Quality PCB Manufacturing – Advanced Circuits | PCB Manufacturing & PCB Assembly https://www.4pcb.com/blog Printed Circuit Boards and PCB Assembly Manufacturer Blog Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:57:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Improve Your Circuit Design /blog/improve-your-circuit-design/ Fri, 06 Nov 2020 20:09:09 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=2281 Continue reading ]]> Take a moment to consider the sheer number of printed circuit boards (PCBs) that you encounter in a given day. There are circuits boards on your phone, your computer, tablet, vehicle, television, and countless other pieces of equipment. If you are involved in making electronics, then you know just how important quality circuit design is. Naturally, you want to find methods to improve your designs. Some of the best tips to keep in mind are noted below.

Always Test Your Circuit Design

One of the problems that cause delays and added costs to many companies is not ensuring that their boards are the best they can be before they go into the manufacturing phase. Even the most talented people can make small mistakes on their circuit design, which can cause a host of problems.

Rather than ordering a large number of these PCBs, it makes far more sense to take a step back and ensure that the design is correct first. Prototype the board and get a sample of the board to test out. This will let you know not only whether it works, but whether there might be some small design changes and tweaks that you could make to improve it further.

Do you have enough space between the components? Are you getting too much delay? Does the board become too hot? Look for the various ways that you can make some changes and improvements to your design, and then create another prototype, or at least have it checked by a third-party engineer, such as one of the specialists at Advanced Circuits. Doing this ensures that you have the best possible design. Only then should you move ahead with production.

Use Software to Make Circuit Design Easier

The world has changed, and technology has improved in many ways thanks to PCBs. With these changes, it means that the boards and circuit design is becoming more complex. The simple breadboards that were used for prototypes in the past may not be able to handle what you need in terms of your prototype circuit design. Instead, you will want to make sure that you are using software that will help to make the process of designing faster, easier, and more accurate.

If you are worried about the cost of this type of software, it’s understandable. Some of the software options that people use cost thousands of dollars. However, that’s not the case with our software, PCB Artist. We don’t charge anything to use the software, and it will work on computers that have a Pentium processor faster than 1.8 GHz and that have 512MB of RAM. The installation will take up 1.26GB on the hard drive, but most computers will have plenty of space to spare.

Just because our software is free doesn’t mean that it is lacking in power and features. We have a fully-featured program that has elements that you won’t even find with the expensive software options. Why do we offer the software for free? It’s simple. We want you to create high-quality boards that are ready to go. We want to make the process as simple as possible for you because it also helps us.

The software features hundreds of thousands of parts in the library. It’s easy and intuitive to use, and it can help to reduce the amount of time that it takes to go from an idea to a completed prototype and then to the manufacturing phase. Check out the software to see how much easier it will be to improve your circuit design.

Double-Check the Board

You believe that you have created the perfect board. Using software and prototyping as we suggested, that might be the case. However, you still don’t want to rush to the manufacturing process quite yet. Take some time to test the board in a real-world setting to see how it performs. You might find that you need to make just a few more small changes to improve the quality and efficiency of the board. While the board might work “just fine”, you should strive to ensure it is the best possible quality. This means double-checking the board to see if there may be ways to improve its speed or heat dissipation, for example.

If there are some changes you can make, apply them to your design, and get another prototype. Test it out until you are satisfied that it is exactly what your electronics will need. After all, you do not want a workable circuit design. You want an extraordinary design. Your customers, whether they are retail consumers or the military, will be glad that you did.

The Right Manufacturer Makes a Difference

Once you are certain that the board is in perfect shape, you can move ahead with manufacturing. However, you can’t simply choose just any manufacturer for the job. You need to be sure you are working with the team that can provide the best assembly and the best materials for your boards. Always take the time to investigate the history of the company and its size. You want a company that can provide you with what you need.

Advanced Circuits provides state of the art facilities and only uses high-quality materials for the creation of the boards. You have the option of ordering as many or as few boards as you need, and we can always provide a fast turnaround time. Often, you can get boards in a matter of days, which can help to speed up your manufacturing process. We have the best PCB shipping record in the field.

We are a top-rated PCB manufacturing company that is financially stable. You won’t have to worry about Advanced Circuits cutting corners or going out of business. We strive to be as efficient as possible in all of our departments. We even have 24-hour tech support, so you can always get in touch with a specialist regarding your project. Visit our website today to receive an instant quote online. We make things as easy as possible for you, so you can be sure you have the best circuit design.

