Chemigraphic

Drawing blanks: our guide sourcing PCB blank boards

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They say that from small acorns mighty oak trees grow.

In electronics it’s on blank PCB boards that the grandest of designs are etched – and components mounted – to create the mightiest of devices.

In this review, we’re going to talk you through the options you have when you source blank boards for your electronic PCB assembly.

Taking each option in turn, we’ll explore the different supply routes available to you and the benefits that each offers at each stage of production.

Of the factors affecting your choice you will need to consider:

  • Time
  • Cost
  • Quality
  • Availability
  • Regulatory requirements for finished product
  • Performance requirements for finished product
  • Reliability and reputation of supplier

Of course, a very real benefit of working closely with an EMS partner is to take advantage of their expertise in managing the supply chain to meet your requirements and goals. At Chemigraphic our thorough and proactive approach to sourcing ensures you can overcome supply chain challenges and realise your great oaks every time.

Blank board demand

Demand for PCBs – and the blank boards on which they are created – continues to grow.

The world market for PCBs first exceeded the $60 billion mark back in 2014. It is estimated to be touching close to the $80 billion mark by 2024, thanks to a CAGR of 3.1%.

With demand sailing this high, you’d expect some competitive drops in prices for the blank boards – but price is very much dependant on the volumes you are ordering in and the timelines you are working to.

We’ll review later how it can be subject to other factors too.

How to source your supply of PCB blank boards

The three main routes for sourcing blank PCB boards are:

  • Quick turnaround routes
  • Third-party broker routes
  • Direct from overseas manufacturer routes

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each of these.

The quick turnaround route

This is usually best-suited to the speed and low volumes demanded during the rapid prototyping <link> of products in the pre-manufacture stage.

Typically, small volumes are required for this, but they are needed very quickly. The need for speed here has tended to mean that UK or European suppliers are used to expedite the orders. But times are changing: as closer relationships are developed with overseas suppliers – particularly based in Special Economic Zones in China – then these are being increasingly used as a quick turnaround option. Delivery times are rapidly dropping and cost savings on even small quantities of blank boards from Asia can be significant.

It is time, and not cost, that remains the main driving force for using quick turnaround suppliers. Ideal for rapid prototyping and proof of concept, they are also be used for unexpected or top-up orders should insufficient stock be held in reserve.

The main drawback of such orders is related to their instant availability. They tend to offer limited technical capabilities (because they are produced so quickly) and come at a higher unit cost (because they are produced in such small quantities).

This makes them unsuitable for more complex or larger volume projects.

The third-party broker route

Using a broker or agent in an offshore location can quickly open out a base of contacts and established relationships with manufacturers and suppliers in that region.

This is an option that tends to be used when first using blank boards from an area or when looking to create an expanded list of trusted suppliers within it.

The obvious benefit offered is that it minimises risk when using a new supply source – the relationship is guaranteed, and the responsibility owned, by the broker.

Brokers can also be useful should a regular supplier’s prices unexpectedly rise or if there are supply shortages from this established source.

As the broker is ordering regularly with suppliers for a large number of customers, there is also the benefit of the reduced costs that their consolidated spend brings.

For medium-volume orders this can represent a very reliable and cost-effective route as it delivers considerable cost-savings without the additional requirements – and hidden costs – involved in managing the entire process directly.

It should be noted, however, that a typical broker fee for acting as the ‘middle-man’ is usually around 20%, and that the additional links created in the supply chain can cause delays and create complexities.

The direct route

Accessing offshore, low-cost suppliers directly is possible thanks to the range of contacts your EMS partner brings to the table.

By sourcing offshore directly a lower price can be achieved. It is critical, however, that you understand the dynamics of the supply chain involved and have developed established relationships with trusted suppliers in these offshore locations.

With no broker involved there is an instant saving of around 20% to be realised and, additionally, you gain direct control over the source and the process. With less links involved it is often easier to reach decisions and resolve any issues much quicker.

This option is best suited to those high-volume projects where engineers’ time and extra work is required as it is only then that the additional work involved in using the direct route can be justified.

The additional work here includes:

  • Managing and owning every detail of the process
  • Co-ordinating delivery and logistics
  • Understanding the conditions that affect the capabilities of the local market
  • Establishing relationships with each supplier used
The blank board through the crystal ball

Blank boards – like any other component or material – used in electronic manufacture can be highly responsive to events throughout the global economy.

