The literal meaning of the word turnkey is a product or service that can be utilized by consumers instantly without any further work. But when printed circuit boards are considered, turnkey PCB assembly services imply that the PCB assembly company has to manage the entire fabrication of the PCB, starting from PCB bare board fabrication, placement of components, testing, inspection, packaging, and delivery of the product. This is how product owners (brand owners) are able to reduce costs and improve the quality of the circuit boards.
The turnkey solutions give freedom to the brand owners to focus on the design of printed circuit boards by maintaining all relevant operations. The turnkey PCB assembly enables PCB manufacturers to have an effective and cost-efficient technique for assembling circuit boards and testing them to shape them into the required products.
Turnkey PCB assembly
With the turnkey PCB assembly services, consumers are able to assemble products as the PCB assembly manufacturers are providing them with ready-to-use products. When the assembly process of the printed circuit boards is considered, turnkey PCB assembly refers to the services in which the entire project is handled by manufacturers, starting from the production of the circuit boards, acquisition of raw materials and components, placement of components on the circuit board, testing and rectification of any sort of errors and delivery of the ready to use PCBs. PCB Assembly Company utilizes advanced electronic parts along with competent machinery for putting together PCBs and electric components that have higher efficiency and are produced at higher volumes when compared to medium and small companies that are capable of maintaining on their own.
Key Benefits of Turnkey PCB Assembly
Turnkey PCB assembly offers abundant benefits. For example, with these services, small and medium enterprises are not supposed to divert their prime focus from important factors like innovation and design. The following points mention some of the key advantages of turnkey PCB assembly services.
- Cost Reduction
The greatest advantage of turnkey PCBs is that there is no additional expense for delivering the freight to the workshop, resulting in saving handsome amounts of expense. The turnkey services have good bonds with manufacturers of components, and better prices are expected for medium and small enterprises working in the field of PCBs.
- Issue Detection
Potential issues are spotted and resolved before the fabrication of actual printed circuit boards into their designated products. The process comprises the deliverance of the netlist to the assembler. Before the procedure of assembly is initiated, the assembler is bound to check and ensure the specification exactly matches the application under consideration and check all possible errors. In case any errors are noticed, they are rectified immediately, halting the fabrication process midway.
- Management is Streamlined
Considering small and medium enterprises, dealing with many vendors can become stressful and may consume abundant time. Turnkey PCB manufacturing solutions have the capability to reduce the chances of experiencing any kind of miscommunication because of efficient management through multiple channels. The turnkey PCB assembly service providers ensure a single point of contact, which is held responsible for end-to-end communication regarding the offered services. So partnering with a turnkey PCB assembly company, in turn, brings peace of mind to the designers and helps them lighten their burden as the process of fabrication and manufacturing of PCBs gets smooth.
- One-Stop Shop
The Turnkey printed circuit board fabrication process is considered a single or one-stop shop that simplifies the complete procedure of PCB fabrication right from design to production, eliminating the requirement of various vendors’ coordination to achieve a single objective.
- Time-Saving
Turnkey PCB services are capable of saving abundant time as sourcing and procurement of components, manufacturing, assembly, and fabrication processes are all handled through a single supplier.
- Enhanced Reliability
The manufacturers of turnkey printed circuit boards possess good measures for quality control within the entire process of production that ensures high-quality, consistent, and reliable products.
- Solution of Logistic Issues
Turnkey printed circuit board manufacturing and fabrication is reducing the difficulties related to logistics that are involved in the management of different suppliers through a centralized process of production that is dedicated to intricate projects.
The greatest advantage of turnkey PCBs is that there is no additional expense for delivering the freight to the workshop, resulting in saving handsome amounts of expense. The turnkey services have good bonds with manufacturers of components, and better prices are expected for medium and small enterprises working in the field of PCBs.
Full and Partial Turnkey PCB Assembly
Turnkey PCBs can be divided into two types: partial and full turnkey printed circuit boards. The partial turnkey PCB assembly is one in which outsourcing some parts or chunks of PCB manufacturing is done. In such services, the developer of technology retains only some portion of the supply chain and can illustrate the involvement of assembly of PCB or procurement of materials. The partial turnkey PCB assembly services are capable of fastening the process of PCB manufacturing to a great extent.
