PCB Assemblers Are Used in Consumer Electronics
Consumer electronics devices rely on well-designed PCBs to perform their daily chores. As such, the industry has had to innovate with advanced materials and manufacturing processes in order to keep pace with rising consumer expectations for functionality.
Today, PCBs are used in a wide range of electronic devices including mobile phones and tablets, wearable gadgets like smartwatches and fitness trackers, and even vehicles and home appliances. They are designed to withstand harsh conditions and high levels of use in order to be as durable as possible. They are also becoming more compact and lighter, with manufacturers making foldable smartphones and rigid-flex PCBs.
These advances have had an impact on the manufacturing process, with a focus on efficiency and quality control. The pcb assembler process requires expertise and adherence to standards in order to create a functional circuit board. The first step is to ensure that the copper foil used in the board is of ideal thickness, with four ounces per square foot considered the standard value. This helps to prevent the circuit board from overheating during the soldering process and protects against corrosion in harsh environments.
How PCB Assemblers Are Used in Consumer Electronics
Once the copper foil is in place, it is then printed with a circuit pattern using an additive or subtractive method. The additive method involves plating the entire surface of the substrate with copper and then cutting away unnecessary areas, while the subtractive process involves etching the exposed copper in a specific pattern. Once the copper has been etched, a layer of photoresist material is applied to the top of the substrate. The circuit pattern is scanned and the appropriate areas of the substrate are exposed to ultraviolet light in a vacuum chamber, allowing the photoresist to harden in places where the desired parts will be deposited on the final product. The remaining areas of the substrate are then wiped down with water and chemicals to remove excess resin and prepare them for soldering.
The next stage is to mount the components. For a single-sided PCB, this can be done manually by hand or using a programmable auto-inserting machine that has the necessary components lined up in reels. This machine inserts the components into their designated holes, cuts off any excess leads and clinches them inwards to prevent them from falling off. The assembler then applies a small amount of glue to each of the points on the underside of the board where he/she will be mounting SMCs, and passes the assembly through a wave soldering machine to complete the soldering.
Thru-hole technology is another method of mounting components to a PCB. This is a more expensive process that requires drilling holes into the board, which must be the right size for the component leads to fit through them. Once the components are mounted, they are soldered into place through reflow soldering, which involves placing the board above a wave of hot solder liquid to solidify it. Throughout the process, the assembler inspects the board for flaws that might affect its function.