from SMT boards
• Large quantity production with automated technology is ideal and gets better quality control
• When requirements demand high frequencies or high-speed functioning
• The final product may be dense, but also needs to present as light or sleek
• You need to accommodate a denser PCB in a small board or product

Basically, it’s about packing more into a smaller space and doing it with better quality in mind at all times. There are several different packages, PCBs, and component options available to choose from that can be found in all kinds of electronics today, and they can provide a variety of different uses. Whether you are looking to create the ideal PCB package or you just want to test out a new single board that you have been working on, Advanced Circuits can help.

Who Shouldn’t Use SMT?

There are still some cases where SMT might not be the best choice. The rare instances when surface mount technology should be avoided are few and far between. One of the biggest drawbacks is that these parts aren’t ideal for easy installation or plug-and-play use. The end-user or installer would need to be someone highly skilled and capable of assembling or installing the PCBs at the component level. This may also affect production costs for those who don’t have access to such skilled professionals as in-house staff. It’s all about figuring out what you can get from the process and whether it benefits you.

Of course, most of the issues with SMT are found in the production and installation process, which is exactly what you can rely on the team at Advanced Circuits for. Working with skilled professionals that understand the field of PCBs and how surface-mount technology can benefit various industries and applications gives you the chance to get the best people on your side and the best components for your projects, as a result.

It’s About Efficiency and Improvement

Technology is leading the way forward. Any brand that wants to improve its circuit board production and operation can rely on the advantages of surface mounting for a variety of applications and uses. Understanding the process and how it works, as well as the benefits that it offers, gives people the chance to optimize their own efforts with PCB design and assembly and take their business to the next level.

Increased production efficiency means that there will be fewer operating expenses and reduced overhead costs. This, in turn, helps improve the bottom line. When you add to that the fact that products will be more valuable and reputable since they are produced via better means, it’s easy to see just why so many people are getting on board with this technology, whether they need 100 PCBs or a million of them.

Whether you’re just starting to learn about PCBs and surface mount technology or you’ve got a prototype that’s ready to be built, the team at Advanced Circuits can help with everything that you need. Take the time to explore all of our services and contact us to learn more about how we can help. From concept to completion and beyond, our team of experts will help you harness the power of surface mount technology so that you can reap the rewards. Call us today to take your PCBs to the next level with the latest technology solutions.

Surface mount technology is used today because it can offer a range of advantages to the manufacture and design of printed circuit boards. Because of the small size, it means that electronics can be smaller, and they are capable of doing more. They are an amazing advancement. The surface mount technology can also allow for automated PCB assembly and soldering. It tends to make the products more reliable, and it helps to reduce their cost, not just their size.

The History of Surface Mount Technology

Automation started to become more prominent in the 70s and 80s in regard to assembling printed circuit boards. However, the components that were typically used with the boards made automation difficult. It would require that capacitors and resistors had their leads pre-formed to ensure they would properly fit through the holes. Everything needed to be exact, and this proved to be an issue. It would often mean that the components wouldn’t fit right, and machines would have to sometimes be stopped during the automation process.

This caused a massive slowdown in the assembly of the boards. As you can imagine, this also brought with it some additional costs. To help alleviate this problem, surface mount technology was created. It helped to streamline the process and allowed for components to be soldered to the board.

This helped to save some time and money. It was only natural that more and more companies started turning to this technology. It became so popular that it is currently the standard used for assembling PCBs in the manufacturing field. There are many different types of surface mount technology that are in use today.

Steps of Surface Mount Technology Devices

The SMT devices have many benefits over the leaded options. Rather than having wires connect the component, they are set into the board and soldered. This means they are more durable in many cases and have the potential to last longer.

There are several categories for these devices, including transistors and diodes, integrated circuits, and passive components.

The surface mount technology transistors and diodes are usually embedded in a plastic container. They have three leads, which emerge from the plastic and have been bent to touch the board. As with other types of SMTs, they are then soldered to the board.

Integrated circuits come in several varieties. The type of package that is used for the circuits can vary based on just how interconnected they need to be. There might be some chips that have between 14 and 16 pins, such as the simple logic chips. Others may be much larger and require hundreds of pins, such as VLSI processors. There are a substantial number of options with integrated circuits.

Passive SMTs will typically be resistors or capacitors, but it will depend on the board and what’s needed. They could also be crystals or coils, for example. These have become smaller and smaller over the years, although there are some instances where larger SMDs are still utilized. This is typically only going to occur when there is a lot of power needed.

