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04.03.2021

5 Things You Should Know About NRE
Non-recurring engineering (NRE) is a broad term referring to a one-time cost to develop, design, or manufacture a new product. It... READ MORE

04.03.2021

SMT Temperature and Humidity Control
One of the most important ways to prevent PCB defects is controlling factory environmental conditions. If the manufacturing... READ MORE

04.03.2021

Avoiding Risk with a Thorough BOM Scrub
A BOM scrub is the act of scanning a Bill-of-Materials (BOM) to clean off any inconsistencies, errors, or potential risks. It... READ MORE

03.03.2021

Cut Tape vs. Tape and Reel
When procuring components, it’s important to pay attention to packaging type. Most component distributors offer the same... READ MORE

03.03.2021

Why You Should Always Use a Solder Sample
A solder sample is non-usable board that represents a usable PCB during test processes. It can be used to test virtually every... READ MORE

02.03.2021

When Do You Repair and When Do You Scrap PCBs?
For mid-size EMS providers, costs of rework can add up quickly. By some estimates, rework alone could result in tens of thousands... READ MORE

02.03.2021

Moisture Sensitivity Levels Explained
Atmospheric moisture absorbed into surface mount packages can expand when exposed to the intense heat of solder reflow ovens.... READ MORE

02.03.2021

Don't Underestimate Solder Paste Inspection
Over 50% of PCB assembly solder joint defects can be traced back to improper or sub-optimal solder paste printing. While good... READ MORE

02.03.2021

Counterfeit Component Risk Management
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) estimates that counterfeit PCB components cost manufacturers more than $7.5 billion... READ MORE

01.03.2021

5 BOM Obsolescence Management Tips
In today’s market, it can often feel like parts become obsolete the second after they are designed in. It is important to... READ MORE

01.03.2021

The 3 Keys to Customer Satisfaction
The Harvard Business Review recently said that, “Companies that aim for ‘zero defections’ (keeping every customer they can... READ MORE

01.03.2021

3 Most Common PCB Assembly Defects
Minimization of all solder joint defects should be the goal for any SMT manufacturer. Through understanding the defect, its root... READ MORE

25.02.2021

What is a Lean Office?
A "lean office" is the application of the "Lean" philosophy to front end processes. In the early 1990's, Toyota Manufacturing... READ MORE

24.02.2021

Several Technologies Converging to Drive PCBA Industry Demand
Several electronic technologies are converging to increase demand in the PCB Industry over the next several years. The driving... READ MORE

24.02.2021

5 Benefits of Surface Mount Fixtures
Before discussing the benefits of fixturing in Surface Mount Technology (SMT) it is worthwhile to clearly define some terms that... READ MORE

24.02.2021

Top 5 Lean Office Pitfalls
Although many contract manufacturing (CM) companies have applied “Lean” practices to their back-end manufacturing, some don't... READ MORE

24.02.2021

5 Tips for BOM Structure
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24.02.2021

ISO Certification - The 4 Basic Certifications Explained
Certification of ISO standards by theInternational Organization of Standardization (ISO) have become a major expectation in... READ MORE

23.02.2021

3 Major Ways Mentor Valor MSS Assists in PCBA Assembly
Mentor Graphics’ Valor MSS is one of the most efficient tools available for PCB assembly, and offers complete end-to-end... READ MORE

22.02.2021

What is Selective Soldering?
With the growing popularity of SMT technology, through-hole technology is taking up less real estate on a PCB assembly. But... READ MORE

22.02.2021

Through-Hole vs. Surface Mount
In recent years, semiconductor packaging has evolved with an increased demand for greater functionality, smaller size, and added... READ MORE

22.02.2021

PCB Ionic Contamination Test
Reliability experts contend that roughly 30 percent of PCBA failures are due to contamination of the bare PCB, and only an... READ MORE

22.02.2021

1 Million Reasons You Need SiliconExpert
Component obsolesence is a much bigger threat than most realize. Here are the little-known reasons you keep getting surprised,... READ MORE

18.02.2021

Conflict Minerals Quick Facts
What - “Conflict Minerals” refers to tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold mined in or near the Democratic Republic of Congo. The... READ MORE

18.02.2021

PCOLA/SOQ Explained
PCOLA/SOQ is an approach to defining the defect spectrum for PCBA assembly manufacturing that allows the test engineer to... READ MORE

18.02.2021

What is a Complementary Test for PCBA Assembly?
Modern high-tech PCBAs can potentially have 20,000–30,000 solder joints, requiring sophisticated automated inspection techniques... READ MORE

18.02.2021

Complexity Index for PCBA Assembly
The Complexity Index (Ci) is a method of scoring the manufacturing complexity of PCBA assemblies proposed by Agilent many years... READ MORE

18.02.2021

What's 'World Class' for Solder Joint DPMO?
As the value of statistical process control (SPC) increases in importance when selecting a quality contract assembler, the... READ MORE

17.02.2021

Avnet vs. Arrow Electronics
Avnet, Inc. and Arrow Electronics have long dominated the electronics distribution market. With shared lineages in the radio... READ MORE

17.02.2021

Future Electronics Review
Future Electronics Future Electronics is the world’s fourth largest component distributor. The privately held company is... READ MORE

16.02.2021

Xilinx v. Flextronics: Insight to a Gray Market
In December of 2013, Xilinx filed a lawsuit against Singapore-based electronics contract manufacturer Flextronics for... READ MORE

10.02.2021

DPMO And How It Correlates In The Six Sigma Method
Тhе Ѕіх Ѕіgmа mеthоdоlоgу іs а sеt оf рrасtісеs dеsіgnеd tо іmрrоvе аn оrgаnіzаtіоn’s оvеrаll реrfоrmаnсе. Іt dоеs thіs thrоugh... READ MORE

06.07.2015

PCB Surface Finishes Comparison: HASL, OSP, & ENIG
A PCB surface finish is a coating between a component and a bare board PCB. It is applied for two basic reasons: to ensure... READ MORE

04.06.2015

4 KPIs Crucial to On-Time Delivery [Podcast]
Materials is the root cause of at least 80% of missed delivery commitments. The only way to effectively drive consistent... READ MORE

07.04.2015

Solder Paste: What Should I Be Using for My Product?
Choosing the right solder paste is like buying a new car: the options can seem endless, and it's really a matter of preference.... READ MORE

01.04.2015

Are Local Fiducials Necessary?
As pick-and-place machines become more precise, some assembly shops are doing away with local fiducials. Why take up real estate... READ MORE

20.06.2014

5 Drafting Standards for PCB Drawings
All drawings must follow industry-accepted standards of drafting. They should communicate the essential information quickly to... READ MORE

25.02.2014

What Is DPMO? [Infographic]
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21.02.2014

Case Study: Converting Debug Tools into Manufacturing Fixtures
Optimum Design Associates manufactures high-density circuit boards, some of which are installed into higher-level assemblies.... READ MORE

21.02.2014

Case Study: Bonding Failure on a Composite Structure
A supply chain is an organism. For an organism to thrive, each part—cells, organelles, atoms—must work together. A supply chain’s... READ MORE
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