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The NPI in PCB Assembly Process: A Guide for Electronics Manufacturers

By Mer-Mar Electronics | Date posted: | Last updated: January 12, 2022
New Product Introduction

Introducing new products is both an exciting process, as well as one that is fraught with risk. For one, it requires collecting authentic data and having a well-organized process. It is only this kind of discipline that can ensure the introduction of repeatable, high-quality products in the market.

What really is New Product Introduction (NPI)?

New Production introduction results from a process that ensures serial production of a product. It enables the transformation of a prototype into a fully finished end product. There is continuous iteration until the end result is achieved.

PCB Assembly & New Product Introduction (NPI)

For companies dealing in PCB assembly, it is extremely important to implement the NPI process. It guarantees repeatability of the production process and helps prevent errors besides ensuring that you do not have to deal with any unexpected costs. PCB Assembly companies that use New Product Introduction as a process are therefore able to offer high-quality products to customers.

Key Benefits of New Product Introduction Assembly

Some of the advantages of New Product Introduction, include:

  • Detects potential errors at the design stage and leads to improved production efficiencies.
  • The many tests performed before a new product is introduced such as SPI/X-Ray inspection, RLCD examination, and verification of documentation ensures that the final product meets customer requirements.
  • Since NPI involves development of a production process that follows best practices, it also ensures that any steps that aren’t of value are eliminated. That this results in time saving is a given.
  • Additionally, it gives the PCB Assembly supplier full control over each phase of the process. It also offers quick time-to-market capabilities that is a priceless advantage given the competitive times.
  • Streamlined processes ensure that there aren’t any last-minute revisions or changes. In turn, this results in a reduction in PCB manufacturing costs.

Steps in New Product Introduction (NPI)

The NPI process can be broken into the following steps:

  1. Define: This is a crucial step since it scopes the product’s functional performance. Some of the areas to be defined in this phase include:
    • Primary Objectives
    • Scope of the project
    • Key Deliverables
    • Converting product functional requirements into designs through the process of Quality Function Development.

  2. Feasibility Analysis: This stage involves reviewing product design concepts and ascertaining the feasibility of success.

  3. Development: At the development phase DFM principles are taken into account. Some of the activities undertaken in this phase include:
    • 3D Models
    • Concept level Drawings
    • Bill of Materials
    • DFM & DFA reviews, and more.

  4. Testing: Robust testing right from conceptualization to design and manufacturing phases is undertaken, so as to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the product.

  5. Implementation: This stage involves creating documentation related to the product including:
    • Manuals
    • Catalogues, and more.

  6. Evaluation: In this phase product review is undertaken that includes analyzing customer feedback.

  7. Full-scale Production: The product is finally ready for full-scale production.

New Product Introduction (NPI) Best Practices

While NPI is a complex process, some of the best practices involved in the New Product Introduction Assembly include:

  1. Consistency – One of the aspects that ensures consistency is to assign a NPI number to the product. Automating this process ensures that there isn’t the risk of any errors that accrue on account of any manual data collection.
  2. Data authentication – This, of course, is a very crucial aspect of New Product Development. Ensuring availability of verified data and the right equipment eases the New Product Introduction Process.
  3. First batch size – It is important to determine the optimal size of the first batch of products. It doesn’t work very well to produce the entire batch in the first round.
  4. NPI Assembly supervision – It is extremely important for an NPI engineer to consistently supervise assembly. It is useful to document all observations during the process to be able to ensure constant improvement.
  5. Change of status and reporting – Detailed reports that explain the product building process including a description of all the issues that arose during the assembly phase are a must-have. The use of specialized analytical tools can ensure elimination of errors during production as well as assembly.

NPI (New Product Introduction) in PCB Assembly

In the PCB assembly field, it is extremely important to continuously monitor the NPI PCB assembly process as well as document all conclusions. This ensures that every subsequent batch’s quality keeps going up.

