So many of the devices we use every day rely on printed circuit boards to route electronic signals, that printed circuit board equipment training is a common need for many kinds of businesses. Manufacturers rely on the compact PCB design to create all kinds of "consumer solutions," and that's why training on printed circuit board assembly equipment and PCB manufacturing machine types is so much in demand.

For training in printed circuit board machine equipment and other electronics assembly gear, business leaders can find solutions over the web for outfitting a shop with the skill sets it needs to consistently produce good solid PCB work. Without this kind of training, and a commitment to quality, the top brass of a company can find that sub-par PCB is having a "drag-down" effect on profits. Good PCB training:

1. Allows staff to practice the finer points of creating soldering and other designs that will promote functionality in PCB assembly.

2. Enhances quality assurance and a company's credibility within its field.

3. Puts everyone on the same page as far as design and implementation of a product line.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find printed circuit board equipment training schools through online sites

One web resource is the ability to provide readers with clickable links into a variety of classes and programs around printed circuit board assembly and production, with catalog info and more to help businesses figure out which kinds of programs are most compatible with their needs.

I recommend: Find PCB assembly training options through the Kelly Search site. Locate more PCB training options and schools at Everything PCB.

Look for online printed circuit board equipment training materials

Another way companies reach out to businesses over the web is with the presentation of PCB equipment and materials for helping get staff more competent in doing this kind of work. Materials can substitute for on-site training in many cases.

I recommend: BlackFox Training Institute offers PCB assembly training materials from an online site catalog. Get more of this kind of resource from Dynamix Technology.

Check out printed circuit board equipment design training sites

Other sites have more of a focus on the design of PCB and related printed circuit board equipment education toward this end. Browse the sites to find specific information that could help improve in-house processes.

I recommend: Find out about PCB design and get PCB design training and consultation from CA Design. Businesses interested in this type of info can also get some good ideas from smaller independent sites such as this one at Lazar Rozenblat's Power Electronics Guide.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To use PCB assembly equipment education and training to your greatest advantage, make sure it makes its way to the people who need it most. A few in-house workshops on PCB assembly tools led by point people can often accomplish this pretty well.

PCB assembly equipment is used to produce electronic circuits with specific functions, such as amplifiers, radios, oscillators and many other electrical devices. There are three types of printed circuit boards – single-side, doubled-sided and multi-layered. Single-sided printed circuit boards have components on only one side of the panel, while a double-sided board is used when there are too many components for a single-sided PCB. A multi-layered board has a panel with layers of printed circuit boards separated by insulation layers.

Choosing the right configuration method for your printed circuit board equipment is a major step in taking your prototype from concept to production manufacturing. You can decide to purchase a new or used PCB manufacturing machine and other PCB assembly tools to produce your prototype in-house or you can use outsource your PCB assembly to various engineering firms specializing in printed circuit board assembly. Consider the following when starting your PCB assembly:

1. Will I configure my own PCB in-house?

2. Will I outsource my PCB assembly needs?

3. What are the costs of vendors and PCB assembly equipment?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Configure your printed circuit board equipment in-house

Configure your prototype in-house with a new or used printed circuit board machine and other PCB assembly tools. You can purchase printed circuit board machines and other printed circuit board assembly equipment online and produce your prototype in-house at your own pace.

I recommend: LPKF Laser & Electronics manufactures printed circuit board machines for nearly any engineering environment. Chemcut, one of the world’s largest developers and suppliers of PCB manufacturing machines, has sales representatives in various states around the country.

Outsource your PCB assembly

You can outsource your PCB assembly to a vendor specializing in electronics assembly. Using a vendor has more restrictive time constraints because you are on the vendor's time schedule, not your own. However, while not always the fastest route to production, vendors offer highly skilled engineers who can provide useful insight on configuring your prototype.

I recommend: PCBexpress offers online pricing for a broad range of printed circuit board machines and other equipment. Screaming Circuits is the PCB assembly partner for PCBexpress. Screaming Circuits offers online quotes and PCB equipment assembly in as little as 24 hours.

Compare costs for PCB equipment assembly

Determine the amount of PCB assembly equipment needed to produce your prototype before deciding on in-house configuration versus outsourcing. Once you evaluate your need, you may find that outsourcing is more cost-efficient if you are not a skilled engineer.

I recommend: Advanced Circuits is a PCB manufacturing facility that offers new customer special pricing for PCB assembling equipment. E-TekNet offers instant online quotes and guaranteed on-time shipping.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Online suppliers of PCB assembly equipment will generally provide free or low-cost delivery options and software to help you design/layout your PCB.

