The advantages of and potential challenges with printed circuit boards will vary based on the specific applications. In general, these boards offer cost savings as well as faster production, allowing for easier transition from printed circuit board design to large volume production because of the very nature of the technology.
No Complex Wiring Required
With the use of printed circuit board design, there is no requirement for complicated and arduous wiring to the surface of the board. Instead, this technology uses automated production equipment to etch the surface of the board with the required electronic circuits.
The conductive strips, pads and the other features on the non-conductive board can be produced over and over again with 100% accuracy. Even the soldering on of the components can be done with equipment since there is no variation as would be found in a traditional type of circuit board.
Quality Control is Easier
Once the design is developed and tested, there is no need to continually test boards as they are exact duplicates of the original. Even with this factor in place, the best manufacturing services will include quality control processes throughout the production of the boards.
Possible Considerations
The two potential challenges to using printed circuit board design are rarely an issue for most electronic components. The first issue focuses on repair of the board. With the tracks and pad laminated onto the substrate, repair of a damaged board can be extremely difficult.
Additionally, as the design is permanent, it is extremely challenging to be able to modify or update the board once it is printed. The offset to both of these challenges is the low cost of production, making it cost effective to simply replace a board or provide an updated board version rather than attempting repairs or modifications to the existing component.
The advantages of using printed circuit board design for most electronics makes these a very viable option for small and large production. At NEO Tech we can provide a full range of design and production support.
