01/29/2024

5 Simple Steps in the Electronic Assembly Process

Electronic assembly is the process of taking a PBC or printed circuit board and turning it into a PCBA or a printed circuit board assembly. This is done by connecting electrical components onto the circuit board. There are many small circuits that connect electricity in different intensities and different frequencies from point A to point B.  After the electronic assembly process, printed circuit board assemblies are used in many different There are 5 main steps in the electronic assembly process. 

Step 1: Printed Circuit Board

In electronic assembly, you start with a printed circuit board and the components that go on it. The printed circuit board is a small board that looks something like this picture below.

Step 2: Add Solder Paste

After you have your printed circuit board paste is applied to it using a screen-printer. A thin stencil is used so the paste only goes on the board in places where it is needed. 

Step 3: Pick-and-Place

Next, the components are placed on the circuit board. This is done by a machine called a Pick-and-Place that does exactly that, it picks them up and places them where they are supposed to be on the circuit board. Whatever the machine can’t do is done by hand by a technician. 

Step 4: Inspection 

After the components have been placed on the circuit board, it goes through an automated optical inspection process where it’s confirmed that everything is where it’s supposed to be, that it’s oriented correctly and that nothing is missing. 

Step 5: Soldering 

The step in the electronic assembly process is to put the PCBA in the oven. The oven melts the paste, which is made up of microbeads of metal. When the paste heats up in temperature, the metal melts and becomes one solid piece of connection. This connects components to the PCB. 

After Printed Circuit Board Assembly

After the printed circuit board assembly process is completed and the components have been placed and soldered, the printed circuit board becomes much more functional. It can be used in any number of situations that require electrical parts from phones to cars. 

If you are looking for the right company to help in your next PCB assembly project, Implementing Ideas is the way to go. We specialize in having short turnaround times. The usual turnaround time for a PCB assembly project is anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks. With Implementing Ideas, you can plan on having a turnaround from a couple of days to a couple of weeks depending on the size of the project. Get started today here by getting a free quote.