October 2022

Ever wondered what makes it important for your electronics to work efficiently apart from its working parts and a bunch of wires? Well, a printed circuit board assembly or PCBA is essential to an electronic device’s functioning. What is a PCBA? A PCBA gathers different electronic components and puts them together on a small substrate area called a printed circuit board or PCB. The PCB is provided with a circuit that can perform complex and multi-functional tasks making its reliability and accuracy crucial for its functionality. A PCB assembly can be a fully automated or semi-automated manufacturing process, however, a fully automated SMT is efficient and cost-effective for large volumes of PCB production.  Process of SMT manufacturing Firstly, the process begins with designing and fabricating the board of a chosen thickness. Depending on the design of the circuit, the metal sheet is etched to create a stencil which is used to print solder paste onto the pads of the circuit. This process is something like screen printing, the only difference is instead of ink, solder paste is applied to make the impressions on the board. Stencils eliminate any inconsistencies that may arise from a hand-soldering SMD (surface mount device).  Further, as the name suggests, the pick-and-place machine places the electronic components on the board. After that, the boards with the mounted components are then placed in a reflow oven (industrial multi-zone oven) to melt the solder.  Using a high-quality no clean solder paste ensures the boards are kept clean (at Ark Circuitry, we use the same to avoid any flux that occurs from the solder paste). However, when ordinary solder paste is used, it can be cleaned using isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth to remove the excess flux. Once the PCB is ready, it undergoes multiple inspections (microscope, X-ray and burn-in tests) to maintain the quality, durability and functionality of the boards.Finally, the PCBs are individually packed in ESD-safe packaging covers along with a small pack of desiccant to keep it moisture free and prevent any damages that may occur during transportation.  The process in a nutshell: At ARK Circuitry, we operate a fully automated SMT production for large volumes and a semi automated process for small run production. We are an EMS provider and specialize in providing end-to-end services that can be tailor-made to meet your requirements.  Let’s talk for more information.  Call us on: +91 91764 18660 Mails us at: arkcircuitry@gmail.com Visit us at: https://arkcircuits.com/ Recent Blogs Choosing the right test/inspection for a printed circuit board. Suneyna S JoJo November 4, 2022 Why do PCB manufacturers encourage customers to opt for inspection or to run tests on the PCB? Is it … Read More The process of a small run SMT Production Suneyna S JoJo October 27, 2022 Ever wondered what makes it important for your electronics to work efficiently apart from its … Read More