Author Archives: Erin

Stacked circuit boards

How you Would Create an Electronic Prototype

How to Create an Electronic Prototype

Do you have a big idea for a new electronic product? We all know that ideas are a dime a dozen, so if you really want to get your idea off the ground, eventually you’ll need to create a prototype. A prototype, simply put, is a physical manifestation of a product. There are many important reasons to create a prototype. In this article, we’ll also review some quick tips about how to turn your idea into a prototype.

Why Prototype?

Creating a prototype is an essential step in your journey to bring your product to market. One of the biggest reasons to create a prototype is to simply work out all the bugs and kinks. Designing the prototype will help you determine if you’ve got the size right, if it can really work as you’ve imagined, and what the best materials are.

A prototype is also practically a requirement if you’re looking for seed money. No investor is going to write you a check if you aren’t at least serious enough to show them an early model of your product.

How to Create a Prototype

prototype-assembly-YUN-INDUSTRIAL-1

A prototype starts with a drawing. You can take an actual pen to paper for this step, but eventually it’s a good idea to either create or commission a CAD drawing (computer-aided design), which will provide greater detail and accuracy.

Next, you may want to try and build a preliminary prototype of y our product just to test out the dimensions and see what it will look like. This will not be a working prototype. If you are handy, you may be able to fashion it yourself using foam, moldable plastic, metal, wood, or parts from other products.

Eventually, though, you’ll want to create a working prototype. This will be important to showcase to investors. Since you are creating an electronic product, it is likely that you’ll want to work with professional prototype developers. These are manufacturers who specialize in developing prototypes. They are experienced in helping entrepreneurs and inventors just like you figure out how to actually create the prototype. For example, they can help you determine the right materials and figure out how the actual product will work.

At Yun Industrial Acme PCB Assembly, we can help you create your electronic prototype. Send us your CAD drawing and other paperwork, and let’s get started on building your product!

PCB Fabrication and Assembly

Understanding the PCB Manufacturing Process: From Design to Production

PCB Fabrication near mePrinted Circuit Boards (PCBs) are the backbone of modern electronics, found in everything from smartphones to medical devices.

At Board Assembly, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive PCB manufacturing process, which ensures top-quality products for a wide range of industries. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the PCB manufacturing process, from initial design to the final product.

1. Design and Layout

The PCB manufacturing journey begins with the design phase. Engineers use specialized software to create a detailed layout of the circuit. This design includes the placement of components, electrical connections, and layer configuration. Ensuring a robust design is crucial as it sets the foundation for the entire manufacturing process.

Key Steps in Design:

  • Schematic Capture: Creating a schematic diagram to represent the circuit.
  • Layout Design: Using CAD software to design the PCB layout.
  • Design Rule Check (DRC): Ensuring the design meets manufacturing specifications.

For more details on our design capabilities, visit our PCB Design Services.

2. Prototyping

Once the design is finalized, a prototype is created. Prototyping is essential to test the design for functionality and performance before mass production. At Board Assembly, we utilize advanced prototyping techniques to ensure quick and accurate results.

Prototyping Steps:

  • Material Selection: Choosing the appropriate materials for the PCB.
  • Initial Fabrication: Creating a small batch of PCBs for testing.
  • Testing and Validation: Conducting thorough tests to verify the design.

Explore our Prototyping Services to learn how we can assist in bringing your designs to life.

3. Material Procurement

The next phase involves procuring the necessary materials. This includes the substrate, copper cladding, and various components like resistors, capacitors, and ICs. Quality materials are vital for the reliability and longevity of the PCB.

Considerations in Material Procurement:

  • Component Quality: Sourcing high-quality components from reputable suppliers.
  • Supply Chain Management: Ensuring timely delivery of materials.
  • Cost Management: Balancing quality with cost-effectiveness.

Find out more about our Material Procurement Process.

4. PCB Fabrication

PCB fabrication is where the actual manufacturing begins. This process involves several steps to transform the design into a physical PCB.

Fabrication Steps:

  • Etching: Removing excess copper to create the circuit pattern.
  • Lamination: Stacking and bonding multiple layers of the PCB.
  • Drilling: Creating holes for component leads and vias.
  • Plating: Adding a layer of conductive material to the drilled holes.

Learn about our PCB Fabrication Techniques for a detailed overview.

5. Assembly

After fabrication, the PCB moves to the assembly phase. This is where components are placed and soldered onto the board.

Assembly Methods:

Discover our PCB Assembly Services to see how we ensure precision and reliability.

6. Testing and Quality Control

Quality control is a critical step to ensure the final product meets all specifications and performance criteria. At Board Assembly, we perform rigorous testing and inspection.

Testing Techniques:

  • Automated Optical Inspection (AOI): Using cameras to inspect the PCB.
  • X-Ray Inspection: Checking for hidden defects.
  • Functional Testing: Ensuring the PCB performs as intended.

Visit our Quality Control Process page to learn more about our commitment to excellence.

