PCB quality control involves a series of steps, including:

• Design Verification
• Component Inspection
• Solderability Testing
• Electrical Testing
• Surface inspection
• Microscopic Inspection

PCB Quality Control Methods

The quality control process is a continuous process from the very first stage to the last step. Below are the mentioned size areas that need to be highlighted by the PCB contract manufacturer for the overall quality control process of the PCB and PCBA.

IPC certification

The manufacturers can process the most important manufacturing quality for their users or customers with IPC training and certifications. The IPC certifications ensure that the whole circuit board PCBA follows the exact requirements and standards that guarantee a uniform approach to the various assembly process. Many manufacturing companies also employ on-site certified IPC trainers, allowing them to keep their staff current with the required IPC certifications.

Subject Matter Experts or Components Expert

Components failures on PCB is one of the serious issues, and they can result in enormous losses for the company since the problem is challenging to deal with. The best PCB manufacturer will have a well-documented process for quality assurance and the inspection that the components or the parts used on the board are high quality. Furthermore, the manufacturers must hire component engineering experts who can collaborate with an extensive network of component manufacturers and suppliers to get you the best parts at the best price in the shortest amount of time.

The quality of raw materials ensures the durability of the product. Elecpcb uses top-level high, quality materials to complete your final PCB. 

Other component sourcing necessitates high-quality control and ensures that premium materials are used in the circuit board. Because any delay in sourcing components can cause the PCB manufacturing process to stall or cause the intended production design to change. Elecpcb follows the following quality control procedures to minimize potential problems:

BOM Verification

It ensures the components in the BOM matches the PCB design.

Component Reference Designator Validation

In the BOM, this is a unique identifier. If this is correct, the number of components retrieved may be right.

Component Tolerance Check

It ensures the components meet the data sheet tolerance range.

Solderability Test

It accelerated the aging process applied to samples for determining the solderability.

Documentation Review

Review the components for errors.

Process Controls

According to ISO guidelines for quality control procedures, risk management, and traceability, the manufacturer should provide thorough documentation of the PCB assembly process as it is carried out step by step. Furthermore, the circuit manufacturer should have well-documented process controls to govern manufacturing quality by governing soldering temperatures, storage stability, and cleanliness standards.

Assembly Checks

There should be several inspection points during PCB assembly so inspectors can concentrate on the work done before rather than trying to catch everything at once. These inspections should be carried out manually and automatically to detect potential issues with solder joints and improperly positioned components.

Inspection and Test

As soon as the board is completed, it requests the complete inspection again. The PCB manufacturer should have a detailed inspection process before supplying the final product. The next part of the quality assurance process includes board testing. There are various testing methods for the circuit board. Your manufacturers will prepare a complete testing plan and strategy per your project’s needs and requirements.

Functional Workforce

The final aspect of a PCB manufacturer’s quality is how they are set up to do the job. Precision electronics require a clean, orderly workspace and adequately maintained and up-to-date equipment. The layout of the assembly lines in the facilities should reflect this, and the business’s culture and goals should support this attitude and vision. 

Besides, some of the more detailed quality control used by the manufacturer include:

AOI

AOI test follows pattern plating. In order to check connections and soldering quality for flaws or failures, AOI automatic optical inspection is based on the principle of optics and uses a combination of image analysis, computer, and automatic control technology. A camera is used to scan the circuit board in incredibly fine detail. Elepcb introduced advanced AOI to increase the testing’s accuracy and stop damaged PCB from moving on to the following step-by-step procedure. However, because AOI cannot check vias, a flying probe test or an E-tester fixture is also required.

Flying probe test

Electromechanical control probes are used in this type of electrical testing to access the circuit board’s components, and the test probes quickly move from point to point on the PCB circuit board to complete the test. A precision transmission system controls the moving position of each test probe, and position accuracy can reach 0.01mm. The whole testing process typically takes 1-3 minutes, even though the flying probe test can accurately determine whether the PCB is short-circuited or non-conducting because it must check each signal individually. As a result, flying probes are only suitable for low-volume PCB orders.

Electrical test

Electrical testing has become indispensable for PCBs with blind and buried vias. Because AOI cannot inspect vias, E-test can check the board for missing connections. For fixture testing, an electrical tool known as an E-tester is required. The E-tester is generally designed per the PCB panel and is covered with test pins. It can test a complete discussion in one minute, which significantly improves test efficiency and is appropriate for bulk orders. ElecPCB has introduced the most recent testing machine; as long as the E-tester is operational, the PCB can be checked without failures.

X-rays

X-rays are a non-invasive but costly method of inspecting the internal quality of a PCB.

Saw

Even though sawing a PCB can be destructive to individual boards, it can be a valuable tool for understanding the overall picture of the entire assembly process. This test is primarily used to check for holes. Only suitable for large-scale production runs.

Manual inspection

We have quality inspectors in place at every stage of the production process in addition to machine testing. We train quality inspectors regularly to ensure they understand the IPC-A-600 product acceptance standards. The collaboration of inspection labor and equipment can significantly reduce defects, from IQC inspection of raw materials. At the same time, we established a specialized quality inspection division to inspect each PCB before shipment visually. Some problems that the machine cannot detect, such as defects in the shape or solder mask, can thus be checked.

Microscope

Inspectors can project PCB connections onto a large screen for detailed inspection and a closer look using hand-held optical tools like magnifying glasses or microscopes to lessen the strain on their eyes. They are frequently used to improve visual inspection. To reduce stress on the eyes, inspectors can use hand-held optical tools such as magnifying glasses or microscopes to project PCB connections onto a large screen for detailed inspection for a closer look. They are often used to improve visual inspection.

Conclusion

Elecpcb satisfies its customers by focusing on quality products. Our quality occurrence system and many other inspection systems help the whole production system to ensure the stability of the products and the high-quality product. The motto of Elecpcb is to satisfy all of our customers with high-quality products on time with zero defects. We follow basic quality standards and have a robust quality management policy that provides sustainable products to our end users. We have the most advanced equipment for PCB quality control. ELE PCB possesses a range of certifications such as IS09001:2015, IS013485:2016, ROHS, and FCC, and can provide various services including PCB manufacturing and assembly, as well as sample and batch orders. The PCB assembly services use 7 high-speed SMT PCBA lines from Yamaha and Sony to cater to customer requirements. Additionally, ELE PCB offers extended services such as PCB design and layout, hardware design engineering, firmware and software development, and customization.