These are just some of the main options that are available and that are commonly used today. There are other package options, and the ones that you will be using for your printed circuit boards will depend on what you are creating and what you need the board to do.

The Benefits for Your Boards

Surface mount technology is a massive technological improvement to how things were done in the past. They are a good solution to help improve not only the cost and the reliability of the boards but also the speed. It’s helped to make electronics that we’ve used for years smaller, more efficient, and more durable. However, it has also helped to boost innovation to help spur on new circuits and equipment.

Spurious inductance and capacitance can often be a problem in electronics. However, the levels are far smaller with surface mount technology. The resistors in these boards work better and more efficiently than leaded options. Ultimately, this provides higher frequencies and faster speeds. The boards can do more than they could if they were to use leaded components.

Another nice benefit is that the power rating will be lower. They are smaller, which means that the dissipation is lower in most cases. The small size also means that it’s possible to pack the PCB with more components. By putting more components on a single board, it allows many different types of technology to become smaller. Smaller tech is lighter, as well, which reduces the overall weight of the device.

Being able to put so many components onto a single board also allows for them to be more complex, which means increased functionality. Simply put, the surface mount technology allows the boards and the electronics to do far more than they could in the past.

From the performance to the durability, you can see why most companies today are utilizing SMT as much as possible. When you are looking for a manufacturer for your own printed circuit boards, you want to find those that offer SMT, and that have all the other features and services you will need. At Advanced Circuits, we have a host of products and services available including design and assembly help. We have a fast turnaround time and can provide you with high-quality PCBs that utilize surface mount technology. Get in touch today to see what we can do for you.

Know Your Goals with the Printed Circuit Board

Before you start to design the PCB and long before it can go through the circuit board assembly process, you need to be sure that you know what the board needs to accomplish. Different types of boards may have different functions. Some might be relatively simple, while others may need to handle more functions. Those who have complex needs from their boards will likely need to use multilayer PCBs. This will allow for more functionality in less space.

Take the time to determine what the goals are for the board before beginning the design. Designers will find that having a solid plan in place even before heading to the software will help to keep them on the right track.

Sometimes, the design that you create will not work as intended. It’s always better to find this out in the early planning and designing phase rather than when the boards are being printed. Take the time needed to perfect the design. A good plan and the right software will help with this.

Use Quality Software

When designing the boards, you will want to be sure that you are using quality software that is made specifically for PCBs. Good software can help to make the process of designing easier, and some programs will even offer the ability to check the files before they move to the circuit board assembly process. They can find errors, and some software can fix certain errors to make your work easier.

If there are potential problems with the design, you can go back into the software and make the needed adjustments before you move to the process of circuit board assembly. This helps you save time since you won’t have ordered a prototype that doesn’t work and then try to figure out why. Once you are certain that your board is in good shape, you can then get a prototype or have a large number of the boards manufactured.

Generally, you will want to have prototypes done first. Order just a single board, or a few, and test them out. See how they work, how they stand up to different situations, etc. This will let you know if you need to do any further design work before moving into the manufacture and circuit board assembly phase.

Of course, many will worry that prototypes will be difficult to get because some manufacturers do not want small orders. When you work with Advanced Circuits, you will not have to worry about this since there are no minimum orders. We also provide an engineering check to ensure it will work, and you can use our free software to design the boards.

Hire a Professional for Manufacturing and Assembly

After you are certain that you have a circuit board with a good and usable design, it is time to assemble the boards. However, you may not want to attempt this on your own. Consider just how much time and space it will take to perform circuit board assembly, even for a few hundred boards. If you have thousands, it will be next to impossible for you to do on your own unless you already have a facility dedicated to production.

This is not the case with most designers, so it makes more sense from a logistical and financial perspective to work with professionals like Advanced Circuits. If you were to try to set up an assembly facility of your own, you would need to have additional space and likely additional employees. Also, there would not be a guarantee that the circuits were working properly.

You need to have a manufacturer that has the space, expertise, and tools available to manufacture the circuit boards. Outsourcing the circuit board assembly is typically the best option. Of course, you can’t entrust your boards to just any manufacturer.

Why You Should Work with Advanced Circuits

You now have a better understanding of why you will want to work with professionals and why you need to have a quality design to start. It is time that you connected with Advanced Circuits. Our company is the third-largest printed circuit board manufacturer in the United States.

