1. Does the company offer other services in addition to printed circuit board fabrication services?
2. Is the turnaround time important to meet projected deadlines to get the product to market?
3. Does the circuit maker provide the type of circuit card assembly for the product your company requires or make repairs to damaged ones?
   

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

Decide the role the PCB assembly service will play

The choice of your PCB manufacturer depends on your level of experience regarding PCB assembly. If you need step-by-step guidance, you'll want to choose a company who offers those services.

I recommend: A Squared Technologies guides your company through the entire process from concept to manufacturing as well as offering both product development and assembly services. Circuit Manufacturing markets itself as a company that's still small enough to quickly develop your company's prototype or to offer volume production with the option of being able to make changes midstream yet restart production without hassle.

Choose PCB makers based on their ability to meet manufacturing deadlines with quick turnaround

When time is of the essence, you'll want to consider a company that specializes in quick turnkey production.

I recommend: Sierra Proto Express owns manufacturing facilities in both Kansas and California. Owning their own facilities allows them to have maximum control over every aspect of production schedule and quality, which gives them the ability to offer top-level customer service. Unlike traditional electronics manufacturers which often shy away from prototypes or low-volume work, Screaming Circuits specializes building their manufacturing process around your job, giving unprecedented flexibility.

Find the right PCB manufacturer

Not all PCB makers produce circuit boards for all products. Some of them specialize in producing them for specific products or in the repair of PCB circuit boards.

I recommend: Mathis Electronics specializes in the production of elevator circuit boards as well as the repair of all different types of PCB assemblies. CBAS is experienced in providing a wide range of services that include anything from circuit boards for amplifiers to Jet Ski ignitions.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're a new business owner, don't make the mistake of trying to do everything yourself. Save yourself from costly mistakes later by delegating work to those with more experience. If you don't know anything about circuit board assembly, leave it to the experts.