The Value of Outsourcing PCB Assembly Manufacturing

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used in a wide variety of consumer electronic products such as PCs, digital cameras, smartphones, gaming consoles, MP3 media players and many more. Since many small to medium-sized OEMs don't have the facilities or capabilities to fabricate and assemble PCBs, they often rely upon contract electronics manufacturers to produce PCBs for them.

Turnkey PCB assembly manufacturers are experts in the complex set of processes required to produce low-cost and high quality PCBs with fast turn times. PCB assembly processes include board fabrication, component placement, soldering the components to the board and testing the boards to ensure they are fully functional. Due to the complexity of PCB assembly the cost of owning an assembly facility is significant. This is why there are important advantages for an OEM to outsource its PCB assembly needs to a turnkey manufacturer.

Decades ago, it was common for a company to produce its own PCBs. But this approach uses valuable in-house resources and usually increases the price of its products. Even if a company were to decide to build a PCB assembly facility, the cost of setting up the facility would be very expensive. In order to reap cost savings, companies today generally choose to outsource PCB assembly services to a turnkey PCB assembly house. Doing so eliminates the capital costs of real estate, machinery, and production staff required for building and operating a PCB assembly facility. These added costs can negatively affect the profits of the company.

By leveraging the high production capabilities of a turnkey PCB assembly service solution that can assemble many PCBs for a very low price per board, cost savings can be passed down to customers. These cost savings also reduce the time for design and development and eliminate unnecessary rework, which provides additional cost savings. Furthermore, huge savings can be reaped by outsourcing PCB assembly processes, including choosing processes, handling inventory, and maintaining product quality. Outsourcing PCB assembly manufacturing to a high quality turnkey PCB assembly house makes good sense.

Another advantage of turnkey PCB assembly is its ability to provide accessories and associated products such as board-level semiconductor devices. Part of turnkey PCB service is the ability to provide parts for gaming, Internet, entertainment, medical systems, cars, and telecommunications, among others. By purchasing these devices from a turnkey PCB assembly house, you can obtain all the services that are provided by the device manufacturers. Turnkey PCB service solutions can also customize your products according to your requirements. In addition, turnkey PCB service solutions have the capabilities of producing printed routine forums.

When you choose a turnkey PCB assembly house, you should ensure that they have a demonstrated record and a list of satisfied clients. Also, you should verify that their assembly lines are UL-certified and code compliant. By doing so you will ensure that the manufacturer can guarantee safety, reliability and performance. The PCBs should be tested for highest operating temperature, heat dissipation and flammability protection.