In recent times we are witnessing the uncertain effects of Brexit threaten our ability to 100% rely on a stable, continued European supply at a consistent price.

Elsewhere, the effects of Donald Trump’s trade war and war of words with China may have unforeseen circumstances – and China is a critical part of our supply chain.

Our CEO, Chris Wootton outlines some more thoughts on this in a recent EPDT article, where he comments:

‘As an EMS, the benefits that China offers in terms of manufacturing and sourcing electronic components are simply too extensive to ignore.

We opened our new sourcing office in Shenzhen in January, and already, our customers are benefiting from the higher volumes and lower costs of component parts thanks to the improved access to China’s pricing structures we can now offer.’

In terms of future trends it should be noted that:

  • The Chinese government has steadily increased the level of minimum wage since 2007 – and this rise has been most marked in areas where most electronic parts and supplies are manufactured (such as Shenzhen and Shanghai).
  • India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are increasingly competing for larger orders – but what they save in labour costs is still at present off-set by higher material costs for smaller orders.
  • The rise in cost of copper foil will push prices up regardless of where blank boards are sourced. This is a result of limited global copper foil productivity being hit by increasing demand from the production of electrical vehicles (which use this in their lithium batteries).

As ever, OEMs with a trusted EMS partner can achieve the flexibility to successfully navigate the changes, breaks and risks inherent in any global supply chain.

And together we will ensure we grow mighty oaks from the small acorns on our BOM.

Manufacturing electronics for hostile and hazardous environments

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Why your EMS partner is your best friend for extreme environments

John Johnson, NPI Director, Chemigraphic

We all rely on electronic products

Imagine your life without your smartphone and you’ll realise just how much we all depend on our electronic products these days.

And – shock, horror! – if you’ve ever had the misfortune to watch your beloved mobile slip into a sink full of soapy water or drop into a pan of hot gravy, you’ll be painfully aware that electronics and harsh conditions do not mix well.

Those intricate electronic circuits are very quick to malfunction under the slightest variance to their usual operating conditions.

Yet, there are many industries that rely on electronic products to operate in places where the environment is too hostile or hazardous for even humans to venture – take deep-sea oil exploration, for example.

Others need products that can withstand extreme shocks, such as devices designed for aviation or military use.

And often products are destined for use in extremely sensitive and potentially explosive atmospheres, like those found in mines.

Electronic products are regularly called on to act reliably in many hostile or dangerous conditions. These place the risks posed by the bubbly contents of your sink and gloopy contents of your saucepan to shame.

They include environments with:

  • Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold
  • Severe temperature fluctuations
  • Dust-filled air
  • Explosive conditions
  • Excess moisture or salty water
  • Jolts, vibrations and regular or continuous impact
  • Sudden power surges

In extreme circumstances your EMS partner is your best friend

How can electronic products be produced to withstand these challenging and dangerous situations?
The requirements of hostile or hazardous environments add multiple layers of complexity to the manufacturing process. Yet, your EMS partner can help you design and purpose-build devices to specifically operate in many different conditions. It requires the application of specialist techniques and processes throughout the product’s design and manufacture.

Beneath the waves

The marine industry and oil research facilities need sub-sea rovers and maintenance machinery to operate deep in the briny depths.

Many of these products are operated remotely, so they must be incredibly robust to reliably withstand the sub-sea conditions. The physical challenges faced include the constant threat of erosion by salt and the immense force of the water.

Salt is extremely corrosive. It will eat through metal components and casings if specialist coatings and sacrificial layers are not applied to the product structures and circuitry to protect against this.

Conformal coatings act as a protective varnish for circuit components and casings. These coatings are best applied via robotic, automated processes to increase cost-effectiveness, precision and consistency.

Encapsulation of circuitry provides an extra level of protection for the components, effectively closing them off from external elements.

Conformal coatings

Conformal coatings are not just used for underwater protection: printed circuit boards are often dipped in coatings to protect them from moisture, heat and dust particles.

There are several types of these thin layers of polymeric film that can be used – but each has its pros and cons.