7. Final Product and Delivery

Once the PCBs pass all tests, they are ready for delivery. We ensure that each board is packaged securely and delivered on time to our clients.

Delivery Considerations:

Learn more about our Delivery and Support Services.

The PCB manufacturing process is complex and requires meticulous attention to detail at every stage. At Board Assembly, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality PCBs that meet your specific requirements. Whether you need design assistance, prototyping, or full-scale production, we have the expertise and technology to bring your projects to life.

For more information on our services, contact us and let us help you with your next PCB project.

ROHS-Compliant Assembly Services USA

How Being RoHS-Compliant PCB Assembly Services are Different from Assembly Services?

With everyone’s increasing concerns on the over usage of hazardous materials in the electronic and electrical products and their environmental impact, there have been several stricter regulations being imposed by the leading governmental organizations across the world. The RoHS compliance is one of those important regulations that is currently being imposed on the utilization of hazardous materials in the electronics and electrical products. Are you interested in knowing how this compliance works or what the benefits are?

Being Able to Understand the Materials that are Restricted Under RoHS Compliance

The RoHS compliance has restricted the use of six materials in the PCBs and electronic items. They include Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Hexavalent Chromium (CrVI), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and phthalates such as BBP, DEHP, BBP, and DIBP.

The compliance also specifies the maximum levels of these restricted materials in the PCBs and other electronics items.

  1. Mercury (Hg): < 100 ppm
  2. Lead (Pb): < 1000 ppm
  3. Cadmium (Cd): < 100 ppm
  4. Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB): < 1000 ppm
  5. Hexavalent Chromium: (Cr VI) < 1000 ppm
  6. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE): < 1000 ppm
  7. Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP): < 1000 ppm
  8. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): < 1000 ppm
  9. Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP): < 1000 ppm
  10. Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP): < 1000 ppm

The Many Features of RoHS-Compliant Assembly Services

Many PCB assembly services are utilizing processes and technologies that help them manufacture RoHS-compliant PCB assemblies. The following are a few features that help distinguish these services from others.

  • Lead-free Surface Finishes:Many manufacturers are nowadays using lead-free surface finishes such as lead-free HASL, ENIG, Electroplated Nickel and Soft (Bondable), Hard Gold Immersion Tin (White Tin), and Organic Solderability Preservatives (OSP).
  • RoHS Compliant Substrate Materials:The choice of RoHS material depends on the requirement of the application. There are materials such as Isola IS410, and Polyclad 370HR that assure standard electrical performance; however, materials such as Isola FR415 and Polyclad Getek assure high electrical performance at low loss.
  • Primary and Secondary Services:It has been observed that many RoHS PCB assembly service providers specialized in primary and secondary services such as lead trimming, lead-free wave soldering, and many more.

Some Benefits of Using RoHS-Compliant PCBs

The benefits that are offered by lead-free and RoHS-compliant PCBs are various. The following are a few of them:

  • Helps Reduce Metal Poisoning:As the technology landscape is fast evolving, many customers are discarding their obsolete electronic equipment in landfills. Equipped with various hazardous materials, this equipment helped lead to severe poisoning. Although recycling is being performed, still the equipment may have hazardous substances in them. The RoHS directive has forced OEMs reduce their dependence on hazardous substances. This has helped reduce the impact of these materials on the environment, and people working with them.
  • Improved Product Safety:With RoHS compliance being adopted by many prominent electronics manufacturers in EU and the US, now users can be assured that the product they are using is lead and mercury free. As a result, the sales and popularity of the products from these manufacturers has tremendously increased.
  • Improved Thermal Properties:It is proven that lead-free PCBs have excellent thermal properties than their leaded counterparts. They can easily withstand temperatures between -45°C to 145°C. Nowadays, PCB manufacturers are using specialized halogen-free laminates that have further helped improve their thermal stability up to 300 °C.

The benefits of RoHS-compliant PCBs symbolize a green future.  It is important that you find a trusted RoHS-compliant assembly services provider such as Yun Industrial and ACME PCB Assembly. Our company follows processes that are audited regularly and certified as chemical free.

Call today to find out more about our RoHS-compliant assembly services. 

 

Turnkey Yun Industrial

Differences Between Full Turn Key and Partial Turn Key Printed Circuit Board Services

Differences Between Full Turn Key and Partial Turn Key Printed Circuit Board Services

You are looking for a printed circuit board turn-key assembly provider for a new product. When you call up a printed circuit board manufacturer, the first question you are likely to get is, “Do you want full turn key service or partial turn key service?” What is the difference between full and partial turn key service, and what is the best option for you?

Partial Turn Key Service

To make a printed circuit board, the manufacturer needs a variety of components. First, they need the circuit board itself. Next, they’ll need electronic components, conductive tracks, and pads. They may also need capacitors, resistors, and other components that will be soldered onto the printed circuit board.

If you choose partial turn key service, you will be expected to supply your printed circuit board turn-key assembly with the circuit boards along with some of the parts. Your vendor can then get the rest of the parts and proceed with the fabrication of the fully printed circuit board.

