PCB Technical FAQ's

The main elements of the PCB are dielectric substrate (rigid or flexible) with copper conductors on it, vias and holes both plated and non plated. As the dielectric substrate, the glass-epoxy laminates or composite materials are used. ... FR4 is a glass fiber epoxy laminate. It is the most commonly used PCB material.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) consist of anything from one layer to multiple layers of dielectric and conductive materials. When bonded into boards, these layers carry circuits that power a vast range of home electronics, such as alarm clocks, kitchen appliances, desk supplies, computers and mobile devices.

A temperature gradient is a physical quantity that describes in which direction and at what rate the temperature changes the most rapidly around a particular location. The temperature gradient is a dimensional quantity expressed in units of degrees (on a particular temperature scale) per unit length.

The form of the final manufactured PCB. It could be either Single Board or Panel.

The horizontal values in a pair of coordinates are called “X” while the vertical values are called “Y”.

The name which will be available on your all commercial documents like Quotation, PI, Tax Invoice, etc.

Printed Circuit Board (PCB) thickness refers to the finished PCB board’s thickness.

Typically, these sheets begin with preset copper thicknesses. The copper thickness is available on the raw material, which is getting used for the manufacturing of bare boards.

A PCB surface finish is a coating between a component and a bare board PCB. It is applied for two basic reasons: to ensure solderability, and to protect exposed copper circuitry.

Peel-off masks are used to protect selected solder holes, pads and gold-plated contacts or carbon elements during mass soldering.

A conical hole, which is cut to allow the flat head screw to be used, is called a countersink hole. It can also be called conical hole which is cut into a PCB laminate, or a hole created by using a drill. The main purpose is to let the head of a countersunk screw, once it is inserted and screwed down in the hole, to sit flush with the surface of the laminate. The cone-shaped hole, which is cut into the PCB laminate, is a countersink. It is generally used to permit the tapered head of a screw to sit flush with the top or bottom of the laminate.

Controlled impedance is the characteristic impedance of a transmission line formed by PCB conductors. It is needed when high-frequency signals propagate on the PCB transmission lines. Controlled impedance is important for signal integrity and refers to the undistorted propagation of signals.

Carbon contacts are made of carbon ink and used for keyboard contacts, LCD contacts, and jumpers. The printing is performed using conductive carbon ink.

Gold contacts have different applications. Some are for an edge card connection and are plugged into a connection of some sort or motherboard. A card that is inserted and left for the longevity of its life cycle may have an immersion surface, whereas a card that is inserted and removed repeatedly should have a hard, gold-plated surface.

• A PCB is defined by the designer with a number of copper layers in a definite sequence that is known as Buildup or Board Buildup.
• The pattern in each copper layer combined with the drill patterns and the copper plating of these drilled holes, form an electrical net that is responsible for connecting the pins of components to other pins of other components.
  This makes it possible for the current to flow and the application to function.
• The Buildup or Board BUILDUP of a PCB is the sequence in which these copper layers are defined.

Instead of a point which gets terminated at a flat edge, you get an effect of 45° ‘rounding out’ at the corner.

The time is taken for the complete production, including the quality check, of the ready product.

Scoring for printed circuit boards is a V-groove that is cut into the top and bottom surfaces of an array configuration of multiple boards or a PCB with a removable frame or rails. When scoring is used, the PCBs are typically set up side by side and end to end with no gap between the edges.

It generally depends on the PCB’s design. But, we recommend a clearance of 5 mm to 7 mm.

An exception is a technical query raised during the pre production engineering of your order when additional inputs or clarifications are needed to proceed. You can resolve it by logging into your account, reviewing the exception details in the "Exceptions" section of your dashboard, and providing the required inputs or approvals.
You can watch our quick tutorial video to understand How to resolve/respond to exceptions online. Click here.

To minimize exceptions, ensure that your design files are accurate and complete. Double-check your Gerber files, BOM, and other specifications before submission. Providing detailed instructions for special requirements can also help. Check out our blog to understand how these files should be designed.