Depending on the environment in which the product is to be used your EMS partner may suggest:

  • Urethane resin
    Good chemical, humidity and mechanical wear resistance
  • Epoxy resin
    Excellent performance in harsh environments with good abrasion, moisture and chemical resistance
  • Silicone resin
    Performs well in extreme temperatures and has good corrosion and chemical resistance
  • Parylene
    Best performing of all coatings but not suited to extended exposure outdoors
Explosive situations

Products which are designed for use in areas contaminated with toxic substances or carbon dust have to be manufactured to withstand contact with these particles.

Your EMS partner must ensure that all ‘critical parts’ are correct to specification. Faulty circuitry can create an over-current – and the resultant overheating increases the risk of explosion.

It is essential that the supplier of every single component part has been vetted and validated. Every single part must be 100% reputable and offer guaranteed batch traceability.

Relying on reputation alone, however, is not enough. Goods inward inspection criteria must use enhanced checks and measurements, rather than trust visual confirmations. It will also be necessary to employ batch segregation for any mixed stock received.

Impeccable material control governance will be used to ensure that each part is fitted into the correct location. This is not as simple as it sounds: the vast majority of small footprint SMT components lack markings but are visually identical, and over 500 distinct parts can be used in a single printed circuit board.

To handle these complexities, we use barcoding and intelligent materials tracking, such as RFID enabling and automated kitting. These techniques remove the very real possibility of human error when handling such sensitive products.

Further checks must be made after fitting for final verification. Once again inspection by a human is far too prone to error for this operation – and highly unlikely to be sustainable over such a high volume of parts. Automated optical inspection is absolutely necessary.

The shock factor

The sheer thrust of acceleration created by rocket-propelled devices requires careful component selection in order to ensure the device is sufficiently robust to survive the shock of take-off. This is especially true for devices with motion potential, such as gyroscopes, valves and actuators.

Your EMS partner can ensure optimal assembly integrity, starting from the bare PCB’s rigidity. Here thickness and copper weight must be balanced against payload constraints. It’s a delicate balancing act, and often to pull it off additional bracing from bonded layers, struts and multiple restraint points will be needed to provide the requisite strength.

Rough and rugged

Electronic products that are designed for harsh conditions are often referred to as rugged. There are actually four categories of rugged electronics:

  1. Commercial grade
  2. Durable
  3. Semi-rugged
  4. Fully-rugged

It’s important to realise that ‘ruggedising’ entails a lot more than simply slapping a sturdy case around the usual configuration of components. As already highlighted, many critical decisions will have already taken place at component choice and fixing stage, well before a case is even considered.

Fully-rugged computers, for example, are designed to withstand elements that would fry most PC circuitry or shock it out of any semblance of working order. US military grade computers must achieve MIL-STD-810G, as rigorous a testing requirement as the most severe drill sergeant ever offered his troops.

To manufacture suitable housings there are a variety of plastics available. These include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW) and nylon. These tough materials can be used in combination to increase impact resistance, and elasometric polymers can also be added to deform during impact and reform after.

When the heat is on or the big chill hits

In extreme temperatures solder integrity is absolutely critical. What’s more, this base process must not only be robust but repeatable.

While intelligent automation offers an ideal way to ensure consistency, the intelligence here comes not from the machine itself, but from the knowledge and expertise of the EMS partner’s engineering teams who must establish its operating criteria.

Explosive environments and intrinsic safety

It is usual for electrical equipment to create tiny electric arcs and to generate heat. Under normal circumstances this presents no problems, but where there is a concentration of flammable gases or dust, such as petrochemical refineries and mines, this can become an explosive ignition source.

Intrinsic safety (IS) is a certified technique to protect against this and ensure that electrical equipment can operate safely in hazardous areas. It does this by limiting the electrical and thermal energy in the device.

An example of where this is required is marine transfer operations involving flammable products. During the transfer from marine terminal to tankers it is vital that two-way radio communication is maintained in case of an incident. To enable this the radios used must be certified as intrinsically safe.

There are actually many other ways to make equipment safe for use in explosive-hazardous areas. These include using explosion- or flame-proof enclosures, encapsulation, sealing, oil immersion, venting, powder/sand filling and dust ignition protection. However, intrinsic safety is the only realistic method to use for handheld devices.

On the record

Accountability and documentation are particularly critical when developing products for harsh and hazardous environments. As so many complex conditions and procedures are involved, it’s essential that every step is prepared, researched and accounted for.

Your EMS partner will ensure that the documentation and certification you need are easily accessible at all times. And you’ll certainly be needing this evidence trail to demonstrate continuous control and traceable processes which form the basis for evidence of compliance to industry standards and regulatory requirements.