 

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Make Circuit Board Assembly and Design Easier /blog/make-circuit-board-assembly-and-design-easier/ Fri, 16 Oct 2020 21:36:53 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=2272 Continue reading ]]> Are you designing a circuit board for use with a prototype piece of equipment you are making? Do you need to have a new design that can then be made for fast mass production for a product that will be going out soon? Regardless of the size of the operation, you need to be sure that you have a quality design and a good method of circuit board assembly. Below, you will find some tips that will help you from the design stage through to the assembly stage.

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.

 

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Quick Turn PCBs and Other Important Factors in Choosing a Manufacturer /blog/quick-turn-pcbs-and-other-important-factors-in-choosing-a-manufacturer/ Thu, 24 Sep 2020 20:17:10 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=2245 Continue reading ]]> Everyone will have different elements that they will consider to be the “most important” when they are choosing a manufacturer for their printed circuit boards. For some, having quick turn PCBs that can be shipped back to them in a matter of days is the key factor. Others might be looking at the available customization options, while others might want to choose a company that has a strong reputation in the field.

When you are choosing a manufacturer for PCBs, you should consider not only the most important factors for you but all of the factors that go into a great company. This helps to ensure that you are choosing your manufacturer correctly.

Below, we will be looking at some of the factors that tend to be at the top of many peoples’ lists when they are looking for a PCB manufacturer.

Are Quick Turn PCBs Important for You?

Whether you are creating your prototype, or you are looking to have a large number of printed circuit boards manufactured, you want to know how long it will take. Sometimes, you do not have as much time as you might like. You need the PCBs as soon as possible. This means that you need to choose a manufacturer capable of meeting your specific needs not only in terms of quality but also turnaround time. It is important to realize that not all companies will be able to offer quick turn PCBs.

Fortunately, you will not find that problem with Advanced Circuits. We have a range of options available to meet the needs of our customers. We can offer same-day turns for those who are placing their two-layer PCB order by 8:15am MST. These boards will be shipped the same evening. Additionally, if you submit two-layer or multilayer PCB designs on Friday, we will build the boards over the weekend, so they can arrive by Monday morning.

We offer small quantity and quick turn assembly services that ensure you are getting the PCBs you need when you need them. We also have an on-time guarantee. Our company built a reputation on being able to provide quick turn PCBs, and this means that we will guarantee that your standard spec PCBs will ship on time, or they are free.

Reputation and Experience of the Company

One of the first things that you should look for when choosing a manufacturer for your PCBs is how much experience they have in the field. Are they a new entrant into PCBs or do they have several decades in the field? While there might be some new companies offering quality products, they do not have the reputation of older companies. This also often means they will not have the same capabilities. They will not be able to get the materials they need at good prices. Those companies will not have dedicated manufacturing facilities, and it is unlikely that they will have a reliable process for quick turn PCBs. A good reputation and experience go a long way in this field, so do not overlook how important it can be.

The Standard and Custom Options

When it comes to the standard and custom PCB options that a company offers, you need to understand what they mean by those options. Some companies, for example, will not have true custom printed circuit boards, but will only offer standard options. Take the time to learn how many layers are available, whether they have a minimum number you will need to order, board thicknesses, copper weight, materials, and more. You have to be sure the company can provide you with the boards you need.

Customer Service

How the customers are treated is also important and something you will not want to overlook. Find a company that can guarantee their quality and their quick turn PCB time. Make sure that you have plenty of ways to contact the company if needed, and that the manufacturer offers free checks of your work before going into production. This helps to reduce the possibility of creating boards that are not going to work.

Overall Capabilities

What are the overall capabilities of the manufacturer? Will they be capable of providing you with just a prototype if needed? Will they be capable of offering short runs, as well as producing the PCBs you need on a massive scale? You have to think about what your needs are right now, and what they could be in the future when you are choosing a PCB manufacturing company. Take the time to learn more about the company’s certifications, such as whether they can offer military-grade PCBs. How many facilities do they operate?

Additionally, you will want to be certain that the PCBs are being made in facilities owned and operated by the company. Some manufacturers shunt their production off to other parties, which means you cannot always rely on the quality or the speed. Learn as much as possible about the company you are considering and then make up your mind whether you want to do business with them or not.

These are some of the most important things you will want to consider when you are choosing your PCB manufacturer. Always make sure that the company you choose can meet, and hopefully exceed, your needs.