On our site, you can download our free software for designing your printed circuit boards. This helps to make the process of designing faster and easier. This is not just some simple software, either. You will find that it is a professional-grade software that has more features than many paid programs. It is easy to use and it includes a free online file check that lets you look for any manufacturing issues that might be present before going into production.

Advanced Circuits is known for being reliable and providing quality PCB fabrication. Additionally, we are financially stable, which means you will not have to worry about the company going out of business.

We are known for using quality materials, providing reliable PCBs, and having a fast turnaround time. Our experience helps to ensure that the boards are made and assembled correctly and that they reach you quickly. We also have around-the-clock tech support, so you can always talk to an actual human when needed.

If you need professional printed circuit board assembly, it is time that you got in touch with us. We have the means and the expertise to help you get what you need quickly and easily. Check out the software, get a quote, and get your boards faster than you might believe.

High-Quality Materials and Assembly

When working with a professional company for printed circuit board assembly, they will typically be using the best possible materials and assembly tools for the job. While this may not be true of all companies offering these services, the reputable companies that have been around for a while will. Choosing a company that can offer the best materials and that provides topnotch assembly services helps to ensure that the final product is perfect.

Naturally, you want to be sure that the circuit boards you are using are the best quality they can be before you start to use them or sell them. Choosing professionals rather than trying to assemble them on your own, in-house, will help to ensure this.

Find Errors Early

Even those who have been designing printed circuit boards for years can make mistakes during their design. A mistake that is followed for all of the circuit boards that are constructed would mean a huge error that could cost your company a lot of money. Rather than letting this happen, you could be working with a professional for the printed circuit board assembly.

At Advanced Circuits, for example, we have engineers test the design – even after you have tested it – just to be sure that there are no issues that could crop up down the line. This provides you with the peace of mind you need to go ahead with the full assembly. You will know that the boards will work properly once they have been assembled.

The software that is available through our company is free, and it can do more than just help you design a circuit. It helps to make it easier and reduces the risk of errors. When the boards are submitted, we will check to ensure that they have been designed correctly. The earlier the errors are detected, the better. It means that you can fix those problems before you go into full manufacturing mode.

Save Time

Consider how much time you would be spending if you had to manufacture and assemble all of the PCBs at your own facility. You would need to hire extra people just to keep up with the manufacturing and assembly needs. It would take up a lot of time that could better be spent working on other aspects of your company. It makes far more sense to hire professionals for the printed circuit board assembly. They can take care of the assembly, whether you need one PCB or you are in the market for thousands of boards.

Reduced Manufacturing Costs

Additionally, consider the manufacturing costs that you would have to incur if you assembled the boards on your own. You would need to have a large space available for the printed circuit board assembly. You would have buy all of the materials and tools needed, and more. You would likely be spending far more money than if you had just hired a professional company to take care of the assembly of the boards for you.

You can talk with companies like Advanced Circuits to get an estimate of how much it will cost for the PCBs that are needed. When you compare this with the cost of increasing the size of your facility and hiring more people for the printed circuit board assembly, you will see why outsourcing is such a good idea.

Turnaround Time Can Be Fast

One of the reasons that some companies still consider in-house printed circuit board assembly is because they worry that another company won’t be able to help them meet their deadlines. This is not necessarily true. When you choose a company that is known for having a fast turnaround time, you can get the boards in a matter of days in many cases. Of course, it will depend on just how many of the PCBs are needed and the company you choose for assembly.

Shipped Directly to You

Once the printed circuit board assembly has been completed, the manufacturer can have them shipped right to your door. The shipping time can vary, but when you choose a quality manufacturer like Advanced Circuits, it tends to be fast. This means you will be getting the circuit boards you need quickly.

Choose Advanced Circuits for PCB Needs

Naturally, you will want to be sure that you are choosing only the best for your printed circuit board assembly. You should take the time to consider just what the company offers, along with how fast they will be able to provide you with the completed boards. Price, of course, is another factor. You want to choose a good company that remains affordable and that can provide quality customer service.

Now that you know more about the benefits that are associated with using a professional for printed circuit board assembly, it’s time to find a company that can provide you with what you need. At Advanced Circuits, we strive to provide our customers with the best service and products from start to finish.

Whether you simply need a prototype, you have a short run that you need, or you are looking for a substantial number of boards, we can help. Get in touch with us today.