The true value of your EMS partner when manufacturing for harsh environments

Understanding the complex regulations, industry standards and latest best practices involved in making devices safe for use in different conditions is one way your EMS partner can be your best friend and safest bet.

By suggesting other, or complementary methods, they can ensure that your design is suitable not only for manufacture and regional or industry-specific requirements, but also for its intended end use.

With an increasingly complex and ever-changing supply chain they also act as your eyes and ears in ensuring that components used are exactly as required.

And through robust and rigorous checks they can ensure that the final product is 100% fit for purpose and for the environment it will be used in. Even if this environment is the kitchen sink or a bubbling pan of gravy and the product is your mobile!

Systems Integration: More than just a box of tricks

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Box-building is typically used to paraphrase the challenging stage of bringing together the many components within a single, ready-to-go product. This idea of simply connecting up various elements to create a box of tricks remains one of the EMS industry’s most understated descriptions. It remains a highly complex manufacturing process where the expertise and facilities of your EMS partner makes a big difference to your final product. Most importantly, this expertise begins before the box is even designed…

 The term ‘systems integration’ provides a more meaningful description of how Chemigraphic brings together custom PCB assembly with sub-assemblies and modules, enclosure design, fabrication, cabling and wiring. We transform these elements into complex, multi-tier systems – often sophisticated machines – and make ready through testing, software, programming and calibration.

Below are some key considerations regarding the systems integrations process.

PCB assembly should be a core offering

By offering PCB assembly (PCBA) using both Surface Mount Technologies (SMT) alongside conventional Pin-Through-Hole (PTH), it’s possible to check and guarantee the quality of components within the system. We are the only UK EMS to use automated JUKI SMT kitting machines and the automation allows us to build to specification, removing the opportunities for human error and reducing labour costs. We have unrivalled component management systems which allow us to place components in the most detailed configurations, meaning we can assist customers with any project, no matter how complex.

Think about the box build early on

Enclosures and casings are essential components of System Integrations – plastic and metal, or combinations. There are many off-the-shelf choices available, often with the advantage of lower unit prices and small minimum orders, but rarely this is without sacrifice – it won’t be unique, the components may not fit correctly, and there’s always the possibility a supplier might modify or withdraw the product. The need to fit PCBs securely alongside other electronics, modules, wiring and fans often drives our customers towards bespoke enclosures.

Since plastics and polymers are most commonly used it’s critical that an EMS supplier understands the differences between materials and manufacturing techniques. For instance, ABS is only suited to indoor environments as it will be compromised by prolonged exposure to sunlight, whereas ASA+PC resists high temperatures and harsh environments. New techniques such as MS-MMM injection moulding can incorporate soft-touch textures and colour, which avoids the use of different suppliers. It’s the job of an EMS provider to pass on this knowledge as customer benefits in the form of shorter, more reliable supply chains and economies of scale.

Chemigraphic also incorporates any metalwork using only carefully vetted suppliers of precision-fabricated materials. Coatings may be necessary to protect both the casing and components against the weather, corrosion, conductive or toxic dust particles, water and general contamination. In these instances we use automated equipment to apply protective coatings to selected board locations, increasing efficiency and reducing both the opportunity for human error and labour costs.

Don’t get in a tangle with wiring

The complexity of cable and wiring can vary enormously between System Integration projects, from a few wires stripped, twisted and tinned to complex harnesses with more than a 1000 ends and a multitude of terminations. Most projects require customised wiring – lengths, colours, special pin-outs, identification, connectors, etc. Our automated cable ‘cut and strip’ machines can accommodate low-volume complex harnesses through to medium-volume cable assemblies. Via our Shenzhen office, we can source and co-ordinate the entire supply chain with certifiable traceability.

Off-the-shelf still requires customisation

Many customers choose to make use of widely available Commercial Off-The Shelf (COTS) modules – boards and mezzanines, controllers, HMIs and displays, power supplies, etc. Development costs and timelines can be reduced using pre-tested sub-assemblies, but should be balanced against higher unit costs and possible compromises on functionality. We’ve found the most successful system integration projects take a hybrid approach, using both COTS and custom-builds to best fit the customer’s immediate and future requirements. It is rarely true that by purchasing a COTS product, no bespoke work will need to be performed. Chemigraphic has a wealth of experience integrating and combining COTS modules into larger systems. We use our Asian sourcing office to gain attractively-priced components.