You will receive notifications regarding exceptions through email and WhatsApp, ensuring you can address them promptly. You can also access them in your profile dashboard > Exceptions.

For orders with delivery times of 1, 3, and 5 working days: We kindly request that you reply to any technical exceptions within 4 working hours of their occurrence during our business hours (8:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday to Saturday). Failure to do so will result in the addition of one working day to the dispatch date for every subsequent 4-hour interval.

For orders with longer delivery times, specifically 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 working days:We request that you resolve any technical exceptions within 10 working hours of their occurrence during our business hours. If the exception is not resolved within the given timeframe, one additional working day will be added to the dispatch date for every subsequent 10-hour interval.

In PCB manufacturing, a panel refers to a larger sheet or substrate on which multiple individual PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) are fabricated together. This approach optimizes manufacturing efficiency, reduces waste, and streamlines processes like drilling, plating, and routing. Panels can be customized to suit specific requirements and are typically categorized as follows:

• Panel by PCB Power: The Gerber is designed in a single PCB format, and PCB Power arranges the panel as per your specified requirements, ensuring optimal utilization of the panel size.
• Panel by Customer: The Gerber is already designed in a panel format by the customer, and no further modifications are made by PCB Power.

Yes, PCB Power can create panelized formats for manufacturing based on your requirements, even if your data is in a single-board format.

Yes, we provide standard stack-ups for multi-layer PCBs to help simplify your design process. Feel free to explore the available options here.

• Standard PCB Buildups
• Impedance Controlled Standard Buildups

ROHS compliance is a product-level compliance regulation that restricts the use of specific hazardous materials. It is not directly related to surface finish.

There are two types of stencils – Framed and Frameless.

PCB Power introduced framed stencils for SMT, semiconductor and solar industries. The fine grade polished SS technology ensures relatively no burrs on the hole walls and a mirror-like finish that helps the paste flow evenly across the surface. We guarantee aperture size accuracy of +-5um and positioning accuracy of +- 10um. For boards with fine pitch components, we recommend additional F3 Nano Coating for better throughput.

Frameless SMT Stencils, also called foils, are laser-cut solder paste stencils designed to work with stencil tensioning systems known as reusable stencil frames. This particular type of Stencil works even if it is not permanently glued to the frame. Frameless stencils are significantly less expensive than framed stencils and provide money-saving storage while still delivering superior quality and performance.

If the SMD components are on both the sides of the PCBs, the stencil paste has to be applied on both sides.

The accurate thickness of the stencil sheet ensures the release of the desired amount of solder paste through the opening. The thickness of the sheet and aperture size are important factors that affect the amount of solder paste to be deposited on the board since extra solder deposition can cause solder bridging. On the other hand, less solder deposition can create weak solder joints, which affect the functionality of the final PCB board.

Yes. We fabricate metal stencils which are well-suited for repeated use.

Yes, you can fabricate a single stencil with different designs.

If you do not have the PPM Stencil Printer, please select the option "Others".

We source components from a range of industry-known suppliers like – Mouser, Element – 14, Digikey, and other genuine-parts suppliers.

Our processes work on high-efficiency levels and are powered by economies of scale. So, yes, we do offer very cost-effective prices.

Yes. But we would request you to buy it and send it to the PPM for assembling.

Yes. You have the option of ordering just the components.

Through-hole technology (also spelt "thru-hole"), refers to the mounting scheme used for electronic components that involve the use of leads on the components that are inserted into holes drilled in printed circuit boards (PCB) and soldered to pads on the opposite side by the manual assembly (hand placement).

BGA stands for Ball-Grid Array. It is a type of surface-mount packaging system primarily used for integrated circuits. This package is helpful in permanently mounting devices on microprocessors. It provides more interconnections than dual-line or flat packages.

TQFP stands for Thin Quad Flat Packages and is suited for customers that are looking for cost-effective and yet standardized packages. You can still choose from a range of body sizes and lead counts to customize the package.

