There are two types of mounting technologies are prevailing in the modern PCBA industry:

Surface Mount Technology: Sensitive components, some very small, such as resistors or diodes are placed automatically onto the surface of the board. This is called SMD assembly, for surface mount devices. Surface mount technology can be applied to small size components and integrated circuits (ICs). 

Thru-Hole Technology: works well on components with leads or wires that have to be mounted on board by plugging them through holes on board. The extra lead part has to be soldered on the other side of the board. This technology is applied on PCB assemblies containing large components such as capacitors, coils to be assembled.

PCBA Professionals

PCBCart is the premier PCB solutions provider. We can cover your PCB requirements from parts sourcing to electronic assembly. We’ll help you with each step of the way and provide you with comprehensive expertise and quality assurance.

When you choose us as your cooperative PCBA company, you’re choosing to partner with a service that delivers the best. we can handle any kind of PCB, whether it’s double-sided or single-sided,  through-hole. Whatever you want to be done, we can make it happen!

We’ll keep in contact with you constantly from the beginning of the project all the way through to the finish line and keep you in the loop from fabrication to assembly. This can help you save money and stress with lower PCB costs, shorter wait times, and higher-quality products. We want to save you time and energy so you can focus on your PCB designs — not worry about the minutiae of the manufacturing process.

What is Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS)

Electronic Manufacturing Services refer to a range of electronic product design, development, and manufacturing services offered by EMS companies. Depending on the type of EMS company, they either offer only product development and design services, or they offer both product design and manufacturing services.

As technology continues to evolve, so does the world of electronics, and with that in mind, EMS is experiencing rapid growth within the industry. An EMS company offers more than just a contract manufacturing service. They offer total solutions, including development, engineering, industrial design, and production management.

Various factors are attributed to the growth of the EMS industry. Some of these factors are:

1. the need for more cost-competitive products
2. development and deployment of smaller and fewer complex products
3. increasing globalization in the electronics industry and
4. new commercialization strategies in the consumer electronics sector.

The Situational Context of Electronic Manufacturing Services

The advent of electronic manufacturing can get attributed to the introduction of the digital computer, its integration, and its evolution into mainstream electronics from the ’90s. However, it has increased operational capacity, availability, economy, and diversity in recent years. What’s more? The complexity involving electronic assembly and miniaturization has brought the significance of EMS to the fore.

Therefore, the prerogative regarding the provision of electronic manufacturing services lies primarily on an electronic manufacturing company. Such services often encompass a range that spans electronic components’ design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing. However, it becomes electronic contract manufacturing if it involves manufacturing the original electronic manufacturers (OEM).  

Currently, the EMS industry proves dynamic, with forecasts placing its growth at 7.5% annually from 2018 to 2024. Such growth implies increased opportunities for electronic manufacturers to capitalize on. Consequently, an array of electronic manufacturing service providers exist, which can represent a challenge when you want to pick one for your electronic manufacturing needs.  

All notwithstanding, however, if you need electronic contract manufacturing services, then engaging a suitable contract manufacturer becomes crucial. However, EMS providers such as MACHLAB PCB and Assembly can offer companies simple documents like customer design files based on their requirements. It comes before the electronic development, assembly, component assembly, and product testing. Alternatively, an ECM will provide complex solutions encompassing aspects like manufacturing components, design services, and the provision of assembled prototypes.

Since the global situation features a high demand for cutting-edge electronic equipment and devices across diverse industrial niches, authorities have had to reign in and spur the sector’s development through favorable EMS policies and regulations. For instance, India has developed and adopted schemes like PIL and SPECs to enhance electronics and component manufacturing in the country.    

The Services Offered by EMS Companies

As already stipulated, diverse EMS companies exist across the world. Each electronic manufacturing service company offers services that may vary from competitors. However, every EMS Company should offer the following electronic manufacturing services.

· Printed circuit board assembly

The assembling of PCBs is one key electronic service that almost every EMS Company offers. It can entail surface mount or through-hole tech methods of soldering the PCB components on the circuit board. Additionally, the components range from integrated circuits, transistors to resistors.  But since most of these components are tiny, having a machine to pick and place besides aligning them becomes key, something you realize with EMS companies.

· Contract designing

An EMS company often proves happy to outsource expert electronic manufacturing services like designing. Such professional design services feature DFX analysis, validation, environmental tests, design, documentation, etc. In most instances, such services involve collaboration between material managers, engineers, etc. The team design by carrying out the following.