Take extra care with moving parts

Electro-mechanical assemblies containing switches, electronic controls, gears, rollers, etc, contain moving parts and are inherently more challenging. Conflict with other parts especially from different manufacturers are routinely discovered. Chemigraphic has knowledgeable, specialised purchasers who are in touch with the global components markets. We use CAD 3D modelling equipment to improve the design process and have a well-equipped inspection area containing microscopes and electrical testing devices.

The disruptive effect of electronic devices on the transport sector

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“We now find ourselves at the gateway of a revolution in transport technology, the likes of which has not been seen since the invention of the combustion engine. These technological advances will create a new way of planning and managing our transport.”
Steve Yianni, Transport Systems Catapult

A perfect storm is set to hit the transport sector – and it’s not yet exactly clear where or when dry land will be reached.

Among the forces that are set to shake things up by creating new opportunities are advancements in electronic manufacturing. It’s time to chart these innovations and review exactly what their disruptive effects may be.

Before we do this, however, it’s important to note that it takes more than one weather front to create a perfect storm. The other forces bearing down on the sector are all directly or indirectly with these innovations.

They include:

  • The pressures of continued urbanisation
  • The increasingly sophisticated capabilities of automation and machine learning
  • The urgency of environmental concerns
  • The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the power of cloud-based analytical tools
  • The switch back to public or shared transport and away from the private car
  • The sky-high expectations of consumers (or users as they are now known)

With all that bubbling under here’s a look at the way that advancements in electronics are making waves amongst this maelstrom.

Electronic payment and ticketing

“My smartphone is my preferred mode of transportation.”
Rt. Hon. Patrick MacLoughlin, former Secretary of State for Transport

The influence of digital and the rise of the smartphone has already transformed many other sectors, but transport is only just starting to feel its effects. The changes we have already seen in the airline sector with paperless tickets will prove to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Electronic payment and electronic gate systems will not only make the passenger’s life easier: they will also open up a whole new world of data and understanding.

Our smartphone is already becoming our ticket in many innovative UK schemes – and the Oyster Card has greatly simplified tube travel for years. Before too long it’s likely to be a wearable that allows us to glide through the turnstiles. And, shortly after this, will be pay-as-you-go travel where sensors know exactly where and when we have journeyed without the need for pre-booking or payment.

With electronic payment the transport provider gains visibility about who uses its services, where they go and how often they travel. This new-found rich data opens up the possibility for personalised marketing in a way that public networks have sorely lacked in the past (and are struggling to discover through online booking alone).

But the data advantage is not necessarily just the providers. Alongside new ways to pay we are also going to see new ways to travel – with the user at the centre of a transport network that is increasingly interchangeable and whose real-time operations are always at their fingertips. The start of such a world of choice can be glimpsed in the disruption caused to traditional taxis by Uber.

It is hard to see road usage continuing to be paid for by a blanket road tax. The introduction of green incentives has already started to stream charges, and toll roads, such as the Dartford Tunnel, use sophisticated number plate recognition to ‘tag’ each car that uses the route. Going forward more electronic monitors will line our roads, and it’s likely the price we pay to use them will be based on data gathered about congestion at the time – with our road tax, perhaps, paid online on a top-up basis.

This dynamic charging may sound far-fetched – but it’s already happening with parking. In San Francisco smart parking meters broadcast that a space is available to drivers and adjust their price according to the number of other spaces available. Such an easy-Jet pricing policy is also used in Moscow, Santiago de Chile and Barcelona – and at its heart lies electronic sensors.

Telematics could introduce another dimension to such a personalised way to fund our roads – and it’s this we’ll review next.

Telematics and the IoT

“A modern transport system that doesn’t stream data is inconceivable. Modern infrastructure must envisage, plan and build roads, rail and digital capabilities all as one.”
Alexander Dobrindt, former German Minister for Transport and Digital Infrastructure

The electronic sensors and data sharing that facilitate telematics are already widely used by insurance companies to offer lower premiums to the ‘right’ kind of driver. They are also used to ensure that emergency services are instantly notified of accidents. It’s not a massive leap of imagination to predict that telematic data will be used to penalise or reward drivers – and not just based on the routes they use but on their driving itself.

