In recent years the PCB assembly manufacturers faced a brand new and unpredictable challenge.

a brand new phenomenon, famously known as the components shortage.

During the COVID19 pandemic, chip suppliers expected a decrease in the demand for electronic components but in reality, the demand increased beyond anyone’s expectation.

Hardware companies, car manufacturers, and electronics distributors, all faced a shortage in components supply. As electronic components for PCB assembly fabrication are very important, how can we have the right components at a time?

Where should we get the PCB assembly components, and how to assemble and test them? to ensure consistency across the project production, we will cover the importance of the above and what are the best electronic components for PCB assembly production in China.

Types of PCB assembly productions

Producing PCB assembly usually requires going through 2 different stages: sample prototyping and mass production, which differ in terms of purchased components type and quantity. The prototyping stage results in a small number of components, the PCB assembly fabrication factory won’t pay much attention to storing and handling the components at that stage.

The mass production stage does require a large number of components and standards to be followed. This is done to ensure quality and consistency across the multiple complex production stages. An additional important thing to note is the difference in pricing between the prototyping stage and mass production. The PCBA project price is significantly different according to the project demands and the number of components.

Different types of electronic components

PCB assembly components come in different types, shapes, and sizes. The components are crucial for the fabrication and assembly process of printed circuit boards. components often go as cheap as one cent up to hundreds of dollars for expensive integrated circuit components.

Different components have different requirements, often those are storage conditions (temperature and humidity) and storage conditions instructions.

Components categorize under different “package” names. Components in a BGA package require extra care, such package contains integrated circuits (IC) and computing chips. Integrated circuits are often handled with extra care, and must pass the counterfeit authenticity verification tests.

SMD Components rolls vs through hole

For mass production, there are two types of components: SMD and through holes. SMD components, once purchased, arrive in big rolls sealed in vacuum packaging.

The rolls will be placed directly into the PCBA machine’s automated welding procedure.

However, through-hole components require a good amount of manual soldering. in order to reduce the manual labor-intensive process of electronic components soldering, a wave-soldering machine is often used for mass production.

Both component types are suitable for prototyping and mass production and the requirements change according to the printed circuit board design.

SMD components are the preferred components for use. Often PCB assembly facilities will recommend it as it’s easier to weld and less labor-intensive. This will directly result in the PCB assembly cost which often requires strict control.

Reliable electronics suppliers and distributors

PCB assembly components from reliable electronics suppliers and distributors are the key component in a successful PCB assembly project. to ensure authenticity, the electronics provider should provide a verified supplier/distributor certificate.

The certificate ensures the components are fully tested and handled with care, before the delivery to the PCBA fabrication facility. The tests will confirm the functionality of the electronics components, lowering the risk of unexpected problems during the mass production process.

A reliable supplier must be able to provide a lead time for the delivery of the components.

global components affected manufacturers in many ways. as such, long lead times for components’ arrival are very common. a supplier or distributor will give a shipping date according to the quantity and purchasing order.

Electronics components storage and handling

The purchased components are on their way to the facility, the next step is to count and store them safely for mass production. Using advanced X-Ray components counting machine, we can count the number of components in each package.

To ensure consistency of the purchase order, we usually count the components. If components are missing, this can heavily affect the PCB assembly mass production process.

Every component has different storage requirements, often, the requirements are quite similar. Most of those requirements include a room temperature environment with low light exposure. Due to oxidation, unsealed vacuum electronics components package must be welded in a timely matter.

Quality assurance for electronic components

multiple tests to ensure quality and consistency according to the project demands. Those tests include components quantity counting and counterfeit detection using microscopic equipment.

The quality assurance process is crucial to ensure each component functioned as expected. By doing so, the products can hold and perform to their commercial or industrial standard lifespan.

Undergoing components tests and examination will reduce the risk of a faulty PCBA, ensuring the final PCB assembled product will work for years according to the consumer or industrial needs.

One-stop components purchasing service

If all the above sounds complicated and risky, you don’t have to worry at all.

at PCBasic we offer one-stop components purchasing service to ensure your project PCB assembly passes flawlessly! Delivering components worldwide is a complex and risky process. especially, when the best PCB assembly facilities are located in China.

Using a one-stop components purchasing service allows local PCB assembly factories to negotiate and purchase the components. This process is crucial for the PCB assembly project’s success.

PCBasic offers all-in-one service, from PCB production up to PCB assembly, we can take care of everything for you. By using one-stop components purchasing service, we can reduce the risk of faulty components and logistical incidents.