PCB FAQs – PCB Assembly and PCB Design Q&A

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    What is FR-4 Grade A material?

    FR-4 is named by the National Electrical Manufacturing Association (NEMA). PCB base material manufacturers divide FR-4 into different grades such as A1/A2/A3/AB/B. The quality of different grades is different, and the prices are also different.

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    Can I help you burn the program, test PCBA and then deliver it?

    Yes, our engineers can help complete MCU burning, program testing and other processes, and then deliver them. If necessary, we can help customers to issue test rack.

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    What service we can offer?

    We offer PCB&PCBA OEM/ODM and clone service to our customers. For PCB clone service, the customer needs to send us the printed circuit board.

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    Can we inspect quality during production?

    Yes, we are open and transparent on each production process with nothing to hide. We welcome customer inspect our production process and check in house.

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    How can we guarantee you receive an good quality product?

    For PCB, we will use Flying Probe Test, E-test etc.For PCBA, we need you to offer us a method or test fixture for the function test.Before that, our inspectors will use microscope and X-ray to check the IC foot welding or bad solder etc.

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    What material is the circuit board substrate made of a circuit

    Insulation Materials
    “Substrate: The substrate is the main body of the circuit board and is made of insulating material, usually fiberglass reinforced plastic (FR4) or high-conductivity aluminum substrate.

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    How to use copper solvent to remove excess copper from the inner layer of PCB board?

    Using copper solvent to remove excess copper from the inner layer of PCB boards is a common processing method. The following are the specific steps:

    1. Put the PCB board to be processed into the soaking bucket, and then add copper solvent so that the PCB board is completely immersed in the copper solvent.
    2. Use a soft brush or cleaning tool to gently remove the copper substance on the surface of the PCB board to ensure that the structure and circuit connections of the circuit board are not damaged.
    3. After cleaning is completed, take out the PCB board, rinse it with clean water, and then dry it.
    4. After drying, you can use electroplating or chemical plating to cover the surface of the PCB with a protective film to prevent the circuit board from corrosion and oxidation.
      It should be noted that copper solvent has a certain degree of toxicity, so you need to wear protective gloves and masks during the operation to avoid skin contact with copper solvent, and operate in a well-ventilated environment. In addition, in order to ensure the quality and effect of copper solvent, it is recommended to choose a regular copper solvent manufacturer.
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    Will replacing components on a circuit board damage the copper foil?

    Replacing components on the circuit board may damage the copper foil. When replacing components, improper welding will often cause damage to the components, peeling or falling off of the pads, and breakage of the printed copper foil.
    If you encounter the problem of printed copper foil breakage, you can take the following two solutions:

    1. Flying line method. Connect the two sides of the broken copper wire with wires, put the copper foil on the wire, and use a small tin to connect the wires.
    2. Repair welding method. Remove dirt and dust from the copper foil board. If the rust is severe, use fine sandpaper to wipe it. Add a little rosin solder paste to the solder joint, insert the component, dip the soldering iron into the solder wire, and solder.
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    How do I choose the right PCB slip ring for my application?

    Consider factors like size, number of circuits, voltage, current requirements, data transmission needs, operating conditions, and customization requirements.

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    What factors will affect the accuracy of PCB copying?

    The accuracy of PCB copying is affected by many factors, including:

    1. Circuit board design: Whether the design of the circuit board is reasonable, whether the layout is reasonable, whether the electrical connections are correct, etc. will all affect the quality of the board copy.
    2. Raw materials and production process: The raw materials and production process used in the circuit board will also affect the quality of the copy board. For example, the use of poor quality raw materials or improper production processes may cause problems such as leakage and short circuits on circuit boards.
    3. PCB processing quality: PCB processing quality, such as cutting, drilling, welding and other processes, will also affect the quality of the copy board.
    4. Testing and inspection: During the board copying process, the circuit board needs to be tested and inspected to ensure that it meets the design requirements and specifications. The accuracy and comprehensiveness of testing and inspection also affects the quality of the copy.
    5. PCB short circuit: In PCB design, if there is a short circuit problem, it will cause the board copying to fail. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a short circuit test on the circuit board before copying the board.
    6. PCB routing problems: If the PCB routing is unreasonable, it may cause unstable signal transmission or interference problems, thus affecting the board copying effect.
    7. Component placement and layout: Unreasonable component placement and layout will also affect the copying effect, so components need to be reasonably laid out and placed before copying.
      In summary, the accuracy of PCB copying is affected by many factors and requires comprehensive consideration and evaluation.
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    7 common questions you need to know about PCB processing?