• Circuit prototyping and simulation
• Testing
• 3-D physical and CAD modeling
• Costing exercises
• Studies on technical feasibility
• Quality review

· Prototyping

It is a significant aspect of the electronic manufacturing process that most top EMS providers offer. Services can include visual modeling, PoC (proof of concept), functional prototypes, or working prototypes. It becomes vital in electronics manufacturing as it prevents embarrassment when the electronic product heads for launch. Some of the vital things prototyping ensures include the following.

• It checks the electronics’ design faults either caused by human or technical errors besides recommending enhancements pre-finalization of your electronic design.
• Safeguarding your budget by ensuring that the design suits its intended market before heading to mass production or manufacturing. It ensures this by preventing incidences of re-production.
• Prototyping ensures that the characteristics of the product get inspected and ascertained as functional. It primarily happens with the theoretical values stipulated in the design phase.
• It confirms production, especially in solidifying aspects such as general product packaging and design before production.    
• Finally, prototyping ensures product durability by testing and confirming aspects involving shock resistivity, power variations, and temperature variations.

Future Trends in Electronic Manufacturing

The electronic manufacturing scene will keep evolving as it has from the past years. Some of the vital trends that will shape electronic manufacturing include the following.

• Internet of Things (IoT). It is the everyday connection of devices via the internet, allowing a simple reception and sending of information. IoT has an increasing influence on electronic manufacturing.
• Deployment of augmented reality and virtual reality. Use of both VR and AR in electronics manufacturing increase precision and timely product changes. Consequently, it eliminates errors and limits the inspection time.    
• 3-D printing. It is a trend that will significantly continue impacting electronic manufacturing. 3-D printing proves instrumental in physical aspects of printing as well as designing and application aspects.
• Big data proves instrumental in minimizing costs, improving the market share, and raising profit margins.
• Industrial robots will also continue having a significant role in revolutionizing electronic manufacturing. Most electronic manufacturing and assembly processes will entirely rely on automation in the future.
• ERP systems is another one to watch in electronic manufacturing

Conclusion

Electronic manufacturing services are important in the development and advancement of electronics. Additionally, the importance of electronics makes it necessary to understand every vital aspect of EMS, something that hopefully this article covers.

What is a Box Build Assembly?

A box build, which is also known as systems integration, contains other assembly work in an electromechanical assembly.  It includes installation of sub-assemblies, enclosure fabrication, and the installation and routing of wire harnesses. Box build assembly isn’t all about the production of PCB, it goes beyond that.

Box build assembly involves the assembling of different circuit boards connected via different wiring and with some cables. There are several sub-assemblies and other electronic components you install in the assembly. Box build assembly refers to all assembly processes involved in electronics production and design chains.

Key Considerations in Box Build Assemblies

To get a good box build assembly, there are certain factors you must put into consideration. It is important you provide your service provider with these pieces of information.

3D CAD model: A 3D CAD model should be provided to have better visuals of the final product. There are several CAD packages you can choose from. These packages provide free drawing viewers and they allow you to transform your drawings into build instructions. It is very important to create a layout drawing having all the important components. The tools in 3D CAD can also help you reduce the process it takes to complete box build.

Product dimensions: The product dimensions should be specified. This includes the weight and size of the assembly. This information helps you to make decisions on several factors such as delivery, storage, handling, and other processes. Your EMS will also make decisions on how to handle the units all through the box build assembly process.

Bill of materials: Your Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) needs to be aware of this vital piece of information. It is regarded as one of the integral aspects of the box build assembly process. With the bill of materials, the EMS will have knowledge about the key materials and components you need to source out.

Each item on this bill has a particular associated cost, purpose, and procurement process. This bill contains information as regards the manufacturing name, part description, package type, reference designator, quantity, item number, and more. A detailed bill of materials will make work less stressful for the EMS provider.

Sample prototype: To plan a safe box build, you need a completed product assembly, particularly when other information sources aren’t available. A rough prototype can be used to produce several equivalent assemblies. With just minimal documentation, an experienced electromechanical assembly engineer can make a copy of a complete box build.

Testing: It is important for a customer to identify the kind of tests an EMS provider should carry out during box build assembly. Some testing involves factory acceptance testing, specific functional tests, and visual inspection.

Safety is a key factor to consider. An experienced EMS goes for the best test that can help you to maximize production time during the box build assembly process. It will also offer a safe and reliable electromechanical assembly.

Packaging and shipping details: You need to provide vital information to the electronics manufacturer. This information is helpful to the EMS as it helps to decide how the units will be handled. It is important you define the packaging and shipping of the complete box build assembly before the manufacturing process begins.