We begin choose PCB manufacturer after a PCB be finished layout. What jobs do we need to do before we choose the factory?
1. Outputs gerber file and drilling file
Some engineer designed the PCB files and sent them to the PCB board factory directly. The PCB board factory has to transform the Gerber files on its own. Some companies require the conversion of PCB files to GERBER and drilled files to PCB factory. Because PCB engineers do not understand the functions and applications of electronic components, they will only produce according to the information provided by PCB. Maybe the GERBER file transferred from PCB factory is not what you want.
If the parameters of the components are defined in the PCB file at the time of design, they do not want these parameters to be displayed on the PCB finished products. If not specifically explained, the PCB factory engineers output these parameters to Gerber, this information will remain on the PCB finished product. Some engineers like to design metallized slot in the outline layer. If PCB spec instructions are not provided, PCB engineers may make the slot non metallized. If you convert your PCB files to GERBER files, you can avoid such incidents.
The GERBER file is an international standard drawing format file, which contains two formats of RS-274-D and RS-274-X, in which RS-274-D is called the basic GERBER format, and a D code file can be incidentally attached to a complete description of a graph. RS-274-X is called extended GERBER format, which contains D code information in itself. Commonly used CAD software can generate these two format files. Now it is generally required to produce GERBER files to the board plant in RS-274-X format.
How do you check the generated GERBER correctness? You can use the CAM350 software to import these GERBER files and D code files, you can see them on the screen or print them through the printer, then confirm them.
2. How to choose PCB manufacturer
- The most challenging place for PCB is the contradiction between design and manufacturing cost capability. The multi-layer board can make use of narrow line space to complete the demanding signal quality. After the completion of PCB layout, it is perfect. But the problem is coming up, and sending out quotations to the PCB factory. 3 of the 5 companies have difficulty in feedback and exceed the technological capability. It is very important to understand the process capability of PCB board plant. You have to know if your PCB is designed and whether PCB manufacturer can produce it. A reasonable and optimal PCB is to take into account the cost and routing complexity. The more layers, the better the line, but the cost is high.
- Understand each production cost of PCB plate plant: stacking, blind hole, hole, plug hole, back drilling, machining precision, drilling ratio requirement, line width and so on, can estimate the price at the initial stage of the principle map, even consider the cost in the design, so that the final product has the price competitive power.
- PCB board actual production capacity inspection, line width check, line spacing, line hole distance and so on.
- Produce PCB board file, produced by PCB manufacturer.
All these jobs be finished, you will get your own designs after a week.