When we ask you to denote the ‘Assembly Side’, we are trying to understand on which side you want the components assembled – the top, the bottom, or both the sides.

Yes, we do have an in-house assembly pick & place unit at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Conformal coating is a specialized polymeric film that is applied to circuit boards, components, and electronic devices to provide protection against harsh environmental conditions, such as humidity, heat, corrosion, and contamination.

Conformal coating plays a crucial role in enhancing the durability and reliability of PCB assemblies. It provides increased dielectric resistance, operational integrity, and safeguards against corrosive atmospheres, humidity, fungus, and airborne contamination, ensuring the longevity and performance of electronic devices.

There are various types of conformal coatings available, including Polyurethane, Parylene, Silicone, Acrylic, and Epoxy. Each type offers specific properties and benefits, such as abrasion resistance, solvent resistance, ease of removal, or comprehensive environmental protection.

The selection of the appropriate conformal coating depends on factors such as the severity of protection required, application method, rework feasibility, and specific operational requirements of your electronics.

Absolutely! To place an order for conformal coating, simply visit our website at www.pcbpower.com. Click on the "Instant Quote" button, provide the details for your PCB fabrication and assembly, and select "Yes" for conformal coating under the assembly options. Our team will ensure that your PCB assembly receives the utmost protection with our reliable conformal coating solution.

• In order to avoid delay and cost deviations, we recommend you to send extra quantity for certain SMD components, excluding components like ICs, Modules, BGA, Relays, and Sockets. An additional 7% quantity is needed for all other small-sized SMD components.
• Please note: The revised delivery schedule will be provided after we receive the components and financial clearance.
• Kindly share the tracking details with us at pcb@pcbpower.com, once you have dispatched the components

Yes, assembly of partial components is possible. At the time of placing an order for assembly, include only the required components in your Bill of Materials (BOM).

We follow IPC Class 2 & 3 Standards, and our facility is ISO as well as UL certified.

We consistently work with global operations which happen to be the leaders in their verticals. Most of our associations result in our team, helping them in building and assembling boards from the prototype to the production volume.

We have several recurring orders and strong relationships with most of our customers. Hence, we treat the customer's recommendation as to the highest honor for our team. However, we are currently not running a dedicated referral program.

For PCB fabrication, the maximum quantity we can supply per order is:

• 2 Layer PCBs: Up to 10 sq. meters
• Multi-Layer PCBs: Up to 8 sq. meters

For PCB fabrication + assembly, the maximum quantity we can supply per order is:

• 2 Layer PCBs: Up to 15 sq. meters
• Multi-Layer PCBs: Up to 10 sq. meters

These quantities allow us to meet both standard and large-scale manufacturing needs. If your project requires larger quantities, feel free to reach out, and we'll be happy to accommodate your needs.

Yes. We offer 'No Minimum Order Quantity' and lower prices across our services and products.

You can email us at pcb@pcbpower.com. Our Accounts & Finance team will review your proposition and get back to you with a reasonable response.

Having been the partner to several electronics leaders across the globe, we understand, value, and respect the cost of innovation. We have optimized our entire infrastructure to maintain high standards of data integrity and security. Moreover, we would be happy to sign a comprehensive NDA with you.

Yes, we can help you formulate a tentative budget for the order. Our team will require comprehensive details about the order before we can do so. Please reach out to our team at pcb@pcbpower.com , and our team will respond at the earliest possible.

We are connected with a fast-moving supply chain. Hence, the prices can vary based on time, required technology, the complexity of the order, and the quantity. For larger quantities, economies of scale can help you get lower per-unit costs.

We provided a test report that showcases the quality standards of our offerings with every order manufactured at our facility.
We provide a test report with every order manufactured at our facility.

Yes, we have proudly collaborated with esteemed government organizations like ISRO and the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) under long-term purchase agreements, contributing to critical projects with our high-quality PCB solutions.