Things to look for in a PCB manufacturer

There are many manufacturers of printed circuit boards — so many that when you need to find one fast, it can be very easy to feel overwhelmed. How do you choose the right one for your project?
Believe it or not, not all PCB manufacturers are created equal. Before you place your printed circuit board order with a PCB manufacturer, make sure they have the following things going for them. This will help ensure you have a good experience and a successful project.

Things to look for in a PCB manufacturer

There are many manufacturers of printed circuit boards — so many that when you need to find one fast, it can be very easy to feel overwhelmed. How do you choose the right one for your project?

Believe it or not, not all PCB manufacturers are created equal. Before you place your printed circuit board order with a PCB manufacturer, make sure they have the following things going for them. This will help ensure you have a good experience and a successful project.

Several Years in Business

Experience counts for the most when it comes to manufacturing printed circuit boards. This isn’t to say newbies can’t do it well, but when you’re facing a critical project deadline or working on something important, you don’t want to take chances. Several years in business indicates that a manufacturer is competent and that they can consistently innovate and adapt over time. Try to find a manufacturer to partner with who’s been active in the industry for at least a few years.

The Appropriate Certifications

There are two different processes used in PCB construction: through the hole and surface mount. You should learn about a specific manufacturer’s processes and quality standards before doing business with them. Make sure they have the right credentials and certifications to demonstrate high-quality processes and materials. Tread carefully when investigating this aspect of a printed circuit board manufacturer. Some of them say that they’re compliant with industry quality standards, but they’re really just going through the motions. They don’t actually have the right procedures in place to become properly certified.

Know Where Customer Service is Located

Some PCB manufacturers don’t actually have a customer service team. Instead, they hand off customer service calls to their sales representatives (see PCB brokers below). This doesn’t have to be a bad thing if their sales reps are skilled at providing the information existing customers need, and most of them probably are. But it’s a good idea to find out where the customer service team is located. If they’re in a time zone on the other side of the world, it could be difficult for you to get the support you need. If there are language barriers because none of the support reps speak English as their first language, it may be hard for you to get the service you need. This probably wouldn’t be a dealbreaker in any case, but you should know what you’re getting yourself into.

Competitive Pricing

If you have the chance to speak with a representative of the printed circuit board manufacturer, you should ask if their pricing can compete with that of offshore manufacturers. If the company is based and operated in the United States, the answer will probably be no, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. More importantly, the manufacturer’s processes and materials should be of a quality that justifies the price they’re charging. Cheaper doesn’t always mean better. As long as it’s within your budget and they have the qualifications and services you require, you shouldn’t see their pricing as an issue.

Proof of the Above

As sad as it is, not all business representatives are honest when they provide information about the company they work for. If you’ve been on the phone asking a manufacturer’s rep about the things discussed so far, you should take it a step further and make sure it all checks out on their website. Look for seals from official organizations verifying their credentials and quality standards. Check their ratings with the Better Business Bureau. You should also look for reviews left by other customers who’ve used them in the past.

If everything checks out, you’ll have found a PCB manufacturer you can be comfortable doing business with, for both your current project and all of your projects to come.

PCB Brokers

The vast majority of the Chinese and Taiwanese PCB manufacturers do not have a customer service or sales team in North America. They rely completely on PCB brokers. PCB broker typically works with several offshore PCB manufacturers and some domestic ones as well. A good PCB broker will take the time to understand your project requirements and find the best PCB manufacturer for you project in terms of technology, lead time and pricing.

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