Printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing has been largely the same for the last 15 years, and prototype PCB assembly has been much the same. The PCB fabrication industry is older than many would think, and It’s overdue for modernization. There haven’t been any pushes for changes to the process in over 15 years, which is odd for something in the technology sphere.
PCB fabrication and assembly is a delicate process and a complex one. With every board having to have a custom in its design. That’s right, custom. Take that, and the fact that many of the companies that do prototype PCB assembly, and circuit board assembly services, are now located in Asia, it makes it hard to try and force the modernization of the industry. Many companies out there still rely on manual, hand, labor to solder and create the boards, while it has been proven that machine assembly is faster and more reliable.
A single automated line, with machines, can place and solder more than 50 hand solder operators. And do it with better quality, with more consistency.
Even 3D printers can now be used to create PCBs, and can create smaller and more quality ones than otherwise created by hand. The process is longer, and more costly, at the moment, but as technology moves forward, that should no longer be an issue.
3D printer circuit boards have the ability to be multi-layered, allowing for more component placement, and for the boards to be smaller than otherwise possible than when created by hand. It would also allow one to create boards out of more flexible materials than otherwise available if done solely by hand.
This means that one could create a board out of anything, as long as the material was able to be printed. More durable, more flexible, and more variety in the designs and components available. You’d be able to fit more components on the PCB, as the surface area would be a non-issue.
That means that you could make more powerful boards, and the only concern would be the ability to keep it cool.
The last 15 years may have been something of a technological plateau for the PCB manufacturing industry, but then future is looking bright and full of options.
