As an engineer you are given an important task for every project you work on. You must be able to find the balance between the quality of your printed circuit boards and their cost. While you can save money for your organization with the choices you make for laminates and complexity, you might be costing yourself more in the long run. Many engineers work to achieve the highest level of quality by having a tighter tolerance on their PCBs. The thought is that this improves quality and functionality, but it could also lead to higher unit costs. As a result, you may find less room in the budget and fewer contracts for your organization.

How Tolerance Variations Affect Printed Circuit Boards

The question of balancing performance and cost most often comes down to tolerances for components and connections on printed circuit boards. The size of the hole and gauge of the pin used impact the manufacturing cost. It the hole is too large the pin could fall out, but if the pin is too large you will have to go back to the drawing board and pay more during the production process. The key then may be to find an option that gives you a bit less precision so you can save money while not sacrificing overall quality. To do this, experiment with various types of connectors and designs so you can produce the PCBs you need for less. The result will allow you to bid for more contracts and create more business for your company. Contact a representative at Advanced Circuits to learn more about PCB tolerances and the manufacturing and assembly processes.