    The following 7 common problems may occur during PCB processing:

    1. Error in electrical ground layer design: This will lead to unstable signal transmission or short circuit, and the design drawing needs to be carefully checked and corrected.
    2. Short special-shaped holes: In multilayer boards, the diameter and depth of the holes need to be precisely controlled, otherwise it will lead to poor connection or signal transmission failure.
    3. No positioning holes for milling contours are designed: If no positioning holes are designed, offset or deformation may occur during processing, affecting the quality of the PCB.
    4. Overlapping pads: This will lead to the problem of heavy holes. It is necessary to avoid drilling multiple holes in the same position when drilling to prevent drill breakage and hole damage.
    5. The grid spacing in large areas is too small: If the grid line spacing is less than 0.3mm, it may cause increased processing difficulty, and the design needs to be adjusted to avoid this situation.
    6. The inner wiring of the multi-layer board is unreasonable: the heat dissipation pad is placed on the isolation belt, and it is easy to fail to connect after drilling. The isolation belt design has gaps, which is easy to misunderstand. The isolation belt design is too narrow, and the network cannot be accurately judged. . The design needs to be optimized to avoid these problems.
    7. Irregular use of graphics layers: There is a lot of design garbage on each layer, such as broken lines, useless borders, annotations, etc. This will affect the quality and reliability of the PCB, requiring careful inspection of the design drawings and corrections.
      The above are problems that may occur during PCB processing. Processing personnel need to carefully check and correct these problems to ensure the quality and reliability of PCB.
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    What is the cooperation process for PCBA circuit board contracting?

    The cooperation process for PCBA circuit board labor and material contracting is as follows:

    1. Customer places an order: The customer places an order with the PCBA processing factory based on product requirements, and the factory develops a production plan based on customer requirements.
    2. Customers provide production data: Customers need to provide detailed production data such as BOM orders, PCB files, test plans, etc. to the processing factory.
    3. Purchasing raw materials: PCBA processing factories purchase components based on the production data provided by customers.
    4. Incoming material inspection: For purchased materials or materials provided by customers, the PCBA processing factory needs to conduct incoming material inspection. It mainly checks whether the components and PCB meet the requirements of production materials and whether there is oxidation damage, etc. It can be put into production only after it has been tested and confirmed to be correct.
    5. Processing and production: The production and processing of PCBA packaging materials mainly includes PCB board making, SMT patch processing, DIP plug-in post-soldering, test assembly, conformal paint coating and other links.
    6. Inspection: Boards that have completed production and processing need to undergo strict quality inspection in accordance with production requirements before they can be shipped to customers.
    7. Quality control: PCBA processing factories need to follow strict quality control standards to ensure that each production step meets quality requirements.
    8. Packaging and shipping: All products are packaged and shipped after production is completed. The packaging method is anti-static packaging bags, and after-sales service is tracked.
      The specific cooperation process may vary depending on factory requirements and customer needs, so both parties should conduct detailed communication and confirmation before cooperation.
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    What are the outstanding features of a good PCB processing manufacturer?

    Good PCB processing manufacturers usually have the following outstanding characteristics:

    1. Rich experience and expertise: Good PCB processing manufacturers usually have rich experience and expertise and can provide high-quality PCB design and manufacturing services. They usually have advanced equipment and processes that can meet a variety of different PCB manufacturing needs.
    2. Strict quality control system: Good PCB processing manufacturers usually establish strict quality control systems to ensure that each production step meets quality requirements. They will conduct strict inspections of raw materials to ensure that they meet specifications, and conduct multiple quality inspections during the production process to ensure product qualification.
    3. Efficient communication channels: Good PCB processing manufacturers usually establish efficient communication channels, which can answer customers’ questions in a timely manner and provide customers with professional suggestions and solutions. They usually arrange dedicated business representatives to communicate with customers to ensure that customer orders are processed and followed up in a timely manner.
    4. Fast production cycle: Good PCB processing manufacturers usually provide fast production cycles, can deliver orders on time, and ensure that products are delivered to customers within the specified time. They often employ advanced production management software to optimize production processes and reduce delivery times.
    5. Reasonable price: Good PCB processing manufacturers usually provide reasonable prices to ensure customers’ return on investment. They will provide customers with reasonable quotations and preferential discounts based on their specific needs and market conditions.
      In short, choosing a good PCB processing manufacturer needs to consider many factors, including experience, professional knowledge, quality control, communication channels, production cycle and price, etc. By comparing the strength and service quality of different manufacturers, customers can better choose the right partner to ensure the smooth completion of the project.