Since the invention of plastics in 1872, the injection molding process and the plastics industry share a major part of the global market. The injection molding process manufactures 32 percent of all plastics. Industries, such as automobile, medical, aeronautics and electronics, use a wide range of injection molded plastic products. Knobs, valves, pulleys, computer monitors and car panels are some examples of injection molded plastic products. Some of the advantages of injection molded plastics are cheaper rates and durability.

If you want to establish yourself as an injection molding service provider or supplier of injection molded plastic, you will need to familiarize yourself with the common terminology related to injection molded plastic. This guide covers some of the common terms, such as injection molding process, resins, polypropylene, and polycarbonate.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Injection molding process

Injection molding is one of the most common processes for plastic molding. The process involves the use of plastic resins in the form of plastic pellets. Manufacturers of injection molded plastics melt these pellets with heat and pressure and inject the molten material into a mold, which is under high pressure.

I recommend: You can read through a detailed description of the injection molding process at plastics.com, an online plastics community.

Plastic resins

Plastic resins are commonly known as 'resins'. These are basic raw materials for injection molded plastics. There are many types of resins that are made by heating hydrocarbons by a process known as cracking.

I recommend: wiseGEEK, an online knowledge resource, provides detailed technical information on resins.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is the most common thermoplastic material for plastic injection molding. Manufacturers produce it using propylene gas. In addition, polypropylene is a by-product of the process of oil refining.

I recommend: You can read through detailed information on polypropylene at Lenntech, a leading water treatment solution provider.

ABS (Acrylonitrile, Butadiene, Styrene) polymer

ABS is a co-polymer of three polymers - acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. ABS possesses medium strength. It is possible to use the injection molding process for ABS.

I recommend: You can read through detailed information on ABS at Alliance Polymers, a leading supplier of polymer resins.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is another material that you can mold, using the injection molding process. It possesses excellent physical properties, such as toughness, good heat resistance, chemical resistance and transparency.

I recommend: You can read through detailed information on the various aspects of polycarbonate at Polymer Technology and Services, a leading supplier of generic engineering thermoplastics.

Fast cycle polyamide 6

Fast cycle polyamide 6 is a widely used raw material for injection molding. It possesses good tensile strength and a high melting point of 218 degree Celsius.

I recommend: You can read through detailed information on fast cycle polyamide 6 at MatWeb, an online resource for information on materials.

A printed circuit board machine is an integral part of any technology manufacturing company. The printed circuit board equipment is subject to a variety of testing conditions from extreme heat to cold. Therefore, to choose the correct PCB assembly equipment pricing and costs structure, you'll need to know the process the equipment uses to assemble the boards. Most all PCB equipment uses the process of solder paste, pick and place, soldering, inspection testing and feedback. In the highly competitive PCB manufacturing industry, you need the highest production quality possible for the machine without sacrificing quality.

When pricing a printed circuit board machine assembly you need to take quality and reliability into account. After all, if the assembly produces sub-par printed circuit boards you won't be viable as a business for very long. Consequently, the pricing and costs is but one factor in purchase decision, albeit a significant one. If you’re a small business you may only have one opportunity to obtain reliable printed circuit board assembly equipment.

1. Review the various PCB assembly machine services and information.

2. Obtain an online pricing quote for a PCB manufacturing machine assembly.

3. Evaluate the used PCB equipment sales and leasing data.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Examine the PCB assembling equipment services and data

In order to choose the correct pricing and cost of any product, you'll need to know the various service and equipment options available. Then, match the service and equipment to the needs of your company. This match may sound easier than it is because lower costs don't always equate to the correct purchase decision.

I recommend: Proto Express and PCB Net offer a list of assembly equipment for PCB services for you to review. Machine Vision Online and the Brookhaven National Laboratory both have articles on the PCB assembly process that'll help you choose the machine in the proper price range.

Request an online quote for PCB assembling equipment

Most companies will not provide a price for any PCB equipment without a request because of the different components and services that factor into the final invoice. Therefore, you really can't establish a reliable price range for this product. Another factor is that you rarely, if ever, purchase one PCB assembly machine. The closest price range is cost per square foot but that will depend on the size of the machine.

I recommend: Screaming Circuits and Nexlogic both have forms available to submit to request a price quote for your company.

Assess the used PCB assembly equipment available for purchase

If you have the resources to make repairs to used PCB assembly equipment, then this can be a viable cost saving option. However, because they usually don't come with a reliable service contract you must have the in-house expertise to provide maintenance and upkeep.

I recommend: Capital Equipment Exchange and Kit Mondo are two of the leading online providers for used assembly equipment for PCB.