The partial turn key option is ideal if you already have a lot of parts on hand and want to save time and money. If you don’t have parts, don’t know where to order the right parts, or don’t even know what the right parts are for your printed circuit board, then the full turn key service is probably a better option for you.

Full Turn Key Service

Turnkey PCBThe full turn key service is just like what it sounds. The printed circuit board turn-key assembly provider does all the work. They provide the circuit boards, order all the parts, and fabricate the circuit order. Basically, all you need to do is put in the order. The PCB assembly provider might even be able to help you develop the necessary plans and parts list to get your project off the ground. While a full turn key service will be more expensive than partial turn key service, it can save you a lot of hassle and headaches, especially if you are new to the world of printed circuit boards.

At ACME PCB Assembly, we offer both partial turn key service and full turn key service. We are happy to work with clients from step one of their project or to jump in to complete the project if necessary. If you aren’t sure which service is right for you, contact us today and we would be glad to tell you more about both options.

Our turn-key assembly project for electronics manufacturing services (EMS) model encompasses a broad range of electronics manufacturing services, from design to prototype to production to order fulfillment. We also perform Turn-Key box build, mechanical and final assembly, and packaging.

 

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive

Perhaps the greatest reliability issue to come out of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive is tin whiskers. This residual effect of RoHS is nothing new to electronics manufacturing. Tin whiskers were first been reported in the 1940s and credited with taking down satellites and military planes, causing critical failures to pacemakers and space shuttle systems and even the shutdown of a nuclear power facility.

Tin whiskers cause their fair share of headaches, but they can’t be solved by keeping them out of water and not feeding them after dark. Tin whiskers, their causes and how to prevent them, typically bring more questions than answers. These are the answers Dr. Werner Hügel, Robert Bosch GmbH, has been seeking for years and will discuss during his presentation, “Whisker Prevention and the Relevance of Plating Conditions” during the CALCE Annual Tin Whiskers Symposium at IPC TechSummit, October 28-30, 2014 in Raleigh, N.C.

Dr. Hügel is responsible for the backend technology, galvanic surface finishes and solderability requirements for the automotive electronics division at Robert Bosch. The electronic packages his group is responsible for are found in such areas as: airbag, engine management and transmission control systems, all of which ensure driver and passenger safety. High reliability and low failure rates—especially those caused by tin whiskers—are essential. An electronic short to one of these systems could result in potential harm to people or costly recalls.
Hügel will discuss: four basic whisker growth mechanisms, the relevance of the properties of the tin-finish on whisker formation and whisker mitigation. He will also share insights and data on the influence of plating conditions and plating parameters on whisker performance. Attendees will also learn an approach for effective whisker prevention supported by a modified testing procedure.

The following is a preview of the data, findings and recommendations Hügel will share.

Why whiskers grow

Why tin whiskers grow is a question that has boggled minds for decades. Hügel, however, does have his own theories—on tin whisker formation. According to him, whiskers will grow if there is an overall compressive stress (close to the yield limit of tin) in combination with a stress gradient (- 50 MPa/µm) toward the surface. This situation can be achieved by four basic mechanisms:

•       Growth of irregular intermetallic compounds (IMC) between Cu and Sn
•       Mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the base material and tin plating (e.g., delta CTE > 8 ppm)
•       External mechanical force on the tin layer over a long period of time (in press-fit, clamping) not bending
•       Corrosion-induced whisker growth (humid environment)
Why tin finish properties are important
Whisker growth can compromise the functionality of applications; therefore, the risk due to whisker growth has to be minimized, so it’s understandable why tin finish properties themselves are so important. Hügel indicates that tin finish properties are highly relevant to tin whisker growth in terms of:
•       Tin plating process (preparation)
•       Process parameters (process window) (temperature, concentration, agitation, current density, etc.)
•       Electrolyte (type)
•       Maintenance (process conditions such as agitation and current density)
•       Texture of the plating and the robustness of the texture against variations of current density, agitation, etc. The texture itself is the relevant factor regarding whisker growth of the tin plating (impact on CTE, chemical potential, etc.)
Minimizing risk
To minimize the risk of whisker growth, the root cause of whisker growth has to be identified and countermeasures have to be implemented.
According Hügel, “Conformal coating is not seen as the mitigation strategy because of the different side effects and the effectiveness of the coating in case of whisker growth. Third-generation electrolytes can provide excellent performance if the process is well defined and maintained.”
This only scratches the surface of the many parameters that go into whisker formation and prevention. Hügel will delve even deeper into these topics and others.
He will explain why maintenance is a major critical point for tin plating and the necessity for tin plating layer systems to fulfill minimum requirements (thickness, plating system setup, type of plating). He will also share how, by arming yourself with the knowledge of the robustness of the plating, a no-whisker, tin plating can be achieved.
For more information on the CALCE Annual Tin Whiskers Symposium at IPC TechSummit 2014, and to register, go to www.ipc.org/TechSummit.