PCB Tech - 8 suggestions for optimizing circuit board assembly speed

If you are ready for board assembly, there is an important consideration here: make sure it is well optimized for speed. The better the speed of the circuit board, the more beautiful its performance will be. The faster the speed, the higher the work efficiency. It has excellent value for PCB production. If you do not have a way to improve efficiency, it may result in the product not being delivered normally.

So how to optimize your PCB and assembly? Here we put forward eight suggestions, let's take a look together.

Plan ahead

The best way to optimize PCB assembly is to plan. You must be clear about your requirements. From determining the target signal speed to analyzing the requirements of sensitive signals, material requirements, Wait- everything should be kept safe.

Detailed documents will help suppliers to make assembly plans and purchase required materials more quickly. Quick and precise preparation will speed up your assembly efficiency.

In order to further organize things and ensure the best turnkey PCB assembly, you must write down all the points to clarify your requirements from the beginning.

Schematic related design techniques/wiring (to minimize wiring and other problems)

In order to ensure fast PCB assembly, attention must be paid to the schematic. The design schematic diagram helps to accurately and accurately describe the circuit flow and helps engineers working on the circuit board.

The schematic diagram provides a clear view of the required components, clock lines, how to route the differential pairs, and other similar terms. And other related aspects. All this convenient information can help engineers better equip and help them decide the correct layout to realize high-speed PCB.

You can provide a clear PCB layout to the supplier. When PCB suppliers obtain clear PCB layout drawings, they can make production plans more effectively. The chaotic PCB layout will cause the picture to be unclear, the structure is complicated, and it will take some time to analyze. In the beginning, the PCB designer is essential. If you have a good designer and communicate with your PCB supplier in time, it will be helpful.

All in all, it can be said that PCB schematic design is the first step to lay the foundation for high-speed PCB design.

Material and stacking requirements

You would agree with our view that the performance of your PCB depends largely on the board material and stacking requirements. In other words, if you want to achieve high-speed boards, you must use special materials and cross the standard PCB process.

Some materials you should have are Rogers and FR-4. In addition to choosing specific things, they even play a vital role in stacked structures.

Best practices related to stacking include directing high-speed signals on the inner layer between the planes, positioning the plane layer adjacent to the signal layer, using multiple ground planes in the layer stack, and so on. All these practices can significantly optimize the speed of the PCB. In addition, precise and direct material requirements can quickly achieve PCB assembly.

Component pick and place

Another best practice that must be adhered to when designing and assembling PCBs. Follow the proven strategies associated with high-speed PCBs instead of reinventing the wheel. Some best practices when placing components include placing them in key power locations or laying out individual circuits in a way that helps increase the overall speed of the course.

Before assembling the PCB, you need to check with the BOM file to ensure that every step is correct. We need to ensure that the production of the PCB board is consistent with the BOM file to avoid rework. Save time and complete work efficiently.

Find ways to shorten the time limit for purchasing components

It is critical to source the right components that can meet most of your requirements at the right time. Look for a manufacturer who can provide you with an accurate quotation within one day and complete the entire turnkey process within 3-5 working days.

You can send the BOM file to your PCB supplier a few days in advance. Some suppliers can provide one-stop services, including sourcing materials. The materials you need can be given to them, which can be used as PCB assembly, and the documents are prepared in advance.

To ensure that your PCB is properly optimized for speed, make sure you source components from reputable suppliers in the industry.

Pad and pin size

The choice of pad and pin size will affect the speed of PCB assembly and the speed of PCB board functions. So you need to pay special attention to this.

Pad and pin size and how to install. When designing a PCB, you should communicate in detail with your PCB designer. Under the same conditions, if the same function can be produced, we can choose the simplest one. It can help the later PCB assembly and proceed faster. Complicated pad and pin size will affect the aesthetics and speed of PCB assembly.

Design tips:

Although standard PCB practices may recommend that you use larger pads, you should avoid doing so if you are developing high-speed circuits. It is strongly recommended to limit the pad size to 0-5% of the component lead size. It will provide more space to place other differential pairs, such as integrated circuits and FPGAs. All of these help to properly optimize the speed of the circuit board.

Production process collaboration issues

In order to achieve high-speed PCB assembly, proper collaboration is essential. The person working on the schematic may not be the person who is assembling. Therefore, it is necessary to communicate well within the team and make sure that everything is in the loop.

Check with your PCB supplier to ensure that the contact information is unimpeded so that you can contact them in time if you have any questions. The supplier is directly connected to the production plant, so the efficient assembly of the PCB cannot be separated from the timely communication between us, which is very important. For example, if you need to change the material temporarily, please notify your PCB supplier in time so that the change can be made quickly and efficiently. Avoid rework after PCB assembly.

Choosing medium and large factories can ensure the efficiency of the assembly line.

Ultimately, the speed of PCB assembly depends on your choice of the right factory. Ideally, this will help if you decide to go to medium and large factories to ensure maximum efficiency.

Every department of the factory has professional staff. This will ensure that you will not lose efficiency due to unprofessionalism. Under normal circumstances, each process of a large manufacturing unit has a dedicated professional department. There is no doubt that it confirms complete professionalism and efficiency.

You can rest assured that not only the performance of the PCB is optimized, but also the design and assembly can be carried out in accordance with the prescribed time frame without any delay. This is essential, especially if you have other processes that rely on PCB assembly.

in conclusion

Following the above steps, you will be able to optimize the performance and speed of PCB assembly. Plan carefully, use the right materials, and use appropriate stacking techniques. The correct pad and pin size also play a vital role in determining the speed of the PCB board .