Technology Never Stands Still, and Neither Do We
Validated Mini-ITX platforms engineered for reliable deployment in industrial, edge, and embedded system environments.
Controlled Electronics Manufacturing
PCB & PCBA Manufacturing
Convert a released PCB design into traceable bare boards and assembled PCBAs. We control fabrication data, SMT and THT assembly, AOI and X-ray inspection, approved firmware programming, board-level testing, and revision identity so production follows one defined manufacturing package.
Two Different Manufacturing Stages
PCB Fabrication Builds the Board; PCBA Builds the Circuit
PCB fabrication produces the bare printed board from the released layer, drill, stackup, copper, mask, finish, and mechanical data. PCB assembly starts with that bare board and installs the specified components through surface-mount, through-hole, or mixed assembly processes.
This service begins with released manufacturing data. It does not redesign routing, change electrical architecture, or substitute components informally. If the released data cannot be manufactured as specified, the issue returns to engineering before production continues.
Files Before Production
Production Starts From One Revision-Controlled Data Set
Before fabrication or assembly begins, the factory needs one coherent set of released files. The fabrication drawing, BOM, placement file, assembly drawing, firmware image, and test instructions must all refer to the same board revision.
| Package | Typical Inputs | What They Control |
|---|---|---|
| PCB Fabrication | Gerber or approved production data, NC drill, fabrication drawing, stackup, impedance requirements, and mechanical notes. | Layers, holes, copper, board outline, materials, finish, tolerances, and fabrication requirements. |
| PCB Assembly | BOM with manufacturer part numbers, pick-and-place data, assembly drawing, polarity, and orientation notes. | Exact components, reference designators, coordinates, board side, rotation, and assembly instructions. |
| Programming | Approved binary, target device, release version, checksum or digest, and programming method. | Which image is written to the fitted BIOS, EC, MCU, CPLD, FPGA, or other programmable device. |
| Board Test | Test procedure, limits, fixtures, cables, golden reference, and required result record. | What constitutes a pass at PCBA level before the board leaves manufacturing. |
Bare Board Manufacturing
Fabrication Must Preserve the Released Stackup and Geometry
Layer count alone does not define a PCB. Material system, dielectric thickness, copper construction, controlled-impedance geometry, via structure, finished holes, solder mask, surface finish, board outline, and tolerances belong to the fabrication release.
- Stackup
- Define conductor layers, dielectric construction, reference planes, material requirements, and impedance-controlled structures.
- Copper
- Nominal copper-weight conversions are approximately 0.5 oz = 17.5 µm, 1 oz = 35 µm, and 2 oz = 70 µm before additional outer-layer plating.
- Holes & Vias
- Control finished-hole requirements, plated through holes, blind or buried structures where used, and drill data tied to the released revision.
- Mechanical Output
- Control outline, cutouts, slots, mounting holes, edge features, panel requirements, and drawing-defined tolerances.
Component Assembly
Use SMT, THT, or Mixed Assembly for the Actual Component Set
Assembly method follows the package and mechanical requirement rather than a preference for “all SMT.” Fine-pitch ICs, memory, controllers, passives, connectors, power parts, and mechanically loaded interfaces can require different placement and soldering processes on the same board.
| Process | Typical Role | Manufacturing Control |
|---|---|---|
| SMT | Most ICs, passives, memories, controllers, and surface-mount connectors. | Stencil, solder paste, placement data, polarity, package library, reflow profile, and inspection plan. |
| THT | Selected connectors, terminals, or components using plated through-hole leads. | Lead insertion, solder process, hole fill, mechanical seating, and post-solder inspection. |
| Mixed Assembly | Boards combining dense SMT electronics with through-hole connectors or other mechanically demanding parts. | Process sequence must avoid damaging completed joints or obstructing later assembly operations. |
Inspection Strategy
AOI and X-ray Answer Different Quality Questions
Inspection should follow defect visibility. AOI is effective for visible placement and solder conditions; it cannot see through a component body. X-ray adds structural evidence where solder joints are hidden underneath BGA, QFN, LGA, CSP, or similar packages.
| Method | Best Used For | What It Does Not Prove |
|---|---|---|
| AOI | Missing parts, polarity, placement, tombstoning, visible bridges, and exposed solder-joint conditions. | Hidden solder structure beneath bottom-terminated components. |
| X-ray | Hidden joints, BGA ball structure, concealed bridges, opens, and voiding where applicable criteria are defined. | That the circuit operates electrically or performs its intended function. |
| Electrical / Functional Test | Power rails, interfaces, programmed devices, and board functions defined by the test procedure. | Every visible or hidden solder condition unless inspection is also performed. |
Manufacturing Review
Have Gerbers, BOM, and Placement Data Ready?
