You most likely touch an electronic device multiple times a day.
Your cellphone, smartwatch, microwave, laptop, and TV remote control all contain a printed circuit board in them — many of us rely on electronic devices, and in turn, we depend on PCBs.
Before the modern ways of printed circuit board manufacturing that we know today, people used to hand-wire boards and electronics.
But this process was a tedious one, full of inefficiencies. It took longer to produce, and errors were easy to make. When errors occurred, each component and wire would need to be tested to find the problem, potentially causing weeks of delays and over-budget spending.
Another issue with hand-wiring electronics was how difficult it was for human hands to lay wires on a tiny circuit board correctly and efficiently.
When we fast forward to modern-day PCB manufacturing, most board-building is automated, costs less, can be done at scale, and is easier to test.
Low Cost of Production
Once a printed circuit board has been designed and tested, it’s easy to replicate the assembly on a larger scale with a printed circuit board manufacturing company. The larger the batches that can be produced, the lower the costs.
The simplicity of the assembly also makes the manufacturing process less expensive. Fewer components are needed to create a functional electronic, saving companies more money.
Increased Efficiency in Electronics
As mentioned earlier, hand-wired electronics had many inefficiencies.
Faulty or loose wiring would cause electronics to malfunction, resulting in halted production and additional testing. The slightest inaccuracy in the gluing, wiring, or arranging stages on a board led to increased noise — which can significantly degrade the performance of the circuit.
When these malfunctions occurred, engineers would have to test each wire individually to find the source of the problem.
Today, testing is automated, which makes finding issues much easier and less time-consuming. Automated manufacturing has made printed circuit boards more durable and longer-lasting.
Save More Space With PCBs
As electronic devices progress and consumer needs change, printed circuit boards have to meet those needs.
PCB innovations are making printed circuit boards smaller by saving space.
Think about the cell phones that were first created in the 70s and 80s and how large they used to be; now think of how small they are now. The smaller-sized (or more complex) devices are only possible because of remarkable innovations in PCBs (among other technological leaps).
Today, printed circuit boards can be as thin as one strand of human hair.
In the past, hand wiring meant components were spread out on the board — it wasn’t physically possible to get them any closer. With modern processes, PCBs can be more compact, which makes them smaller and less bulky while allowing for even more intricate formats.
Modern manufacturing processes can create complex boards including double-sided, multi-layer, rigid, flexible, and high-frequency PCBs.
PCBs Save Time
Today’s printed circuit board manufacturers can start mass-producing once the design and testing stages have been completed and deemed successful.
Hand-wired electronics, on the other hand, have a long process before they are brought to market. Each wire must be individually assembled and soldered.
After this stage, there is a lengthy testing process to catch any faults or problems. If an error is discovered, another long, drawn-out process occurs to find the source of the issue. The delays caused by hand-wired electronics could be too costly to a company — both in time and budget.
Easy Testing and Diagnostic
When done correctly, a printed circuit board should go through a series of tests throughout the production process — not just in the final stages.
Regularly testing during the production process saves time, money, and headache. By conducting your tests this way, issues and inaccuracies can be caught before thousands of boards are created incorrectly.
In some industries, like the automotive industry, printed circuit boards have to go through a rigorous testing process — more so than watches or microwaves, for example. For electronic boards to be utilized in a car that is responsible for protecting human life, there must be no doubt that they are safe to drive.
In order for Tesla and other automated vehicle brands to produce cars in mass quantities, the testing and diagnostic process must be efficient.
In modern manufacturing, when printed circuit boards have an error, it’s easy to simply run a diagnostic test to find the source of it and tweak the automation process to fix the issue for future productions.
Adopt PCBs Today
Small, cost-effective, easily tested, and easily repaired printed circuit boards are crucial in today’s society.
Modern boards have allowed for more electronics to be produced at a lower cost and in shorter amounts of time. It has also allowed for more reliable devices that take up less space.
PCB testing has reduced errors in electronics, adding to their reliability. On a large scale, hand wiring is a thing of the past — any designer, engineer, or PCB manufacturer should be able to meet the needs of consumers.
