Author Archives: Erin

pcb-fabrication-and-assembly-in-usa

How to Choose the Right PCB Material for Your Application

When it comes to electronic products, the materials you choose for your printed circuit board (PCB) can make all the difference in performance, reliability, and even cost. Selecting the right PCB material isn’t just about picking what’s readily available; it’s about matching the material’s properties to your specific application. At Board Assembly, we understand the importance of PCB material selection and are here to help you navigate the options.

Why PCB Material Matters

Your PCB is the backbone of your electronic device. It carries electrical signals, manages heat, and supports all your components. The wrong material choice can lead to issues like signal loss, overheating, or even mechanical failure. That’s why understanding your project’s requirements is key to making the right choice.

Factors to Consider

  1. Thermal Performance:
    If your application generates a lot of heat—like in power electronics or LED lighting—you’ll need a PCB material with good thermal conductivity. Materials like aluminum-based PCBs or high-Tg FR-4 are excellent choices.

  2. Electrical Performance:
    For high-frequency or RF applications, you’ll need a material with low dielectric loss. PTFE-based materials are often recommended for their superior electrical properties.

  3. Mechanical Strength:
    Will your PCB be exposed to vibrations, shock, or mechanical stress? If so, choose materials with higher mechanical strength to avoid cracks and failures.

  4. Cost:
    Budget matters too. While advanced materials like Rogers or ceramic substrates offer excellent performance, they can be pricey. For many applications, standard FR-4 remains a reliable and cost-effective option.

  5. Environmental Conditions:
    Consider the environment your PCB will operate in. Will it face moisture, chemicals, or extreme temperatures? Some materials offer better resistance to harsh conditions.

Trust Board Assembly with Your PCB Needs

At Board Assembly, we guide our customers through every step of the PCB material selection process. Our team helps you find the perfect balance between performance and budget, ensuring your project is a success.

📞 Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you choose the best PCB material for your application.

Processor with ball BGA pins

Ball Grid Array (BGA) Assembly Inspections

ACME PCB Assembly has provided (Ball Grid Array) BGA assembly, BGA rework, and BGA reballing service for Printed Circuit Boards since 1994. Having 20+ years experience behind us, we have extensive knowledge on how to assemble high quality (Ball Grid Array) BGAs. We have experience with everything from Micro BGAs to large size BGAs (55 mm), and ceramic BGAs to plastic BGAs.

BGA-boardsBGA assembly is a type of SMT process, which is used for Printed Circuit Boards. It allows for the customer to have more room for the PCB layout.  Ball Grid Array (BGA) packaging is a method for reducing package size and integrating a greater number of functions on a single chip module. BGA (Ball Grid Array) also replaces solder balls on the component underside for SMT mounting.

ACME PCB Assembly has a quality system for BGA assembly, the BGA will be received and inspected, and kept in a 40-degree Celsius storage with a 1% humility baking oven to make sure the BGA is good condition before assembly.  We inspect the BGA with a 3D X-ray, and make sure the void is under 25% of the total solder ball diameter. By using the X-Ray inspection process, we can eliminate the soldering problem on the board, such as solder bridging and insufficient ball melting.

We also add an additional layer inspection after the X-Ray inspection is done; using the ERSA scope to inspect the solder ball on the underside of the BGA so that we are sure the profile is correct; we assure you excellent quality during the BGA assembly process.  Some BGA assembly boards have VIA connect to the BGA pad, the best condition for that is have a VIA epoxy plug, and have the solder mask on the trace, so that solder is not wicked to the VIA and cause the solder to function insufficiently during the BGA assembly process.

By having ACME PCB Assembly do the BGA assembly prototype with or without Stencil will save you as the customer on assembly costs.

Please call us at 310-715-1898 for get more information or Assembly quotation.

Printed Circuit Boards

What is a PCB Silkscreen on Printed Circuit Boards?

If you grew up taking apart radios, computers, or video game consoles just to see how they worked, you’ve likely studied a printed circuit board (PCB) up close. Among the intricate metallic traces and soldered components, you might have noticed small white letters, numbers, and symbols printed across the board’s surface. These markings aren’t random—they’re part of a critical layer called the PCB silkscreen.

Understanding the PCB Silkscreen Layer

The PCB silkscreen is a printed layer that provides human-readable information on a circuit board. Typically created with special inks, the silkscreen identifies important features such as:

  • Component reference designators (like R1, C5, U2)

  • Test points

  • Warning symbols

  • Company logos

  • Part numbers and date codes

  • Polarity indicators for diodes, LEDs, and capacitors

Most PCB silkscreens are printed in white ink because it contrasts clearly with the traditional green solder mask. However, silkscreen inks can also be black, red, blue, or yellow, depending on the board’s color scheme or specific customer requests.

Why Is the Silkscreen Important?

The silkscreen acts as a visual guide for anyone who assembles, repairs, or tests the PCB. It tells workers how components should be placed and identifies key features to assist in troubleshooting and maintenance. Without a clear silkscreen, identifying the purpose or placement of components could quickly become confusing, leading to costly mistakes or longer assembly times.

Additionally, the silkscreen enhances safety by marking high-voltage areas or other hazards clearly.

How Silkscreens Are Applied

Printed Circuit Board FabricationAdding the silkscreen is typically the final step in PCB fabrication, done while the boards are still panelized. The ink used must be carefully chosen to withstand the chemicals and heat involved in soldering and assembly. Once printed, the board moves to the final finishing or routing phase.