    Shenzhen Fumax Technology Co., Ltd. is a Chinese PCB and PCBA manufacturing company established in 2007. As one of the world’s leading PCB and PCBA manufacturers, Shenzhen Fumax Technology Co., Ltd. provides high-quality PCB solutions for a variety of electronic products. It is one of the world’s flexible printed circuit board suppliers. A large PCB manufacturer in China, engaged in PCBA design, PCB assembly customization, and prototype PCB processing plants. It focuses on PCB circuit board manufacturing and production. It can produce single/double-sided PCB circuit boards, 2-28 layer multi-layer PCB boards, aluminum substrates, and high-end PCB boards. TG thick copper plate, rigid-flex board, high-frequency PCB board, mixed media laminate, blind and buried via circuit, professional OEM/ODM factory, from customer demand, material procurement, program development, manufacturing and sales.

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    Please provide some more information on the cooperation process for PCBA circuit board contracting and material contracting

    The PCBA circuit board labor and materials cooperation process usually includes the following steps:

    1. Project evaluation: When designing products, customers should consider design for manufacturability, which is critical to quality control of the manufacturing process. In the early stages of the project, the PCBA processing factory will evaluate the customer’s project, including product complexity, manufacturing cost, manufacturing cycle, etc.
    2. Confirm cooperation intention: After evaluation, if the customer’s project meets the manufacturing capacity range of the PCBA processing plant, the two parties will further discuss the cooperation intention, including contract signing, payment method, delivery time and other details.
    3. Provide production data: Customers need to provide detailed BOM orders, PCB files, test plans and other production data to the PCBA processing factory. These information need to be accurate so that the PCBA processing factory can produce according to the requirements.
    4. Purchasing raw materials: PCBA processing factories will purchase components based on the production data provided by customers. The purchased components should meet the specifications and have no quality issues.
    5. Incoming material inspection: For purchased materials or materials provided by customers, the PCBA processing factory needs to conduct incoming material inspection. It mainly checks whether the components and PCB meet the requirements of production materials and whether there is oxidation damage, etc. It can be put into production only after it has been tested and confirmed to be correct.
    6. Processing and production: The production and processing of PCBA packaging materials mainly includes PCB board making, SMT patch processing, DIP plug-in post-soldering, test assembly, conformal paint coating and other links. These links need to be operated in strict accordance with the production technology and procedures to ensure product quality.
    7. Quality inspection: Boards that have completed production and processing need to undergo strict quality inspection in accordance with production requirements, including functional testing, appearance inspection, etc. Only boards that meet the requirements can be shipped to customers.
    8. Packaging, shipment and after-sales service: All products will be packaged and shipped after production is completed. The packaging method is anti-static packaging bags. After customers receive the goods, if they have quality problems or need after-sales service, the PCBA processing factory will follow up in a timely manner and provide solutions.
      The specific cooperation process may vary depending on the needs of different PCBA processing plants and customers, so both parties should conduct detailed communication and confirmation before cooperation. At the same time, in order to ensure product quality and delivery time, customers should maintain close communication and coordination with PCBA processing factories.
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    How does a PCBA (PCB assembly) processing factory conduct incoming material inspection?

    When PCBA processing factories conduct incoming material inspection, they mainly need to check the following aspects:

    1. Parts and components: Check whether all parts and components meet specifications, including quantity, specifications, quality, etc. of parts. At the same time, you need to check if there are any damaged or defective parts.
    2. PCBA board: Check the integrity of the PCB board, including whether there are scratches, damage or other problems. At the same time, it is necessary to check whether the size, shape and layout of the PCB board meet the requirements.
    3. Welding quality: Check whether each solder joint meets the quality requirements, including the shape, size and welding quality of the solder joint. You need to make sure every solder joint is firm, smooth, and free of bubbles.
    4. Component direction and polarity: Check whether the direction and polarity of each component are correct, including diodes, electrolytic capacitors and other polarized components.
    5. Functional test: Carry out functional test on the PCBA board to check whether the function of the circuit is normal. This can be done by connecting the appropriate test equipment and running the test program.
    6. Appearance inspection: Perform an appearance inspection on the PCBA board, including checking whether the position and status of solder joints, wires, connectors, etc. are correct.
    7. Structural inspection: Check whether the overall structure of the PCBA board is correct, including checking whether the thickness, size and structure of the board meet the requirements.
    8. Protective measures: Check whether the protective measures of the PCBA board are in place, including coatings, protective films, etc. It is necessary to ensure that the PCBA board is properly protected during transportation and storage.
    9. Documentation: Check whether the accompanying documentation is complete, including circuit diagrams, schematics, assembly drawings and other necessary documentation.
      When conducting incoming material inspection, PCBA processing plants need to establish strict inspection processes and standards, and conduct detailed records and tracking of each batch of products. If any problems are found, the supplier needs to be notified promptly and handled and resolved accordingly.