Tag Archives: board assembly

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!

2 BGAs or More vertical installing.

The Rise of Package on Package (PoP) in PCB Assembly

In the ever-evolving world of electronics, Package on Package (PoP) technology is emerging as a significant trend in PCB assembly, reminiscent of the introduction of BGA components in 1995. PoP is an innovative integrated circuit packaging method that vertically combines two or more memory ball grid array (BGA) packages. This approach is gaining traction due to its efficiency and design benefits.

2 BGAs or More vertical installing. ACME PCB Assembly has been at the forefront of this technology since 2009. The demand for PoP assembly has been steadily increasing, driven by its ability to reduce external pin count through package-level system design. This simplification greatly aids PCB layout engineers, making their tasks more manageable. Depending on the configuration, the total package height can be as minimal as 1.4mm, offering compact solutions for modern electronic devices.

One of the key advantages of PoP technology is its high assembly yield rate. Contrary to initial perceptions, implementing PoP is not as challenging as once thought. Many products now incorporate pure memory stacking in their designs, leveraging the benefits of this advanced packaging method. ACME PCB Assembly utilizes cutting-edge manufacturing tools, such as the FUJI assembly line, to provide customers with easy access to PoP technology.

ACME offers comprehensive manufacturing services for PoP BGA assembly, catering to medium batch production and rapid prototype runs. Whether you need a single piece or up to 20,000 units, ACME is equipped to meet your needs with precision and efficiency.

For more can benefit your projects, contact Board Assemblyinformation on how PoP technology  at 310-715-1898. Embrace the future of PCB assembly with PoP and stay ahead in the competitive electronics market.

pcb-fabrication-and-assembly-in-usa

Understanding Quick Turn PCB Fabrication

Quick turn is imperative when it comes to PCB fabrication. Quick go-to-market can be a large source of having a competitive advantage. At ACME PCB Assembly we tend to place a great deal of importance when it comes to providing a prompt delivery service of your order, while complying with all quality control and certification measures. ACME PCB Assembly provides many different types of quick turn flex PCB fab, quick turn multi-layer PCB fab, quick turn rigid PCB fab, quick turn rigid-flex PCB fab and much more.

We incorporate strict testing protocols and our outstanding inspection systems insure that the quality is authenticated, while we still meet your timeline. Regardless if your requirement is simple or multi-layered boards, we ensure that the Quick Turn PCB Manufacturing process is seamless.

Understanding the Benefits of Quick Turn PCB Fabrication

One of the biggest benefits is the quick turnaround time, meaning that you can get your product to market without any manufacturing delay.  This in turn gives you a leading advantage from the other competition, especially since you are likely to be operating in a highly competitive market.  ACME PCB Assembly ensures that your go to market plans are not ruined or delayed by the non-availability of PCB boards.  We offer high quality boards in a timely manner, which helps getting through the initial product launch and marketing plan seamlessly.

Applications Available for Quick Turn PCB Fabrication

Turnkey PCBPCB Prototypes

Quick turn PCBs hold their importance in prototyping because when you need a quick and accurate idea of how your final product will look and perform, they are done quickly and available right away. Quick turnaround times come in handy, in determining the efficacy of the product before investing in a large production run. It’s also an advantage in the fact that any improvements or changes can be made in a timely matter holds it’s perks also.

Standard Production Run

When you are ready and start looking for larger production runs, the one thing that is of most importance is the delivery time.  Quick turn PCBs ensure that there are no delays, making it possible for device manufacturers to reach their end consumer quickly.  Another factor to look at is that shorter manufacturing times with standard SOPs can also result in optimization of costs, which is a significant source of competitive advantage.