As a leading PCB manufacturer in the USA, Mer-Mar Electronics delivers PCB manufacturing services with specialized support, reliable testing, and multi-functional features. Our consistent quality and quick turnaround time captivate us to our customers, who look on us as a one-stop shop for all their PCB requirements. To know more contact us at sales@mermarinc.com or call us on (760) 244-6149.

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SMD vs SMT – What is the difference?

By Mer-Mar Electronics | Date posted: | Last updated: September 14, 2022
difference between smd and smt

With both SMD and SMT growing in popularity, they are often used interchangeably. It is perhaps also because both work hand in hand to offer reliable PCBs. It is, however, important to differentiate between them.

Simply put, SMT refers to Surface Mount Technology, which is an PCB assembly technique that helps arrange components on the circuit board. SMD, on the other hand, refers to Surface Mount Devices. These are components fitted onto the circuit boards. They are designed to be mounted directly on the PCB.

Difference between SMD and SMT

The primary difference between the two is that one refers to the mounting process while the other refers to the actual components. However, they are clearly dependent on each other. It is the proper selection and arrangement of SMDs that is the primary process behind SMT. Automated SMT machines can mount several SMDs onto the board in a short period of time. While SMDs determine the capacity of the board, SMT involves the installation of these components on the board.

Let us look at both in some more detail:

What is SMT in electronics?

Surface Mount Technology is a relatively newer way of arranging components on the printed circuit board. Prior to this, components were arranged using through holes where component leads are placed into drilled holes on a bare PCB. Surface Mount Technology, on the other hand, involves soldering the components directly onto the boards. Since there is no need to pass leads through the PCB, the process is far quicker as well as cost-efficient. The big advantage of SMT PCB assembly is that it saves space. What it means is that more components can be housed on a smaller board. In times of miniaturization of devices, its advantage cannot be overstated.

Process involved in SMT (surface mount technology) includes

1. Printing

This involves applying a coat of solder paste onto the pads of the PCB.

2. Mounting

This refers to placing the surface mount components accurately onto the pads.

3. Reflow Soldering

This process involves melting the solder paste by passing the board and components through a hot oven.

4. Testing

The final process involves testing the boards through processes such as AOI which runs a number of quality checks on the boards such as component alignment and checking for solder bridges.

As is evident from the above processes, SMT is an intricate process that involves applying the right amount of solder paste to mount each component. SMT also lends itself to automation as machines can be programmed to mount components on the PCB in a short time frame. This ensures accuracy while also speeding up the production process and making go-to-market that much quicker.

Some of the other advantages of SMT

  • Significant savings in weight and real estate.
  • Reduced cost of the board as also a reduction in material handling costs.
  • Stability and better mechanical performance.
  • Components can be placed on both sides of the board and in higher density.
  • PCBs created with the surface mount technology process offer higher circuit speed. Also, because SMD components have no leads or have short leads, RF interference is reduced.
  • It offers more resistance to vibration and there is less noise.

The drawbacks of SMT however include the fact that it requires a high capital investment that can increase costs, particularly when you are dealing with low volume runs. SMT inspection equipment can also turn out to be very costly.  Additionally, SMD components are prone to damage if dropped. Also, the power of such components is generally less.

What is SMD (surface mount device) in electronics?

Surface Mounted Devices are the components fitted onto PCBs. Evolved SMDs use pins that can be soldered directly onto the PCBs as opposed to using leads and wiring them through the circuit board. It enables many more components to be fitted on the board and improves its functionality. With no holes to be drilled, they also make the process quicker and cost-effective.

What is important is to choose the right SMDs and then mount them correctly on the board. SMDs can now be automatically mounted onto the electronic board as opposed to manually soldering them.

Types of SMD

Some of the various types of SMD include:

  • Chip Resistors
  • Network Resistors
  • Capacitors
  • Diode
  • LEDs
  • Transistors
  • Integrated Circuits

Mer-Mar Electronics offer high-quality SMT PCB assembly services in quick turnaround time. Our SMT PCB assemblies are known for their high mechanical strength & a reliable choice for many industries. If you require SMT assembly, surface mount PCB fabrication, or any kind of services, contact us at sales@mermarinc.com or call us on (760) 244-6149.