Get in Touch with Advanced Circuits

If you are looking for a company that excels in all aspects of PCB manufacturing and customer service, Advanced Circuits is ready to provide you with what you need. We have decades of experience in the field and we have a range of quality services and features that help to make us a top choice in the field. We are the third-largest PCB manufacturing company in the United States, and we want to ensure our customers are always happy with the orders they place. Our experience, our size, and our dedication help to ensure that you can count on our quick turn PCBs.

 

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Better Printed Circuit Board Designs and Manufacturing /blog/better-printed-circuit-board-designs-and-manufacturing/ Fri, 18 Sep 2020 19:36:39 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=2242 Continue reading ]]> Printed circuit boards are a major part of everyday life. Even though people might not see the bare circuit boards on a regular basis, PCBs are responsible for a substantial amount of what people see, do, and enjoy. There are circuit boards in phones, tablets, computers, televisions, vehicles, and most other electronics. The boards might be simple, or they might be highly complex, but they are pervasive.

Those who work in the field know this and they are well aware of how important circuit boards are, and they are always looking for ways that they can improve on their own designs. Below, you will find some tips that can help with printed circuit board design.

Use PCB Design Software

In the past, designing printed circuit boards was more time-consuming and difficult than it is today. Now, it is possible to find and use design software created for printed circuit board design. The software allows designers to construct the software in a virtual space. They can add and remove components as needed and then test them in the digital space to see whether they would work properly in the real world.

This gives designers the freedom they need to create new and interesting designs while allowing for testing to weed out the errors and problems from the board. The software can be a huge time saver and money saver for companies, and for individuals who might be making their own boards as an amateur or hobbyist.

Best of all in this day and age, you can find great software and you won’t have to spend a dime on it. PCB Artist from Advanced Circuits is fully-featured software that will make it easy for you to create the boards you need and to test them. Once you have created the boards and have the files you need, you can send them out to be manufactured.

Proper Spacing on the Board

Many times, new designers will try to pack as many components onto a PCB as possible. They may think that it will provide them with the best use of space, but that is rarely the case. Often, it simply means there will be more problems down the line when the board is tested. When components are too plentiful or too tightly spaced, it can cause issues with heat and with the wiring and soldering processes. Instead, it makes sense to have a printed circuit board design that is as clean as possible. By orienting similar components in the same direction, it can help with proper routing, for example.

Working with software, as mentioned above, is a good way to let you “see” the design first. You can also make sure it will work with your current spacing before committing to the design.

Consider the Trace Angles

The angle of the traces will be important, too. Many people create 90-degree traces, but this is not an ideal option. In fact, this could cause problems. Many boards designed by professionals will instead have 45-degree traces. This is something that you should strive for with your printed circuit board designs. The 45-degree traces help to relieve overcrowding as discussed above, and it can also help to improve the transfer speeds.

Be Aware of Heating Issues

Heat is often a problem for printed circuit boards. Designs need to account for proper heat dissipation, which can vary depending on the device type. You will want to examine any components that might be considered problematic from a heat perspective. You might also want to add thermal reliefs to the design as a means to help keep it somewhat cooler. Other elements in the device can help to keep the board cool, such as fans. However, you should do what you can on the board to reduce heat issues in the first place.

Choose a Quality Manufacturer Offering Great Materials

You should consider not just the initial printed circuit board design, but also what happens once you have a design that is complete. You need to have a reputable manufacturer create the boards for you. Regardless of whether you are only printing a few of the boards or you need thousands, make sure you choose a manufacturer that can deliver.

You should look for a company that uses high-quality materials and that has been in the field for years. Learn about the company’s reputation, the certifications it has, assembly services, and the overall capabilities.

Having a great design is essential, but if you do not also have a great manufacturer that can deliver on your design, it will not matter. Do not neglect the importance of a great manufacturing company for your printed circuit boards.

Once you believe you have found a good manufacturer, it is a good idea to order a prototype or a small batch. This ensures you are not spending a large amount of money on your first order, and allows you to test out the boards to ensure they are of sufficient quality. You do not want to make the mistake of ordering 10,000 PCBs from a company that you have never worked with or tested before. You need to know what you are getting before you commit.

Get in Touch with Advanced Circuits

Above are just some of the things that you will want to keep in mind when you are creating printed circuit board designs. When you work with Advanced Circuits, you will find that we can make many parts of the process much easier for you. We offer free high-quality PCB software to help with your designs and testing. We run engineering tests on the designs before manufacturing and will make you aware of any issues that might be present. Advanced Circuits offers excellent customer service and ensures that you are getting what you need, when you need it. Our quick turnaround time means you will get your boards quickly. Over the decades we have been in this field, we have strived to provide the best service possible for all of our customers, large and small.