The full turnkey PCB assembly services comprise the entire work to be done by the service provider. The company responsible for PCB manufacturing delivers all the components and parts that are required for the manufacturing of a printed circuit board. However, you are required to deliver a bill of material, dimensions of the product, and Gerber files, along with packaging and shipping information. The full turnkey printed circuit board manufacturing services are considered a good investment because they expedite the PCB manufacturing process and are based on high-tech machinery and equipment.
Manufacturing Process of Turnkey PCBs
The process of turnkey PCB fabrication and manufacturing is comprised of procedures that effectively combine the processes of design, assembly, and manufacturing, delivering a combined solution that has many advantages.
- Phase of Design
The design phase of the printed circuit board is the most critical part of the turnkey PCB services and the entire production. The client is in constant collaboration with the turnkey service provider for the definition of layout, component selection, and ensuring compatibility with the application under consideration. The team of turnkey service providers translates the client’s specifications into a functional design after considering numerous factors such as integrity of signals, manufacturability, thermal management, etc. Efficient communication is also of great importance for the forthcoming steps involved in the manufacturing process for the creation of an efficient and robust layout of the PCB.
- Phase of Fabrication
The manufacturing process of turnkey PCB always begins with the step of fabrication, which comprises the creation of a substrate composed of reinforced fiberglass epoxy along with the deposition of a copper layer. The traces of copper and pads are formed with the help of etching that leaves behind the desired pattern of the circuit. High-tech methods such as multi-layered manufacturing are utilized to achieve complex designs. Accuracy and precision are critical for meeting the specifications of the design and for ensuring measures of quality control to rectify different issues. The circuit board is afterward moved towards sourcing components, then assembly, and finally, the testing phase.
- Phase of Assembly
PCB Assembly is among the critical stages in manufacturing through the turnkey process. The components are placed onto the board for strategic purposes and then connected as per design. The process of assembly requires accuracy and precision. Some of the most commonly used assembly methods are through-hole and surface-mount technologies. The process of assembly also comprises systematic inspection and testing to ensure reliability and functionality.
- Phase of Quality Control and Testing
Testing and quality control are also key phases of the turnkey PCB manufacturing process for guaranteeing the operation and integrity of the printed circuit boards. Thorough procedures of testing comprise different phases of inspections and functionality tests for the identification of defects, if any, and their rectification. The service providers of turnkey PCBs are utilizing high-tech equipment to test the boards to detect different issues such as open-circuit, short-circuit, and incorrect placement of components. All of the inconsistencies are resolved quickly to ensure that the end product meets all standards of performance and reliability, allowing clients to integrate the PCBs into their desired applications or electronic systems.
Turnkey PCB Applications
- Turnkey PCB services are utilized for PCB production for several consumer devices like gaming consoles, biomedical devices, laptops, cellphones, tablets, etc.
- Turnkey PCB services are also utilized in manufacturing industrial electronic equipment such as control systems, automating processes, and robotics.
- Turnkey PCB services are critical in manufacturing biomedical equipment, for example, diagnostic instruments, monitoring gadgets, and systems for capturing images.
- Turnkey PCB services play a vital role in the production of devices used for communication purposes, such as routers, network equipment, and switches.
- Turnkey PCB services can be used in any electronic device when the produce or brand owners want to outsource their electronic devices.
Conclusion
Turnkey printed circuit board manufacturing proposes an efficient and comprehensive solution for the complex process of production of printed circuit boards used in different applications. Right from the refinement of the design to assurance of quality, turnkey services deliver convenience, cost-effectiveness, and a simple process of project management.
Turnkey services are resulting in key resources for driving the electronics industry through the integration of components and innovation of processes to make PCBs more efficient and cost-effective. An advanced understanding of the complexity of turnkey PCB empowers businesses to make updated decisions. In short, it can be stated that turnkey PCB assembly services result in the reliable and successful production of electronic and electrical components. So, it is very critical for us to have a reliable PCB assembly company for your electronic projects.