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Simple tweaks to get a Quick Turnaround PCB Assembly Without Sacrificing Quality!

By Mer-Mar Electronics | Date posted: | Last updated: December 12, 2022
Quick Turnaround PCB Assembly

Quick time to market is definitely a big source of competitive advantage as it helps garner market share. What is equally important though is to ensure that quality and performance are not sacrificed at the altar of speed when it comes to quick turnaround PCB assembly.

The good news here is that speed and quality are not always inversely proportional. In fact, if the quality of the design is optimized and design for manufacturing best practices are followed, the time taken to spin the board significantly decreases. In addition to the design quality, the following best practices also ensure that both speed and quality are maintained.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: PCB Company & its Quality Control Methods

Best practice to get a quick-turnaround PCB assembly without sacrificing performance!

1. Communication

This is the single most important factor when it comes to quick turnaround PCB assembly. There needs to be enough communication between the design team and the contract manufacturer. In the absence of proper communication, the design team can easily miss the following:

  • Manufacturer’s capabilities
  • Component availability since necessary components are sometimes unavailable due to shortages and obsolescence.
  • Lead time, and more.

Proper communication can ensure what the components are available as also what are the DFM (design for manufacturing) requirements. If these requirements are neglected, it can lead to redesign that will waste precious time and increase assembly lead time.

While simpler designs can make it through the PCB manufacturing process without extensive communication, when it comes to complex designs particularly, you certainly need to have robust communication that will keep the yield high. It is also important to remember that designs that need non-standard fabrication technology typically require increased manufacturing time. Additionally, such designs may also lead to an increase in cost on account of the wastage involved.

2. Have a fair idea of the assembler’s capabilities

Intricately linked to the above point is the fact that you need to be aware of the assembler’s capabilities. For example, following are some of the aspects you need to be aware of when it comes to whether the assembler can accommodate your PCB design choices:

  • Spacing between thermal vias in the thermal pad
  • Use of thermal reliefs
  • Silkscreen placement
  • Solder mask thickness

In fact, an experienced PCB manufacturer will be able to study the design requirements in detail and spot any design choices that you may have made that can reduce yield. If an inexperienced manufacturer puts the design directly into production without figuring out these design choices that you have made, you will tend to waste time and there will be expensive reworks. Conversely, if you know the manufacturer’s capabilities you can also spot the design issues and ensure there is quick turnaround time. While design reviews could mean spending additional time, they will overall expedite the entire process as once the design issues are spotted the rest of the process will be seamless. The key to ensuring quick turnaround PCB assembly is also that these issues are anticipated early through proper communication.

3. Order Size

One other aspect that you need to be mindful of is the order size. You need to ensure that the manufacturer can accommodate your schedule and order size. Typically professional manufacturers offer both high and low volume PCB manufacturing that ensures that the boards can be quickly put into production. However, if you do not have a fair idea of the volumes that the contract manufacturer can handle, you may land up in a position where you overload them, and they are unable to fulfil your requirements within the timeframe expected by you.

4. Testing Requirements

At the outset, you need to make sure that you have detailed your testing requirements to the manufacturer. Some contract manufacturers may only offer a bare board test, where the manufactured board is compared to the original Gerber data. However you may want to also send a netlist along with the Gerber data. In fact a schematic netlist can be used to compare the Gerber data. This comparison is best performed before manufacturing. The big advantage is, it offers that the contract manufacturer can catch any discrepancies early as opposed to figuring them out once the final assembly is done.

These apparently simple hacks can go a long way in both ensuring quality as well as the speed for your PCB Assembly.

As a leading quick turn PCB manufacturer in the USA, Mer-Mar Electronics provides well-rounded quick turn PCB assembly at the fastest turnaround times without sacrificing quality. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified and committed to constantly improving our processes and operations for delivering sophisticated and superior quality PCBs to our clients. We have been maintaining global quality standards throughout all the phases of the PCB assembly operations by performing rigorous checks, analysis, and inspections.

