Can you imagine a day without electronics? Electronic devices have become a ‘must-have ‘ commodity of our day-to-day life. In every aspect of the field, electronics have flourished its presence. So, with the increasing need for electronics, the demand for PCB Assembly also rises exponentially. But making a PCB Assembly is not a simple task. To make a perfect assembly, an electronic manufacturer must prepare the circuit board according to the project demand.
So, when you deal with an Electronic Contract Manufacturer for developing a PCB assembly, you have to be very careful about the quoting process. Especially in the case of PCB assembly quote, manufacturers have to keep in mind some very crucial points during bidding. Here, in this article, we have point out the factors or tips that have to be considered during the PCB assembly quote with electronic manufacturers to get the accurate, precise and specified PCB assembly for your project.
The points you have to remember to get an accurate PCB assembly quote:
Some points between the manufacturer and you have to be clear to get both side’s win-win situation. Information about the quality preference, desired design, estimated cost, quality and quantity of the circuit boards, any special requirements, etc. of the client needs to know in detail for the precise quote. So, the factors that have to make sure during quotation are-
Clarity of data:
Transparency of communication between the client and PCB assembly manufacturer is the key factor of a successful PCB assembly quote. Give abundant detailed information as you can for the best result. Point out what you need, make every detail straightforward and precise.
If you are getting confused at any point while inquiring for PCB assembly, cross-check and be sure about it by directly asking them. Don’t give any room for confusion for both your and the manufacturer’s shake.
No Middleman:
You need to communicate with the manufacturer in person without any involvement of the middleman. It might increase the chance of misconception and misleading.
The authenticity of the Manufacturer:
Before moving forward for the PCB assembly quote, check the authenticity of the Manufacturer. Make sure that your patterning company is an original manufacturer with past work experience. You can check the customer reviews and ratings for evaluating the electronics contract manufacturer. Or you can check the presence of valid certificates or awards they gain in this field.
Documentation of every verbal and written detail:
All terms and conditions must have to be documented, which will be confirmed by both parties. From the design to the quality, everything has to be put in detail in this document. This written statement is called the Request for Quotes document, which contains the planning of the design.
All dates like the contract date, delivery date, and every schedule have to be mentioned clearly. Each Payment details, for example, the fees which are given in advance, due payment also has to be put in the document. In simple words, the whole production facts and figures must be written as an abidance through documentation.
Draft of the design:
Before entering into the manufacturing process, a draft of the expected layout is necessary to avoid errors in the future. When the manufacturer provides the structure of the circuit board, the shape, size, and the whole design will be clear to the client, giving their opinion regarding the layout. Not only it’s beneficial from the client’s perspective, but the manufacturer also concludes whether the design is suitable for this specific PCB assembly project or not.
Budget details:
Try to point out component cost, labor cost, shipping cost, outsourcing cost, all types of cost separately and add them in total. For best quoting an estimated budget must be created. And depending on the budget, the project has to proceed. Every element of the production has to be on the budget list with separate price details.
BoM:
The Bill of Materials (BoM) include the name of manufacturer, part number, parts description, value of components, material information, sub-assemblies, product quantity, reference designator, placement method and more. Most of the electronics contract manufacturers will provide the format to reduce back and forth mails or communication. The accurate BOM is an integral part to get the precise PCB assembly quote with specified functionalities.
Specialized details:
Some particular information like the technical elements, software, and hardware used, Gerber file, fabrication details you need to know as a client. So, you can check the excellence of the manufacturing.
Order Volume:
The volume of the circuit board assembly and production is varying for each different project. So, provide clear informational about the number of circuit boards or PCB assembly you want in your desired project. Notify the manufacturer of the type of order volume you want, either a large volume PCB assembly or small volume PCB assembly, so that according to it the manufacturer will arrange their production process.
Quality Lead Time:
Generally, Electronics contract manufacturers support all your requirements from prototype to large production. At the time of the quote, they will perform a complete review of all the information provided by you; check about the production time and get back to you with accurate quote price, lead time and delivery time. In case if you have desired lead time, require PCB assembly in quick turnaround; all you need to do is to request manufacturer upfront and they will do their best possible.
Inventory details:
Inventory details are essential to cut down the extra cost of production. List down the product used and their quantity; by calculating the market value, you can estimate the price of the inventory. This way, you can verify your budget also.
Reviewing of the final circuit board:
Testing of the final circuit board through various processes like X-ray, conformal coating, automated visual inspection, etc., according to your preferences, is a very necessary step to check the ultimate quality of the circuit board. IPC standard rules follow the checking method. If an error presents on the circuit board, PCB manufacturer will track those through the testing process and change those according to your inclinations.
Conclusions:
Now, you got a detailed information about PCB assembly quote and it’s focusing areas when you want to deal with an electronic contract manufacturer. But there is one thing to keep in mind that; not all quote processes maintain the same rule. So, the point of consideration is quite different from project-to-project requirements. But the above-discussed features are applied grossly in general aspects of PCB Assembly. So must consider getting the accurate PCB Assembly Quote.
With over 4 decades of experience, we provide fast and reliable PCB assembly services. We ensure the consistent results and superior quality of PCB assembly. All the applications are carefully manufactured with certified workmanship, reliable testing, and specialized support. We assure end-to-end PCB Assembly services to numerous industries including Aerospace, Medical, Commercial, Military, Telecommunication, Electrical and more.