Send the released fabrication files, BOM, pick-and-place data, assembly drawing, required inspection level, programming image, board-test procedure, quantity, and target production revision.
After Assembly
Program the Approved Image, Then Test the Board
Programming in manufacturing means loading an approved release into the fitted programmable device. It is not the stage for creating or changing BIOS, EC, MCU, CPLD, or FPGA firmware. The production image must be tied to the correct board revision and programming method.
- Identify the Target Confirm device, board revision, interface, voltage, and programming access.
- Verify the Image Match filename, release version, and approved checksum or cryptographic digest before programming.
- Program & Verify Write the image using the approved method, verify the device contents where supported, then record the result.
- Run Board-Level Test Check the functions and electrical limits defined by the released PCBA test procedure.
After Production
Know Exactly What Was Built and Which Record Belongs to It
Traceability starts after manufacturing inputs have been released. Its job is to connect the physical PCBA to the actual fabrication lot, assembly lot, fitted component configuration, programmed firmware, inspection result, and board-level test record.
- PCB Lot
- Link the physical board to its board part number, revision, fabricator, and fabrication lot where required.
- Assembly Lot
- Record the assembly batch and any approved rework, deviation, or component substitution that affected the unit.
- Programmed Firmware
- Link the programmed release version or approved digest to the hardware revision that received it.
- Inspection & Test Record
- Associate required AOI, X-ray, programming verification, and board-test results with the applicable production lot or unit.
Manufacturing Reference Basis
Specify the IPC Requirement Before Production Starts
“IPC Class 2” or “Class 3” should be a procurement requirement, not a generic factory claim. The applicable class, standard revision, inspection plan, and customer exceptions need to be defined for the actual board and assembly.
- IPC-6012F
- Rigid printed-board qualification and performance specification covering requirements for fabricated rigid PCBs.
- IPC-A-600M
- Current acceptability standard for externally and internally observable conditions on fabricated printed boards.
- J-STD-001J
- Requirements for materials, methods, process control, and acceptance of soldered electrical and electronic assemblies.
- IPC-A-610J
- Visual acceptability standard for completed electronic assemblies, commonly used with J-STD-001 requirements.
- IPC-7530B
- Current guideline for temperature profiling of mass-soldering processes including reflow and wave soldering.
- Project Quality Plan
- Defines required class, inspection frequency, X-ray use, test coverage, traceability, deviations, and customer-specific acceptance criteria.
Manufacturing Release
Freeze the Accepted PCBA Revision
The accepted PCBA revision becomes the hardware baseline for box build or engineering validation. Any later PCB, component, assembly, or firmware change should create a new controlled configuration.
Box Build & System Integration → Engineering Validation → All Engineering Services →
FAQ
PCB & PCBA Manufacturing Questions
PCB fabrication vs PCB assembly?
Fabrication makes the bare printed board. Assembly installs and solders components onto that board to create the populated PCBA.
What files are needed for PCBA?
Typically provide fabrication data, drill files, BOM, pick-and-place data, assembly drawings, polarity notes, and required programming or test instructions.
SMT or THT for assembly?
Most boards use SMT, THT, or both. Package type, mechanical load, solderability, service needs, and the released PCB determine the process.
Does PCBA need X-ray inspection?
Use X-ray when critical solder joints are hidden beneath BGA, QFN, LGA, CSP, or similar packages and optical inspection cannot verify them.
Can PCBAs be programmed and tested?
Yes. Approved device images can be programmed and verified, followed by board-level electrical or functional testing defined by the released test procedure.