If you have any queries regarding our quick turn PCB assembly or need urgent assistance, Request a quick turn PCB assembly quote.

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How does AOI play a crucial role for the Surface Mount Technology Assembly?

By Mer-Mar Electronics | Date posted: | Last updated: August 30, 2022
surface-mount-technology-assembly

There are several reasons why automated optical inspection (AOI) is increasingly playing a crucial role when it comes to surface mount technology assembly. Notable among them are:

  • Lines on PCB are getting finer.
  • PCBs are getting increasingly miniaturized and there is high component density.

This is besides the fact that, production volumes are typically high, and so are quality expectations. The conventional method of inspection clearly cannot serve the purpose of high-density PCB assembly products. It is for all these reasons that quality control is turning to automated machines for addressing quality issues.

How does AOI Technology work?

Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI), sometimes also referred to as Automated Visual Inspection, is essentially a control process. Simply put, it uses optical methods for inspection. It evaluates the quality of the surface mount technology assembly by way of visual information. With stringent quality benchmarks for electronic devices already laid down, it comes in handy in pointing out any defects.

The key advantage of these systems is that they can detect failures early. What this means is that you do not have to deal with costly errors once the final product is ready to go to the market. Instead, the quality can be checked at each stage of the SMT manufacturing process. This has definite financial advantages, not to mention the fact that you do not have to put your reputation at stake, should any errors crop up once your product reaches the market.

The two commonly used inspection, analysis and judgment methods include:

  • Design Rule Check
  • Computer-Aided Design, Data Comparison

Let us look at both of them in some detail:

Design Rule Check (DRC) Method

This method involves inspecting the design pattern basis some rules. For instance, in inspecting the SMT PCB assembly pattern, the rule that is followed is that all lines should rely on solder joints as terminals and that all lines share the same width and the spacing should be equal or more than the regulated value. The advantages of the DRC method include:

  • Ease of setting up
  • Speed of processing
  • Small volume of programming

The disadvantages of the DRC system, however, lie in:

  • Weakness in determining boundary capacity and boundary position

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Data Comparison Method

This method involves comparing the image patterns stored in the AOI system with the practical image patterns. The challenge of this method, however, occurs on account of high requirement of data real time processing.

Inspection Functions of AOI Technology

AOI technology can be used for inspection of the following:

  • Bare Boards
  • Solder Paste Printing
  • Component Inspection
  • Solder Joints

When it comes to Bare Boards as well as solder joints, it is important to remember that inspections are not made in real time. For Bare Boards, the AOI items include:

  • Wiretapping
  • Scratches
  • Pinhole
  • Line spacing
  • Edge Roughness, and more

AOI items for solder joints include:

  • Missing components
  • Component placement direction
  • Component Number
  • Solder joint quality, and more

In case of Solder Paste and Component Inspection, the inspections are made in real time.

Structure of an AOI System

For Bare PCBs

It relies on the comparison function. The image signals are sent to the control subsystem that makes its judgment on the defects. Marks are made on the PCB in real time and defects can be magnified and checked. This method allows for high inspection speed.

For Solder Joints

Optical cameras are used to capture 3D images of solder joints that are, in turn, compared with standard solder joint images. This enables the defects to be clearly seen and ascertained.

For Solder Paste Printing

It consists of a camera and optical fiber x-y system for solder paste printing at surface mount technology assembly. It enables the solder paste thickness to be measured. The inspection primarily works on the principle of transforming shapes into optical changes.

To sum up

It is easy to see why AOI is one of the best inspection tools in the surface mount technology environment. Not only is it reliable it is extremely cost-effective too. You can count on it to detect both catastrophic failures as well as quality defects.

We provide SMT PCB assembly for high mechanical strength, flexibility, durability, reliability and high performance. Whether you need a low volume or high volume, semi-automatic or fully automatic SMT PCB assembly, we have a system in line with meeting your throughput & budget requirements.

Get a Quick Quote for SMT PCB assembly by submitting your requirements or you can email us at sales@mermarinc.com or call us at (760) 244-6149 with all specification.

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