 

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What You Need to Know Before Choosing a PCB Manufacturer /blog/what-you-need-to-know-before-choosing-a-pcb-manufacturer/ Mon, 20 Jul 2020 21:47:05 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=2212 Continue reading ]]> You’ve put in the time to research, plan, and design your new electrical gizmo or product. Now, you’re ready to put it into action with a printed circuit board (PCB). But what exactly is the best way to get your hands on your physical PCB design?

While there are DIY PCB tinkerers and blogs about how to create your PCB, this process is messy, costly, and potentially hazardous. It’s much more reliable and simpler to go the professional route and to collaborate with a PCB manufacturer that can bring your design to life. With so many PCB manufacturers on the market, it can be challenging to pick the one best for your needs. Some PCB manufacturers work well for individual inventors and small businesses, while others are better suited for electrical engineers at large firms.

Whatever your reason for creating a PCB, these are the considerations you should keep in mind before selecting a PCB manufacturer. Making the best choice can save you time, money, and make sure that you don’t end up with a faulty product.

Scale Matters

The first question you’ll want to think through is the quantity of PCBs you anticipate ordering. If you’re a PCB hobbyist that enjoys building novelty electronics, you’ll want to look for PCB manufacturers that match you. Your best bet will be a PCB manufacturer with simple solutions, easy-to-use PCB design software, and tutorial videos. These tools will keep you from becoming overwhelmed and will help you build your knowledge base on PCB design. You’ll also want to see if the PCB manufacturer has minimum order policies. As an at-home PCB designer, you’ll probably only order one or two PCBs at a time, so you don’t want to use a company that will require a minimum purchase order.

On the other hand, if you run a business that needs to fulfill large orders with a PCB design, you’ll want to work with a company that can turn out big orders – and fast. Check with the company to see what their bulk pricing is like and ensure that they’re able to keep up with your demand.

Spend Wisely

As you design your PCB, it’s essential to keep in mind your budget. More extensive operations will want to have a Bill of Materials that outlines how many and what type of components are necessary for a project. This will give both you and the manufacturer an idea of the financial resources needed for completion.

You will also rack up a higher cost if you need a multilayer PCB. Sometimes, multilayer PCBs are necessary or advantageous for your purpose. For instance, a multilayer PCB will provide more surface area, which means you can add more components. More complex circuit boards will need multiple layers to accommodate additional components as you don’t want to overcrowd the PCB. Overcrowding can lead to overheating and potentially cause a short circuit.

Knowing the materials required and how many layers you’ll need for your PCB design will help you to run price comparisons between PCB manufacturers. Some PCB manufacturers, like Advanced Circuits, offer exclusive deals on their two- and four-layer PCBs, making high-powered technology possible at a cost-effective price.

Time Is Of the Essence

If you’re on a tight timeline for a project or just antsy to get your hands on a design, you’ll want to know how quickly a PCB manufacturer can deliver the goods. In general, more complex PCB designs will take longer to manufacture and deliver than stripped-down prototypes. Wait times can vary from company to company, with most landing around 3 to 14 days. Advanced Circuits, the 3rd largest PCB manufacturer in the U.S., provides a same-day turnaround option for certain orders so that you receive your PCB the next day.

Skip the Middleman

As you look around for PCB manufacturers, take note of whether they’re actually producers or, instead, brokers. Since the market is so vast, many PCB brokers have cropped up to help facilitate relationships between large firms and manufacturers. PCB brokers have a place in the world and are the most helpful for large companies that constantly need to revisit their vendors for competitive bids. It can also be useful if your company doesn’t know much about the PCB industry as they can help guide you through the process and track progress.

However, for individuals or labs that know their way around PCBs, it’s most cost-effective to work directly with a manufacturer. Working with a PCB manufacturer is the best way to have an open line of communication and establish a relationship. Rather than playing a game of telephone, you’ll be able to call up the PCB manufacturer’s tech support or check your PCB’s production timeline.

