“How will my idea go from conception to finished product at your company?” It’s a question we hear a lot, and a good one. It’s natural to want to know whom you’re dealing with and how far their capabilities extend.
When you order printed circuit boards (PCB), you know the pricey consequence of failure. The last thing you need financially is for your PCBs to suddenly drop dead -- or to have a shortened life span because of a design or QA issue.
PCB assembly testing methods are an integral part of the manufacturing process. Reputable electronics contract manufacturers (ECMs) offer a variety of PCB testing methods, but the seven main types include:
In electronics manufacturing, printed circuit boards are separated into three categories: 1, 2, and 3. The categories reflect the level of quality of each circuit board type, from lowest (Class 1 standards) to highest (Class 3 standards). This classification system was developed and is monitored by IPC under the IPC-6011 standard.
The IPC standards chart (or tree, in some circles) provides guidelines for the production and assembly requirements of electronics manufacturing companies. Each “code” on the tree is a standard or document outlining the guidelines or requirements for building an assembly.
Many industrial and manufacturing operations are looking closely at wireless industrial controls to see what benefits they offer. These wireless systems definitely have advantages -- enabling your systems to communicate more effectively with one another and with your team -- but they require an investment in time and capital to utilize.
Massive amounts of money are at play when it comes to power distribution electronics. The electronic product development life cycle frequently sparks frustration among OEMs in this industry because parts steadily wear out and require attention to keep critical infrastructure operating.
Full-blown replacement of a product is neither cost-effective nor efficient when downtime is harmful to both OEMs and the end consumer. It's absolutely crucial that you're always thinking about the electronic component life cycle and making plans for the future.
Just about any piece of electronics can be dangerous when they’re manufactured poorly. But when you’re manufacturing for the mining industry, you’re in especially big trouble if your product is a liability in the field.
When designing solar-powered embedded systems intended for outdoor applications, durability, performance, and energy efficiency are a perfect storm of considerations. The dream is to balance all three, but how can you make that a reality?
Global supply chain shortages mixed with bottlenecks in the shipping industry and labor shortages have triggered serious problems in nearly every industry. With an increase in both prices and supply shortages, electronics obsolescence is becoming an inevitability throughout many markets.
More opportunity, more money … and more problems.
PCB design is tricky. Depending on how complex your project is -- or how much is at stake if something fails -- you may need top-end testing before launching your product.
Turnkey assembly -- buzzwords or worth looking into?
Medical device companies looking for a PCB design and assembly partner have many important factors to consider, all with the end user’s well-being at risk. Finding an experienced, ISO 13485-certified manufacturer is one of the most important.
The benefits of new technologies in health care are awesome. Developers are showing off some amazing ideas for medical devices. It’s no surprise that medical electronics companies are rushing to be at the forefront of tech.
(Editor’s note: This is part 5 of a five-part series on the history of Matric Group, from a $20 investment in 1971 to a $60+ million business today.)
From the Playstation 2 to the first-ever International Space Station crew, the beginning of the Millennium saw technological breakthroughs, rolling blackouts, and political turmoil throughout the United States and abroad.
Medical device product life cycle management is a challenge at the best of times. When supply chains are disrupted (such as during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020), it becomes even harder.
These challenges are a way of life for any device that needs to go through an extensive certification process. Since medical equipment is as high-stakes as it gets, it undergoes a more extensive review than most.
Fortunately, there are ways that you can stay ahead of the curve.
As the year-end holidays inch closer and closer, relief from the global chip shortage seems to be inching further and further away. As demand continues to rise for consumer electronics, chip-heavy vehicles, and smart appliances, semiconductor manufacturers across the globe are continuing to feel the pressure.
(Editor’s note: This is part 3 of a six-part series on the history of Matric Group, from a $20 investment in 1971 to a $60+ million business today.)
There are many areas in life where accepting mistakes as inevitable is a good thing -- electronics manufacturing is not one of them. The end goal should always be to complete a production run with zero defects. While it may not be possible every time, it’s certainly the mindset you want your contract manufacturer to have.
So, how can you handle business on your end to make sure no defects exist in your electronics build?
Optimizing PCB layout design for manufacturability is one of the most crucial aspects of your product’s development process. Key decisions made during the design stage often have a tremendous impact on the cost and success of your product’s manufacturing and production.
Whether you’re in the electronics, healthcare, or manufacturing industry, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the hodgepodge of standards regarding PCB design. And that’s why it’s crucial to choose an electronic contract manufacturer that follows the IPC standards for PCB design.
With a practically worldwide push toward environmental responsibility, more companies are choosing to -- or have no choice but to -- demonstrate that they’re reducing their environmental footprint. Many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are starting to realize the importance of having ISO-certified electronics manufacturers in their supply chains.
Toughness in the military cuts across the board. It's not just the tough personnel, but also the electronics and the computers used in the field. Of course, that means that the printed circuit boards (PCB) used in the defense sector need to be tough as nails.
“How will my idea go from conception to finished product at your company?” It’s a question we hear...
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