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The processor for our new design only exists in a BGA package, how can we assemble our own prototypes? |
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If like most development teams all you have is a soldering iron and simple rework tools things become difficult. Without a suitable re-flow oven or specialist BGA re-work station we would advise against doing it yourself.
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Our engineers are perfectly capable of assembling the prototypes by hand, why should we consider using Norcott EMS? |
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We see our role as accelerating your time to market. The time that your engineers would spend building prototypes can be more effectively deployed in undertaking other key parts of the overall project.
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Why do you assemble prototypes by machine - surely it is more cost effective to use hand assembly? |
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If you only need one or two prototypes then hand assembly might appear more cost effective. From conversations with our customers we have found that the quality and consistency of machine built prototypes provides a significant time and cost advantage during the debugging process. The engineers spend less time identifying build errors and can concentrate on the design debug process.
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Is it true that the PCB layout of a BGA footprint is critical for a good result? |
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It's true. A poorly designed PCB footprint can cause a host of problems during assembly. By following some simple guidelines it is possible to achieve a good result. If you need assistance or advice please contact us.
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If I have samples or have already purchased parts for this project would you be able to use them? |
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A qualified Yes. If the components are in good condition then we can use them successfully. A common problem is lead co-planarity that affects joint quality, especially on large fine pitch QFPs. We are always happy comment on the practicality of using a component.
We also appreciate that sample devices can sometimes be the only way to get the latest silicon for your prototypes and they must be used. If necessary we can get the devices re-manufactured including lead straightening and re-balling.
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Most of the components on our design are surface mount resistors and capacitors. Creating a kit for these is a real pain. Do you have any suggestions? |
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Yes. With our extensive in house stocks of basic passive components we can cross-reference your bill of materials and save you kitting time.
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We have our own in-house assembly facility. Would you consider building our prototypes? |
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An unqualified yes! We have several customers that have their own production facilities either in the EU or offshore, but choose to have the prototypes built at Norcott EMS. Some of the reasons given are:
> Timescale: “Our next free production slot was in three weeks!”
> Cost: “We cannot afford to shutdown our main production line to mess about with prototypes!”
> Location: “Our main production facility is in Mexico!”
> Quality: “All except one of the boards fired up first time – that’s much better than our previous prototypes.”
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We need to assemble prototypes rapidly. Is your 3-day assembly service really achievable? |
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Running the component procurement in parallel with the PCB design and manufacture ensures that all the assembly data and materials are available on day one of production at Norcott EMS. As a result we have assembled hundreds of prototype boards on three days or less.
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We are not sure how many prototypes we will need. Ideally we would like to build two or three and if they are okay build more. Can you help? |
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Flexibility is a key part of our service and so changing quantities at short notice is not usually a problem, assuming that the material is available. The assembly charges will vary according to what is actually built and how many assembly runs are required. We are always happy to discuss how we can tailor our service to suit your exact requirements.
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Once we have the prototypes working could you help us with the production volumes? |
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In most cases yes. We have the capability to place over 1 million components per month and we can support low to medium volume production.
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When we go into production we will only need 20-30 boards a month. Could you help? |
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We regularly build volumes of this level for our customers. Machine assembly and a fully computerised bar-coded inventory system ensure batch-to-batch consistency and component tracking. Our flexible scheduled order system allows customers to manage variations in demand whilst achieving cost savings.
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I've heard that having product built in the Far East is much cheaper. Is that true? |
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For stable production boards this is certainly true. The experience of our customers is that initial lead-times can be 6-12 weeks and changing the design (ECOs) or production quantities can be difficult. We are happy to work with customers alongside a volume supply route to provide a 'top-up' service, and handle prototypes and initial volumes for new product introductions. This keeps the overall unit cost low whilst providing unrivalled flexibility.
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What information would you need to give us a quotation for assembly? |
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We would require:
> The quantity of units to be built
> The bill of materials - indicating any free issue material
> PCB Gerber files - including any panel information
> Any specific build information - e.g. mechanical fixings
> Any functional test requirements
> Required delivery date
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Can Norcott EMS help us with the design of our product? |
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We have access to a talented team of design engineers within the Norcott Technologies group who can help with many areas of electronics, from initial product development through to full manufacturing support. For further information see the Norcott Technologies Website.
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I've got an SMT PCB design and have heard that I need to add fiducial marks, but what are they and why do I need them? |
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The fiducial marks appear as a copper feature on the PCB. They are there to assist with the optical alignment of the components when placed on the board by the assembly equipment. They act as reference points on the board so the machines can accurately calculate and compensate for any stretch and skew of the board during the PCB manufacturing process.
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Why do I need to panellise my PCB design? |
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PCB designs are panellised for a number of reasons, but are usually done to optimise the costs of PCB manufacture and the most efficient use of the component placement machine time. Panellisation is usually done to suit the intended production line and processes. For a detailed technical reference download our PCB panel design technical note.
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I've got a design that needs several pull up and pull down resistors of the same value. Is it more cost effective to make use of SMT 0805 resistor packs or individual 0603 SMT resistors? |
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Although the component cost of the resistor pack is equivalent or slightly higher than the combined cost of the 4 individual resistors, it is more cost effective to utilise the resistor pack, as they only require one component placement and one inspection during assembly. The combined cost of the component plus assembly overhead is therefore lower for the resistor pack implementation.
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