In logistics and transportations telematics have been extended into the realm of the IoT to collect, analyse and share data across a wide network – and to use machine learning to determine suggested responses.

Telematic-enabled fleet management has moved beyond GPS location tracking to include the use of geofences to enable alerts when a truck is nearing its destination, the optimising of routes using real-time traffic data and to automatically track driver hours and fuel usage. It can also track vehicle maintenance needs and issue alerts should warning signs concerning the vehicle’s health be detected.

In many ways, the IoT is the logical extension of such telematic systems: it can be applied throughout the supply chain rather than just for each journey taken. The IoT could integrate the ordering, manufacturing and warehousing chain: the need for new parts or consumables will be automatically broadcast and, as a result, the supply chain will need to be able to respond much quicker. Its monitors could also stay with a shipment across different countries and transportation methods.

Automation

“I have never seen anything like the pace of change we are seeing today.”
Larry Keeley, Founder of Doblin

Amazon’s drone delivery force and Google’s driverless car are two of the more visible ways that automation and machine learning are gearing up to change the world of transport as we know it.

Driverless vehicles are highly likely to affect both the consumer and the logistics market in the very near future.  Several auto manufacturers have introduced semi-autonomous driving capabilities in their vehicles and Uber’s Otto division is pretty much ready with its driverless trucks for deliveries.

The only real thing that lags behind at present are the regulatory and insurance questions such technology rises.

Electronic manufacturing and transport innovation

Electronic manufacturing is set to play a major part in the perfect storm that will engulf the transport sector.

And it looks like it’s the innovators that will ride the waves created.

What does Surface Mount Technology offer OEMs?

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Surface Mount Technology (SMT) has become a core construction technology in current industrial electronic product designs.

Although there is still a considerable amount of conventional or Pin-Through-Hole (PTH) parts, especially on more rugged designs, SMT has become a fundamental method of assembly within modern electronics manufacturing and has helped expand and improve  the capabilities of the industry.

What benefits does SMT have vs. other processes?

SMT has significant benefits compared to conventional PTH processes. So let’s have a look at the most obvious advantages of SMT:

  • Reduced footprint: taking up less valuable PCBA surface area
  • Smaller mass: leading to lower power consumption (hence less use of energy, materials and heat dissipation measures)
  • Lower component cost: SMT devices often come in at a tenth of the cost of a PTH variant.

Although PTH tends to have better mechanical rigidity, this is generally not a concern unless associated with bulky connectors and high-power devices, so SMT satisfies diverse requirements.

However, SMT can also lower costs through less apparent benefits such as innovative machine-storage and component kitting processes. These techniques reduce the labour costs involved in manually retrieving components from storage as part of the kitting operation.

Automating these processes also lessens the chance of human error, eradicating costs associated with reworking recovery of these mistakes.

In addition, SMT automates the placement of components onto boards, through using innovative kitting technology such as JUKI Intelligent Storage.

Ensuring component reliability

SMT machine placement can also provide superior product yield and reliability in leadless devices, such as Ball Grid Arrays (BGAs), and more currently micro-BGAs, and chip-scale devices which require precise control during assembly but have the benefit of being a very repeatable process.

SMT also offers improved shock and vibration resistance as a result of the lower mass of components, further driving up reliability and increasing the product’s lifecycle.

The importance of kitting speed

A popular misconception in the mid-tier global manufacturing environment is that component placement speed is the primary hindrance to cost.  This is not the case.

By far the biggest variables affecting manufacturing cost and product quality in high-mix environments are:

  • Kitting speeds: pulling stock from storage
  • Setting-up component feeders
  • De-kitting: returning the components back to storage.

Whilst almost every Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) company will have some form of SMT capability, our focus on automation and process governance helps to drive significant benefits in terms of quality and cost.

We boast an array of assets:

  • SMT conversion design services, converting existing PTH designs to SMT.
  • Automated kitting infrastructure, such as a JUKI system, to speed up the assembly process whilst maintaining material control.
  • RFID tracking that codes stock usage with superior accuracy.
  • Automated component storage, removing the need for specific component bins. The system manages everything automatically.
  • SMT job clustering that minimises or even eliminates changeover times between jobs.
  • Intrusive re-flow options, allowing for boards to be retrofitted.

For further information on our surface mount offering, visit our manufacturing page.