Your cellphone, smartwatch, microwave, laptop, and TV remote control all contain a printed circuit board in them — many of us rely on electronic devices, and in turn, we depend on PCBs.
Before the modern ways of printed circuit board manufacturing that we know today, people used to hand-wire boards and electronics.
But this process was a tedious one, full of inefficiencies. It took longer to produce, and errors were easy to make. When errors occurred, each component and wire would need to be tested to find the problem, potentially causing weeks of delays and over-budget spending.
Another issue with hand-wiring electronics was how difficult it was for human hands to lay wires on a tiny circuit board correctly and efficiently.
When we fast forward to modern-day PCB manufacturing, most board-building is automated, costs less, can be done at scale, and is easier to test.
Low Cost of Production
Once a printed circuit board has been designed and tested, it’s easy to replicate the assembly on a larger scale with a printed circuit board manufacturing company. The larger the batches that can be produced, the lower the costs.
The simplicity of the assembly also makes the manufacturing process less expensive. Fewer components are needed to create a functional electronic, saving companies more money.
Increased Efficiency in Electronics
As mentioned earlier, hand-wired electronics had many inefficiencies.
Faulty or loose wiring would cause electronics to malfunction, resulting in halted production and additional testing. The slightest inaccuracy in the gluing, wiring, or arranging stages on a board led to increased noise — which can significantly degrade the performance of the circuit.
When these malfunctions occurred, engineers would have to test each wire individually to find the source of the problem.
Today, testing is automated, which makes finding issues much easier and less time-consuming. Automated manufacturing has made printed circuit boards more durable and longer-lasting.
Save More Space With PCBs
As electronic devices progress and consumer needs change, printed circuit boards have to meet those needs.
PCB innovations are making printed circuit boards smaller by saving space.
Think about the cell phones that were first created in the 70s and 80s and how large they used to be; now think of how small they are now. The smaller-sized (or more complex) devices are only possible because of remarkable innovations in PCBs (among other technological leaps).
Today, printed circuit boards can be as thin as one strand of human hair.
In the past, hand wiring meant components were spread out on the board — it wasn’t physically possible to get them any closer. With modern processes, PCBs can be more compact, which makes them smaller and less bulky while allowing for even more intricate formats.
Modern manufacturing processes can create complex boards including double-sided, multi-layer, rigid, flexible, and high-frequency PCBs.
PCBs Save Time
Today’s printed circuit board manufacturers can start mass-producing once the design and testing stages have been completed and deemed successful.
Hand-wired electronics, on the other hand, have a long process before they are brought to market. Each wire must be individually assembled and soldered.
After this stage, there is a lengthy testing process to catch any faults or problems. If an error is discovered, another long, drawn-out process occurs to find the source of the issue. The delays caused by hand-wired electronics could be too costly to a company — both in time and budget.
Easy Testing and Diagnostic
When done correctly, a printed circuit board should go through a series of tests throughout the production process — not just in the final stages.
Regularly testing during the production process saves time, money, and headache. By conducting your tests this way, issues and inaccuracies can be caught before thousands of boards are created incorrectly.
In some industries, like the automotive industry, printed circuit boards have to go through a rigorous testing process — more so than watches or microwaves, for example. For electronic boards to be utilized in a car that is responsible for protecting human life, there must be no doubt that they are safe to drive.
In order for Tesla and other automated vehicle brands to produce cars in mass quantities, the testing and diagnostic process must be efficient.
In modern manufacturing, when printed circuit boards have an error, it’s easy to simply run a diagnostic test to find the source of it and tweak the automation process to fix the issue for future productions.
Adopt PCBs Today
Small, cost-effective, easily tested, and easily repaired printed circuit boards are crucial in today’s society.
Modern boards have allowed for more electronics to be produced at a lower cost and in shorter amounts of time. It has also allowed for more reliable devices that take up less space.
PCB testing has reduced errors in electronics, adding to their reliability. On a large scale, hand wiring is a thing of the past — any designer, engineer, or PCB manufacturer should be able to meet the needs of consumers.
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