Panelization Optimize Pcb Manufacturing Assembly Throughput
After a careful and thorough PCB design process, including considerations for EMI/EMC and thermal, the final product must go through a rigorous inspection, testing, and soldering. This process is costly when done for each individual board, but when combined into a single panel for processing, it’s much cheaper and more efficient. This is why it’s so important to plan for panelization early in the design stage.
PCB Panelization involves placing multiple identical Printed Circuit Boards on a larger panel to make it easier and faster for a contract manufacturer to produce large quantities. It is used to reduce manufacturing costs and increase the speed of production while ensuring quality and accuracy. There are several different ways to do this, but the most popular methods include V-Score and Tab Routing.
Both of these methods are effective, but the shape of the pcb manufacturing assembly that will make up an array and their proximity to one another is very important. For instance, if a PCB has edge components that require more mechanical strength, tab routing may be a better option than V-scoring, which can leave jagged edges on the individual boards.
How Does Panelization Optimize Pcb Manufacturing Assembly Throughput?
In addition, the thickness of the individual PCBs also plays a role. A thicker PCB will generally be more difficult to break apart, and if there’s metal exposed on the edges of a board that’s been cut by either v-scoring or routing, it can lead to shorts during assembly. This is why it’s very important to plan for panelization in advance and discuss your options with the contract manufacturer.
Increased yield: Since multiple identical PCBs are produced on a single panel, it’s easy to ensure that each individual board has been checked for defects before it leaves the factory. This helps to prevent mistakes or defects from being passed from one panel to the next, which could result in an entire batch of defective products.
Faster assembly: The panels can be quickly broken apart with a machine, which is much faster than the slow, labor-intensive process of breaking apart individual boards by hand. This can save time and money for the fabrication shop, and can help them meet deadlines to ship orders.
A key step in the assembly process is the application of solder paste. This paste, made of tiny solder particles suspended in flux, is applied to the PCB’s surface at specific points using a stencil. The solder paste ensures a strong connection between the components and the PCB. After the paste is applied, components are placed on the board using pick-and-place machines, which operate with high speed and precision.
Taking steps to plan for panelization during the PCB design phase can significantly improve production efficiency. For example, if your prototype has a standard panel size that a contract manufacturer can handle, you’ll be able to produce the entire batch with minimal waste. This will allow you to keep your design costs low, even if the number of orders increases. It’s also important to consider the tooling constraints of your fabricator when planning for panelization, as this can impact the exact features you need added to your panels.