Reputation Is Everything

When you’ve spent so much time and effort on a PCB design, the last thing you want is shoddy production. There’s nothing worse than finally getting your PCB only to realize the holes weren’t drilled properly, or your PCB has the wrong dimensions. This is why you want to confirm how reputable a PCB manufacturer is before sending off your pet project. A good indicator of quality is if the manufacturer works with other large companies and organizations. For instance, Advanced Circuits is approved to manufacture Department of Defense contracts for the U.S. government. This demonstrates the level of quality and service that you can expect when trusting your PCB design with Advanced Circuits.

Don’t Settle For Less

While budget and time constraints are real, you don’t want to skimp out by not choosing a high-quality PCB manufacturer. Determine your purpose and keep in mind these considerations so that you can select the absolute best PCB manufacturer given your resources and needs. Splurging a bit more on manufacturing or taking the time to do research will save you the headache of a faulty PCB that will send you right back to the drawing board. Advanced Circuits is one of the premier, American-based PCB manufacturers that is ready to help you bring your design to life today.

 

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Benefits of Printed Circuit Boards /blog/benefits-of-printed-circuit-boards/ Fri, 13 Mar 2020 17:49:50 +0000 https://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=2123 Continue reading ]]> Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a massive part of just about every piece of electronic equipment that we have in our everyday lives. The computer you use, the phone in your pocket, your television, and so much more rely on these boards. It is through the use of PCBs that many electronics have been able to be reduced in size over the years, although there are certainly some large and complex circuit boards that are still used in many pieces of equipment. Those who are making equipment that features electronic components will find that there are many advantages to using printed circuit boards today. Let’s get a closer look at some of these advantages.

A Compact Solution

A printed circuit board can contain a number of parts and elements. Because they utilize copper tracks rather than actual wires, it allows for the same types of results without using current-carrying wires. The boards are smaller and they are not as bulky. This is one of the reasons that so many different types of electronic devices are smaller than they were in the past. The PCBs have helped to push technology forward in a number of different ways. It’s now possible to have highly complicated circuits in very small packages.

Saving Time and Energy

One of the best benefits of using printed circuit boards is the amount of time that can be saved. Connecting components traditionally takes a lot of time, whereas the circuit board will take far less time to assemble once the design is complete. The design phase is often what takes the most amount of time with printed circuit boards, but even this can be reduced when using the right type of software for its creation. Advanced Circuits actually provides customers with a free piece of software called PCB Artist. It is easy and intuitive to use and it provides a relatively simple way to design and test the printed circuit board before moving on to the rest of the process.

No Loose Connections

The connections in the printed circuit board are made through the copy tracks, and as long as they have been manufactured properly, you are not going to have to deal with short circuits or loose connections. Compare this to other methods using actual wires, which could become loose when the board moved. In some cases, the wire itself might have a connection problem. This can all be difficult to trace and to locate the source of the actual problem. With printed circuit boards, these types of issues are nonexistent. If there are problems with the board, it tends to be easy to diagnose and to repair.

A Reliable Option

It’s no accident that so many companies and individuals today are making use of printed circuit boards. They are a reliable solution that can work for a wide range of uses and products both large and small. They can last a long time when they have been made properly, which will give people more confidence with the electronics they are using. This is true whether that device might be a phone, a computer, or a military-grade piece of equipment that is used in a less than forgiving environment.

Low Costs

Of course, when it comes to creating and manufacturing various types of electrical goods, the cost is very important. Fortunately, once the circuit board has been designed and tested to ensure that it is working properly, mass production is very affordable. There are fewer components being used in most cases, which helps to reduce the cost to an affordable level for most companies.

Importance of a Good Manufacturer

Something that can’t be stressed enough is just how important it will be to make sure that you are working with a good manufacturer throughout the production process. You don’t want to simply look for the cheapest option available because you can never be fully sure of whether they are putting in the effort on their part to ensure that the printed circuit boards are working properly at the start of manufacturing. Some companies will use lower-quality parts for the assembly, or they might even outsource their assembly to a company that you have never heard of before.

It is important to choose a company that is able to provide high-quality boards and that has the attention to detail needed to get them right the first time. You want to choose a quality printed circuit board manufacturer that cares about the quality of your boards as much as you care. Advanced Circuits has a wealth of benefits that help to make it a top choice whether you need a prototype, a handful of boards, or you need a large number of printed circuit boards.

What Do We Offer?

When it comes time to printed circuit boards, Advanced Circuits provides a multitude of options and advantages. Our company has been in the field for more than 25 years and we are the third-largest printed circuit board manufacturer in the United States. Advanced Circuits is highly reliable and can provide all of the manufacturing and assembly right at our facility. We do not outsource any portion of the manufacturing process. We are not a broker, which means that not only are we able to take care of the manufacturing at the facility, but it also means that we can ship out very quickly. In fact, it is sometimes possible to have orders shipped out on the same day that they are placed.

