You may be interested to know that prior to PCB design software, clear Mylar sheets were used for designing printed circuit boards. At that time, circuit board designers usually needed to have Mylar sheets that were up to 4 times larger than the circuit board. This was necessary in order to execute their design and create a transparent photomask.
Currently, circuit board designers use computer-aided design systems and a special type software. With this software, they are able to layout the circuit pattern on the board, complete with the necessary spaces between the electrical conducting paths.
When printed circuit boards are assembled by machine, rather than by hand, it obviously takes considerably less time to have a completed product. Some PCB assemblers, for example, can offer a standard turn-around time of 5 days or less. This can make a significant impact when you need a fast PCB prototype or other product.
In many cases, a PCB designer will use copper with a 1 or 2 ounce thickness. When heavy copper printed circuit boards of over 3 ounces are needed, it’s important to note that these can be provide by many PCB manufacturers. Furthermore, these manufacturers can also provide circuit boards with up to a 6 ounce thickness.
When placing and soldering components, a single automatic line can complete the work of 50 hand solder operators. After a PCB inspection has been conducted, it has been determined that the quality of the work is more consistent as well as at a higher standard.
Circuit board assembly services are more efficient, which can obviously make a difference when needing fast prototyping and a finished product. For example, when a solder paste applier, high-speed chip shooter, pick-and-place machine, and infrared oven are placed in a conveyor configuration, 50,000 parts or more can be soldered and placed within an hour.
PCB fabrication and assembly services can save you a considerable amount of time and ensure quality control. This is, of course, essential when you need to have a fast PCB prototype during the final design phase followed by a completed product.