For instance, there is the initial circuit board design process. Then there are processes like film creation, mapping of copper paths, and V-scoring and testing. This is why promises of same-day production or turnaround are greeted with skepticism and raised eyebrows. However, Advanced Circuits is able to deliver on same-day turnaround times, flawless design, and more.

Single-Space Circuit Board Design and Production Plant

It is rare to find circuit board design solutions in a single facility or space. However, Advanced Circuits has over 25 years in the circuit boards industry and ranks as one of the largest one-stop providers. Specializing in circuit boards and prototypes, we have a comprehensive set of services and solutions that include:

• One day PCB production: Among the only PCB providers capable of manufacturing and assembling circuit boards in a single day, we have the ability to provide circuit board designs of great complexity in a short amount of time.
• Full support: Unlike many other manufacturers, our team works with you every step of the way. We begin with a quote based on initial design spec uploads and guide you through to the final production and assembly phases.
• Quality: With free design and testing resources, clients can be assured of the overall quality of the product they will receive. However, a full CAM review is done before any manufacturing begins, as well as visual inspections of the final circuit boards.
• Transparent pricing: There are no hidden fees or sneaky pricing that covers essential services, including stenciling fees, setup fees, and other unnecessary charges.
• One-stop solution: Circuit board design benefits immensely from seamless design, review, and production options. With everything happening under one roof, it means designers and engineers are on-site to evaluate and remediate when necessary. It means no risk for errors, delays, and costly problems.

After Circuit Board Design Comes Evaluation and Production

Of course, circuit board design is not all about production. Yes, speed and efficiency are amazingly beneficial, but only if the initial circuit board design is all it is meant to be.

This is something Advanced Circuits understands. We add value to customers’ experiences and outcomes with such services and benefits as:

• No minimum orders: No need to lock a huge segment of the budget into meeting the financial demands of minimum orders on simple to complex circuit board designs with this substantial option.
• CAM engineer evaluations: All products are evaluated by one of our in-house engineers long before production begins in order to spare clients any costly mistakes.
• Free design software: The cost of PCB design software is part of doing business. Advanced Circuits offers proprietary and exclusive PCB Artist software available in an unrestricted format and entirely for free. It downloads to a client’s Windows-based desktop and is capable of up to 28 layers in a single design. The program has over 500k parts from which to choose, integrates a controlled auto-router function to speed up design processes, and offers multi-page schematics for more complex projects. With a complete library of tutorials to train those using the program, there is no reason not to take advantage of it.
• Free evaluation software: For those already using a CAM program of their own, the option for FreeDFM allows the manufacturing quality of a design to be tested. The files are exported in a Gerber format and loaded to the online software, which reviews the entire file, corrects any glitches, and generates a report indicating changes or potential problems.
• Full tech support: While it’s great to have customer support around the clock, few PCB firms offer their clients an opportunity to troubleshoot with the help of a CAM engineer. Advanced Circuits has experts of this kind available 24 hours a day.

Going Above and Beyond for Your Success

Another benefit of working with Advanced Circuits is that it is possible to use our available resources and then order through the free software. Rather than downloading and re-uploading, it is possible to simply use the software options and then run an order through at the end of the review and correction process. The CAM engineer review is always done, regardless of the channel used to order, and there is always a discount for making an order directly through the free resources.

Not everything has to be outsourced or complex, and your circuit board design and production don’t have to involve multiple companies that put you at risk for error. When there are such easy, free, and comprehensive solutions, the risks are erased, money and time are saved, and production schedules guaranteed.

Partnering with Advanced Circuits means designers and producers get a unique experience marked by attention to detail. This is different from the “no-touch” approach that so many circuit board design firms are forced to work with. Demanding pre-tested files, they just run the project “as is,” jeopardizing the budget should there be undetected errors. The team at Advanced Circuits runs each circuit board design through expert examinations long before production begins.

Your One-Stop-Shop for PCB Design Needs

Why work with a broker when there is an option to pair up with one-stop specialists? We offer some of the fastest turnaround times and the best on-time shipping record in the industry.

Printed circuit board design does not have to be a gamble or a process that involves all kinds of back and forth between designers and producers. Whether you want a one-off or prototype with a fast turnaround time (even a single day), or you are looking for a solution that integrates design, testing, production, and assembly in one space, you’ll find it here at Advanced Circuits.