There are several methods for applying a silkscreen:

  • Manual Screen Printing: Traditional, cost-effective for low-volume runs

  • Liquid Photo Imaging (LPI): Offers higher precision for dense, complex boards

  • Direct Legend Printing (DLP): Uses inkjet printers for extremely accurate and fast printing

Each method is selected based on the PCB’s design complexity, production volume, and budget.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Silkscreen Design

Even experienced PCB designers can make mistakes when preparing the silkscreen layer. Some key things to watch out for:

  • Avoid printing over pads: Silkscreen ink can interfere with soldering and create defects.

  • Keep text legible: Fonts should be large enough to read easily, even after solder mask application.

  • Allow for registration tolerance: Slight shifts during manufacturing mean text and symbols should have enough spacing to stay clear and readable.

A well-designed silkscreen makes the PCB easier to work with and improves overall product quality.

Turnkey Yun IndustrialTrust ACME PCB for Quality PCB Manufacturing

At ACME PCB, we take pride in handling every detail of your PCB project—including the silkscreen layer. Our team ensures that every marking is clear, correct, and perfectly aligned, giving you boards that are not only functional but also easier to assemble, maintain, and troubleshoot.

Need a reliable PCB manufacturer that gets the details right? Contact ACME PCB today to get started!

PCB Assembly service in Los Angeles

Printed Circuit Board Assembly Service Provider

Electronic Contract Manufacturing Service

Acme Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCB Assembly service provider) is located in Carson, California. We have a 16,000 square foot facility with the best equipment (Fuji assembly line) that allows us to offer high-quality PCB assembly at competitive prices.

Our ISO 9000 (9001:2015) certification is a source of pride for us.  It indicates that we provide measurable high-quality electronic contract manufacturing services that meet or exceed customer expectations.

Whether you need Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly, consignment assembly or turnkey material-procurement assembly, we have what is necessary to manage your entire project efficiently. With over 26 years of experience in Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) we learned that reasonable assembly cost, high-quality service, on-time delivery and good communications are the keys that keep our customers happy and is how we made our business successful.

ACME PCB Assembly is flexible in meeting your requirements. We have offered Lead-Free (Pb-Free) soldering since 2005. Please review Design to Avoid Tin Wiskers for RoHS compliant (Lead-Free) assembly.

Good communication with our customers is a key to our success. People do business with people because they choose to, not because they have to… You can always find others who provide similar services. We believe that it is the personal connection that makes the difference.

ACME Printed Circuit Board Assembly

Electronic contract manufacturing for printed circuit boards assembly that includes SMT assembly, prototype boards builds, PoP (Package on Package), BGA assembly with X-ray inspection, through-hole and mixed board assembly.

ACME PCB Assembly has a IPC 610 Class III, and IPC J-001 certified instructor in-house for training and quality assurance. As a electronic contract manufacturing service provider, we provide service from product design all the way to box builds. Our services include:

 

 

Recycling Unused PCB

Can You Recycle PCBs? Smarter Solutions for Unused Printed Circuit Boards

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) are found in nearly every electronic device—and with demand for electronics continuing to rise, PCBs are everywhere. But what happens when those PCBs become obsolete, go unused, or are left over from discontinued product lines? Is PCB recycling even possible?

At ACME PCB Assembly, we’re not only experts in fabrication and assembly—we also offer solutions that can give unused PCBs a second life, reducing waste and supporting sustainability.

Electronic circuit boardWhat Is a PCB, Really?

Before deciding whether a PCB can be recycled, let’s first understand what it’s made of. A standard PCB is a laminated sandwich of:

  • Copper layers

  • FR-4 substrate (a fiberglass reinforced epoxy resin that’s flame resistant)

  • Tin, silver, and even trace amounts of gold

These materials present both opportunities and challenges for recycling. While metals like copper and precious metals are recoverable, the epoxy and fiberglass components are more difficult to process without specialized facilities.

Can You Actually Recycle PCBs?

Yes—and no. While full recycling of PCBs is complicated and energy-intensive, that doesn’t mean your unused PCBs are destined for the landfill.

There are two smart alternatives:

  1. Repurposing and Reworking
    If the PCB hasn’t been populated with components, or even if it has, ACME PCB Assembly may be able to rework, re-solder, or repurpose it for use in a different product.

  2. Recovering Materials
    Certain recycling centers specialize in extracting the copper and precious metals from PCBs. However, this process often requires high heat or chemical treatment and may not be environmentally friendly if done improperly.

Printed Circuit BoardsWhat Electronics Design Engineers Can Do

Designing with sustainability in mind is a growing priority. Here’s how design engineers can help make PCBs more recyclable:

  • Choose materials that are easier to reclaim

  • Avoid overordering—order what you need and scale as you go

  • Design modular boards that can be reused in other product lines

  • Work with a partner like ACME PCB Assembly to review redesign and reuse options

Got Extra PCBs Taking Up Space?

Let’s say you placed a large order of custom PCBs for a now-discontinued product. You’ve got a warehouse full of unused boards, and you’re wondering if it’s time to toss them.

Don’t trash them just yet. Contact ACME PCB Assembly—our expert technicians are highly trained in de-soldering and re-soldering surface-mounted components. We also have specialized equipment to help re-purpose boards for future use, saving you time, money, and environmental impact.

Partner with ACME for Smarter PCB Solutions

Whether you’re looking to recycle, repurpose, or rework unused PCBs, ACME PCB Assembly is here to help. With over 25 years in the PCB industry, we know how to turn leftover parts into new opportunities.

👉 Give us a call today to see how we can help transform your surplus PCBs into the backbone of your next big innovation.