What Does an Electronic Manufacturing Services Company Do?
Do you work for an original equipment manufacturer, or OEM? Chance are you’ve crossed paths with a project requiring an electronic manufacturing services company.
What Is AS9100 Certification for Electronics Manufacturing?
When an OEM is sourcing out work -- let alone aerospace electronics manufacturing -- it’s likely to come across companies that boast about all sorts of certifications and capabilities.
4 Times When a Quick-Turn PCB Board House Isn't Enough
There’s a certain need for speed in manufacturing circuit boards -- the electronics industry demands it, and your end users demand it. But how quick is too quick?
4 PCB Prototyping Service Options
As electronics OEM engineers well know, the printed circuit board (PCB) is crucial to the proper operation of just about every electronics product manufactured today. And complex electronics products for important jobs like mining, medical devices, and aerospace must be 100% failsafe.
Do Your ECM's Obsolescence Management Procedures Look Like This?
Modern electronics are evolving so rapidly that new becomes old in just a few years -- or less, if you’re an iPhone superfan. In fact, the average life of a new integrated circuit is less than 2 years.
6 Ways to Identify & Avoid Counterfeit Electronic Components
One of the biggest concerns of electronic manufacturing is the reliability of the components being used. Counterfeit electronic components have long been a thorn in the side of manufacturers, and the counterfeit industry continues to thrive by adapting new methods to mask part authenticity.Guide to Working With an Electronics Manufacturing Services Company
“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 who you’re dealing with and how far their capabilities extend.
7 No-Brainer Reasons to Prototype Your PCB Assembly
Prototyping is just as important to the electronics manufacturing process as designing, engineering, and testing. Ignore it at your own risk.
China Tariffs: How Will They Affect Electronics Manufacturers?
NOTE: This article was updated on September 16, 2019 to reflect recent information regarding tariffs.
Two days after Independence Day 2018, President Donald Trump’s aggressive new tariffs went into effect, imposing an extra 25% tax on imported Chinese goods. This affected over $50 billion worth of “industrially significant technologies” used by U.S. electronics manufacturers and their buyers.
PCB Design Guide for Reverse Polarity Protection
When user safety depends on equipment functioning reliably -- as is the case with many medical devices and handheld mining equipment, for example -- electronic components must be trustworthy.
IPC Class Definitions for Class 1, 2, & 3 Electronics
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.
How to Prep for Success With PCB Box Build Assembly Services
Electromechanical PCB box build assembly services are one of the most important offerings of electronics contract manufacturers. In addition to the manufacturing and population of PCBs (printed circuit boards), this full turnkey production is a simple, all-in-one approach to addressing your manufacturing needs. This includes wire harnesses, metal fabrication, and sub-level assemblies.
All About PCB Contamination Testing
PCB contamination testing is not for every project, but it’s a lifesaver for some.
Does Your Assembly Need a PCB Microsection Analysis?
There is no shortage of reasons to test a PCB assembly, and there is no shortage of ways to do it. Out of the many functional tests available, PCB microsection analysis has a pretty specific purpose.
Deadline Day: The RoHS 3 Directive Is Here
For those in the electronics manufacturing supply chain, RoHS compliance is a big deal. Hopefully you’ve treated it as such well in advance of the July 22, 2019, RoHS 3 deadline.
What Is a PCB Solderability Test?
Solder is what makes the electrical connections work on your printed circuit board (PCB). Solderability, then, measures how well metal is wetted by molten solder to secure those connections. It’s one of the most essential PCB testing methods.
What Is Intrinsically Safe Equipment?
In the constantly evolving world of technology, safety remains a top concern among engineers during development. Whether it’s a sensor in your car, your son’s handheld video game, or a surgically implanted medical device in your elderly neighbor, we need assurance that our products are intrinsically safe (IS) during use.
8 Steps to Electronic Product Design With Surface Mount Technology
If you’re considering switching an existing electronic product design from through-hole technology to surface mount technology (SMT), you’ll want to do your homework first.
How’s the Electronic Component Shortage Looking in 2019 so Far?
Two things are fairly certain about the current electronic component shortage: It’ll end, and it’ll someday return.
What is ITAR Compliance? Electronics Manufacturing Security Standards
International Traffic and Arms Regulation (ITAR) came about in 1976 because of a need to control the export of military equipment and related sensitive information. Today, government enforcement of these regulations is far stricter than the Cold War days.
How Regulations Impact Your Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain
The electronics manufacturing supply chain ranks #1 as a source of risk to many OEMs. These snags include environmental and other international regulations, which at times may seem as tangled as the wires behind your desktop.
Specs for Class 2 Electronic Product Design
When introducing a new electronic product design, many OEMs don’t fully understand the differences between IPC classifications -- or understand them at all.
RS485 Vs. RS232: What's the Difference?
Among the serial data interfaces -- SPI, Flex I2C, and many more -- available for electronic equipment, two stand out for their longevity. In spite of the dozens of new kids on the block, RS232 and RS485 remain popular.
Tariffs on Electronics From China: Another Delay
If there's anything certain in the U.S.-China tariffs staredown, it's uncertainty.
