There is a lot of competition in the PCB manufacturing industry. Everyone is looking for the smallest improvement to give them an advantage. If you seem to be unable to keep up with the progress, it may be that your manufacturing process has been blamed. Using these simple techniques can simplify your manufacturing process and make your customers repeat customers.

Like many aspects of the electronics industry, the manufacturing process of printed circuit boards is extremely competitive. Customers require the highest quality products to be completed quickly at the highest lowest price. This encourages some manufacturers to cut corners to reduce costs and maintain competitiveness. However, this is the wrong approach and will only alienate customers and harm the business in the long run. Instead, manufacturers can achieve better results by improving every step of the manufacturing process to make it more streamlined and efficient. By using better tools, products and saving costs as much as possible, PCB manufacturers can provide customers with high-quality products at less cost. Here are a few ways to start this process.

01
Use design software
Today’s PCB is indeed a work of art. With the steadily shrinking electronic equipment, the PCB required by customers is smaller and more complex than before. This means that PCB manufacturers must find ways to assemble more components onto smaller boards. Therefore, PCB layout software has almost become a standard tool for designers. However, some designers are still using old-fashioned methods or using the wrong software to handle things. Professional PCB design software will have built-in tools that can help improve the process, identify best practices and perform design rule checks. In addition, the software will allow you to create and store templates to simplify the development of future orders.

02
Apply solder resist to the PCB
Many small-scale PCB production operations do not use solder resist in their manufacturing process. The solder mask is a polymer layer coated on the PCB to prevent oxidation and unnecessary short circuits during the assembly process. Since circuits are getting closer and closer on today’s smaller and smaller PCBs, manufacturing without high-quality solder mask is inefficient and brings unnecessary risks.

03
Do not corrode with ferric chloride
Historically, ferric chloride was the most commonly used etchant for PCB manufacturers. It is cheap, can be purchased in large quantities and is safe to use. However, once it is used for etching, it becomes a dangerous by-product: copper chloride. Copper chloride is highly toxic and has great harm to the environment. Therefore, it is not allowed to pour copper chloride into the sewer or throw it away with garbage. In order to properly dispose of the chemical, you will have to use a neutralizer or take it to a dedicated hazardous waste disposal site.

Fortunately, there are cheaper and safer alternatives. Ammonium peroxodisulfate is one of these methods. However, it can be very expensive in some areas. In contrast, copper chloride can be purchased inexpensively or can be easily made from hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. One way to use it is to simply add oxygen through a bubbling device such as an aquarium pump to easily reactivate the solution. Since there is no need to handle the solution, the handling problems familiar to copper chloride users are completely avoided.

04
Panel separation using ultraviolet laser
Perhaps the most effective way to improve the PCB manufacturing process is to invest in UV lasers for panel separation. There are many separation methods on the market, such as crushers, punches, saws, and planers. The problem is that all mechanical methods put pressure on the board. This means that manufacturers using mechanical splitting methods cannot produce flexible, thin and otherwise fragile printed circuit boards. In the past, this was not a problem. However, today, rigid circuit boards are rapidly obsolete. The electronics industry requires custom-shaped PCBs to fit smaller devices and save more information.

UV lasers solve this problem because they do not contact the circuit board. This means that they do not put any physical pressure on the PCB. Thin cardboard can be easily detached from the panel without worrying about damaging sensitive components. Manufacturers investing in UV lasers today will have the ability to meet the future needs of the PCB industry, and competitors will rush to catch up.

But ultraviolet lasers also have other functions. They also do not put thermal stress on the board. Other laser stripping methods (such as CO2 lasers) use heat to separate the plates. Although this is an effective method, the heat may damage the ends of the board. This means that designers cannot use the periphery of the PCB and waste valuable space. On the other hand, UV lasers use “cold” cutting techniques to separate PCBs. UV laser cutting is consistent and hardly damages the edges of the board. Manufacturers using ultraviolet technology can provide customers with smaller designs by using the entire surface area of ​​the circuit board.

05
Efficient manufacturing process is the key
Of course, although these are just a few simple ways to improve the PCB manufacturing process, the main points are still the same. PCB manufacturing technology is improving every day. However, as a manufacturer, we may be complacent and unable to keep up with the latest trends. This means that we may be using outdated equipment. However, by taking a few simple steps to ensure that our manufacturing process is efficient and up-to-date, our business can remain competitive and stand out from the competition.