How to Select a PCB Manufacturer?
Any business that produces electronic products such as mobiles, computers, machinery and vehicles needs printed circuit boards (PCBs). The PCB saves space and allows for cleaner, smaller product designs.
Your company may have your product prototypes ready and now you need to hire a PCB manufacturer for mass production.
With demand comes supply, and fortunately there are many vendors using the latest in PCB design software . However, choosing the right provider for your business carries risks. Quality, compliance, and sourcing will take precedence over cost and delivery, and in this article, we cover what to look for in a supplier.
Before a company can choose its suppliers, it needs to know its inventory requirements for its infancy and growth phases. Why? Well, all businesses, especially startups, need working capital and cash flow is king. Revenues must exceed costs for the long-term viability and growth of the business. So don't improvise, commit to inventory or a supplier. Start with a solid business plan and build on it with confidence to order from suppliers and partners.
Business plan
People don't plan to fail, they don't plan . In your business plan will be your objectives, investment strategy, sales objectives, marketing plan, operations and financial forecasts. Ideally, you will also have a PEST and SWOT analysis. PEST analysis investigates what external factors can threaten the success of your business.
SWOT Analysis
The SWOT analysis is a look at your business. What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? Also, what are your KPIs? It is during this study that you will learn if there really is a market for your products and services.
PEST analysis
While we cannot predict the future, as business owners, with a lot of risk, we can make an assumption based on a detailed analysis of what may affect the health of our business. The PEST analysis provides information on external factors that can affect confidence and purchasing power of the consumer.
PEST is an acronym for political, economic, environmental, social, and technological. With this information, you will have a good idea of ??how your new business will succeed in good times and bad.
Your business plan provides the confidence to engage with partners, including a PCB manufacturer if your company produces products with electronic parts. Consider these recommendations as part of your selection process.
PCB quality
Avoid making a hasty decision based on price and speedy delivery. Always focus on quality first. Manufacturing high-quality PCBs essentially means that the board is produced without errors in its drawing and production. For example, the PCB must have all the precise dimensions and all the holes drilled and positioned correctly. There should be minimal plate warping (although some plate designs will naturally cause a little warping, and you will know when this is the case), and it should pass the bare plate tests.
To ensure that your potential supplier is consistent in quality, speak to a non-competitor that uses the technology and performs random independent testing of the plates. Low-cost manufacturers can source their equipment from non-compliant manufacturers, and when this is discovered, it can damage your product and business reputation, so get all the industry certifications.
Certifications
Do your research to determine if a manufacturer has prerequisite industry certifications, for example ISO or BS standards. Some manufacturers will simply claim compliance without the certificates to prove it.
PCB corridors
Ask the manufacturer where your circuit boards are manufactured. Not all PCB manufacturers are the source, they are actually just intermediaries and act as intermediaries between the actual manufacturer and their customer.
One of the downsides to working with brokers is that it is not always possible to ensure that the requirements are understood and that the PCBs are manufactured accordingly, plus there may be inconsistencies with warranties and compliance. While not all brokers are unethical if you go directly to the manufacturer, you do have a source relationship.