Leading the way for over 40 years
If you are looking for high-quality rigid PCBs, your search ends at Mer-Mar Electronics. We have over 40 years of rich experience in fabricating and assembling a wide variety of rigid circuit boards. Our strength comes both from our state-of-the-art equipment as well as a team who is well equipped with industry best practices. What that means is there is no need for you to reinvent the wheel as you have access to a wide knowledge and experience base. Use of innovative technology, high- grade material, precision engineering and stringent testing procedures are some of the factors that have led to a large portfolio of clients across industry verticals relying on our services.
The search of durability and easy maintenance would lead you to opt for rigid circuit boards, one of the boards we specialize in. Widely used, these boards are made up of a solid substrate which ensures that the rigid circuit board is set in a fixed shape and isn’t prone to any distortion. They work well for appliances where rigidity and strength of the board are pre-requisites as these boards can withstand application stress as well as increased temperatures. Some of the other benefits that rigid PCBs offer, include:
- Ability to minimize electronic noise as the PCB does not pick electromagnetic waves and reduces crosstalk.
- Ability to thrive in harsh environments as the solder flux used to fix components ensure that they remain firmly in place.
- Easy to assemble and repair.
- Low on cost.
Why we are your go-to place for
Rigid Circuit Board Requirements?
Technical Expertise – Whether it is the availability of state-of-the-art equipment or access to highly experienced staff that is well-versed with the latest technology, we are well-poised to offer you rigid PCBs with adherence to stringent industry standards. Should your requirement be for RoHS compliant rigid PCBs, you need not look any further.
Suited for all volume requirements – Whether you need prototype quantities or are looking for large production runs, we have you covered. New product development as well as scaling up operations was never simpler. All you need to do is to share your volume requirements with us and be assured of timely deliveries.
Quick turnaround time – Count on us to offer quick turn rigid PCBs that bring significant competitive advantage. Our clients stand testimony to our commitment to timely deliveries.
Rigid Circuit Board Services
Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
Rest assured that we have an expert team that considers critical features of the design. Be it layer stack-up, board outline dimensions, dielectric spacing, impedance requirements, each aspect is thoroughly considered so there aren’t any costly errors.
Rigid PCB Fabrication
Whether your requirement is for simple single-sided boards or multi layered ones, we offer you the best solutions. In fact complex multilayer PCBs have been a core competency with us. From offering early multilayer rigid PCB prototypes to high volume mass production, we cater to all requirements with optimized cycle times. Not only we use a wide variety of material types, we specialize in high layer count construction with blind and buried mechanical and micro-via technologies. In addition; we also offer RoHS compliant rigid circuit boards to suit your bespoke requirements.
Rigid PCB Assembly
At Mer-Mar Electronics, we have the capability of rigid PCB assembly both for prototypes as well as large quantities. With our ability to mix manual and automatic part loading stations, you can rest assured that we can handle the most intricate designs. Our vast experience also enables us to offer turnkey rigid assembly where we deal with component procurement, PCB fabrication and assembly all under one roof. Rest assured that our rigid PCB assembly services are done to ensure quick delivery times to ensure early go-to market.
Rigid PCB Surface Finishes
Count on us for a wide variety of surface finishes that do justice to the PCB and the environment it needs to work in. Our experts offer you the necessary inputs for you to be able to make the right choice. Some of the surface finishes offered by us, include:
- HASL – Leaded Solder Tin/Nickel
- HASL – Lead Free Solder
- Nickel Flash Gold, Wire Bondable Soft Gold and Electroless Soft Gold
- Electroless Nickel
- Electrolytic Nickel /Hard Gold and Selective Gold
- Immersion Silver and tin, Gold OSP
- Carbon Ink
- ENIG
The fabrication of rigid circuit boards goes through the following steps:
Material Preparation:
The process has its beginning with production of bare boards. The first step involves thorough cleaning before application of photo resist film. The use of a conveyor line ensures that the boards are transported seamlessly.
Rigid Circuit Pattern:
Post the application of the photo resist, the boards are exposed to UV light. This helps transfer the circuit images to the production panels. If need be, the process can be done on both sides of the board.
Etching:
This process involves etching the circuit panels chemically onto the board. Specialized chemical etching machines ensure the task is done to perfection.
Drilling:
An important step, it is also extremely meticulous as the holes have to be drilled to exact specifications. Specialized drilling machines including laser drills ensure precise holes.
Copper Plating:
This process involves application of copper to the rigid circuit boards to ensure layer-to-layer interconnections.
Coverlay Application:
Next, the rigid PCB is covered with a coverlay laminate. For rigid PCBs Polyimide coverlays are often used.
Stiffener Application:
As their name suggests, stiffeners are supportive components that ensure that the lamination stays in place.
Coverlay Lamination:
The rigid circuit boards are next placed in lamination machines where vaccum, heat and pressure are applied. This ensures that the lamination sticks to the board.
Mounting:
Once the components and lamination is in place, that is the time of PCB Assembly. For rigid PCBs; it is common to use Plated Through Hole Mounting technology. This involves passing of the leads of the components through the drilled holes. The leads are then soldered.
Testing:
A crucial step, this involves electrical, AOI as well as functional testing. Electrical testing, in turn, essentially involves the Flying Probe test with AOI involves using an optical imaging system to check for any faults, assembly defects or more. This then leads to functional testing where it is ensured that there are no defects in the PCB.
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Rigid PCBs Capabilities
Our capabilities include fabricating single sided, double sided and multilayer rigid PCBs to perfection. Some of our other competencies include:
- Multilayer up to 24+ layers.
- Wide range of laminate options including high temperature, low loss and lead-free laminates.
- 3-mil traces and 3.5-mil spaces
- Minimum Mechanical drill size 8-mil.
- Minimum Laser drill size 3-mil.
- Mixed dielectric (hybrid) constructions.
- Panel size up to 21″x 26″, Panel thickness up to .250″.
- Embedded coin, or metal core and metal backed MLB.
- Heavy copper (16 oz. outer layer / 8 oz. inner layer)
- Controlled Impedance
- Blind / Buried Vias
- RoHS Compliant
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Application of Rigid Circuit Boards
The application of rigid PCBs is quite ubiquitous. From computer motherboards to toys, it finds application in a wide range of products, among other things on account of its cost efficiency. Some of the industries where it is widely used include:
- Industrial Electronics and Automation: Rigid PCBs find place in a lot of light as well as heavy duty applications. Think robotics, pick and place equipment, surge suppressors and more.
- Medical: Where large sized, non-portable medical devices are concerned, rigid PCBs are in use. Some of these devices include:
- MRI systems
- EMG machines, and more
- Aerospace: Designed with copper and aluminum substrates, rigid PCBs come in handy when it comes to the aerospace industry. Some applications where it occupied pride of place include:
- Airplane cockpit instrumentation
- Power convertors
- Control tower systems, and more
- Automotive: With engine heat and environmental contaminants, you sure need rigid PCBs made of copper and aluminum substrates with high temperature laminates. The application of rigid PCBs is found in:
- AC/DC power convertors
- Power distribution junction boxes
- ECUs, and more
Rigid PCBs FAQs
Are you looking for rigid PCBs, rigid circuit board fabrication or any custom rigid PCBs for your next project? Send us inquiry to Get a Quick Quote based on your custom requirements.
If you have any queries regarding to our rigid PCBs or need an urgent assistance, then please don’t hesitate to contact our team of skilled personnel’s. Send us an email with your queries at sales@mermarinc.com or call us at (760) 244-6149. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