Advanced Circuits has around the clock tech support available, and customers can receive instant quotes on orders and reorders. There are no tooling charges for standard specs, and the tooling charges will be waived for those who reorder the same standard spec order as a custom order.

One of the other benefits is the free PCB Artist software we offer. This software and the free file review help you to ensure that you have created the board properly before moving onto printing them. The software is filled with features and has more than even options that cost thousands of dollars.

Printed circuit boards have a number of benefits, and it is now easier than ever to get exactly what you need. Let Advanced Circuits help.

 

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How to Find Quality PCB Manufacturing While Keeping Costs Low /blog/how-to-find-quality-pcb-manufacturing-while-keeping-costs-low/ Fri, 05 Aug 2016 00:02:23 +0000 http://dev.4pcb.com/blog/?p=1148 Continue reading ]]> Even while designers are working diligently to develop PCB designs that will meet the needs of a particular project, the effort must be underway to source a manufacturer who is:

  • Capable of fabricating the final design.
  • Able to meet the project budget in quoting the cost of manufacturing a prototype, final product, or both.
  • Willing to commit to product deadlines and has the manufacturing bandwidth to produce on schedule.
  • Technically matched to the designer’s tools to optimize effective communication and final fabrication results.
  • Committed to quality and on-time delivery.

Proposed manufacturers being considered should utilize automation tools that help PCB designers work in collaboration with the vendors to resolve potential issues before manufacturing actually begins. Even prototype designs should be analyzed for potential fabrication problems so that designers and manufacturing teams can work as a unit to resolve them early in the process. This greatly improves the likelihood that boards produced will meet the designer’s specifications and will provide the functionality engineered into the product.

How Can PCB Designers Find the Right Manufacturer While Keeping Costs Low?

There are many fabricators of PCBs with just as many variations in capability, cost, and quality. These providers are located throughout the world, adding further wrinkles to the selection of a manufacturing resource. There are a variety of important considerations in finding the manufacturer that is right for your project:

  • Does the manufacturer utilize the technology that will accommodate a successful build of your PCB? Not all suppliers have the advanced computer aided manufacturing tools available to create the most sophisticated PCB designs. With rapidly-shrinking PCBs tailored to specific products, PCB engineers must keep pace with advanced technology, and manufacturers must do the same.
  • Can the manufacturer provide feedback to your design in the forms of analysis that reveals problems or suggestions for improvement before manufacturing begins? This is the hallmark of a seasoned and technically-capable supplier who will add value beyond the manufacturing process itself. Such a level of service can effectively reduce project cost and result in a higher-quality PCB. With the extreme precision required in PCB design and manufacturing it becomes essential to utilize software technology suited specifically to such tasks.
  • Even if the highest levels of technology are utilized by a prospective provider, is it used effectively to provide the quality you need for your PCB products? Make sure your vendor possesses any accreditation you require and that certifications are up to date. Quality counts in PCB manufacturing with faulty components or boards resulting in failures of the PCB or the products they’re installed in.
  • Delivery may be important to any given project, as well. If the supplier can’t commit to – and meet – delivery in quantities needed, they are probably not the vendor to establish a long-term relationship with. What is the vendor’s track record for reliable and consistent delivery?
  • Cost isn’t everything, but it’s definitely a factor in the vendor selection equation. With companies located globally, it may be cost-effective to source PCBs from countries where costs are lower than local companies can even approach. But consider communications difficulties in the form of language barriers, different time zones, and widely varying manufacturing techniques and quality control. Saving a small amount on the PCB itself may be outweighed by other complications and project delays that add significantly to the total cost of the project. In addition, the vendor’s low cost quote may be due to lower-quality materials in laminates or components. Verify that their manufacturing methods and materials will meet with all design specifications.
  • Not to be ignored is support. Are there technicians available that can discuss issues with the fabrication or design processes? Engineers can waste a considerable amount of time waiting for responses to questions or asking for design modifications when fabrication personnel are not available.

All these elements in selecting a quality PCB manufacturing resource should be considered when selecting a supplier. There are additional recommendations that apply to PCB design that contribute to controlling cost while creating quality boards that take Design for Manufacturing (DFM) into account.

Cheap PCB Manufacturing

 

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