PCBA is one of the core components of the electronic manufacturing industry, involving multiple complex process steps and precise technical operations.
The production process of PCBA includes project evaluation and PCB board design, component procurement and inspection, solder paste printing and surface mount processing, reflow soldering and plug-in, wave soldering and cleaning, assembly, testing and packaging processes.
1、 Project evaluation and PCB board design
The starting point of the PCBA production process is usually project evaluation.
At this stage, the factory will have in-depth communication with customers to clarify key information such as product functional requirements, performance indicators, production quantities, and cycles.
According to customer needs and product specifications, a professional design team will use design software to carry out circuit wiring, component layout, and hierarchical design work.
After the design is completed, simulation analysis is required to ensure the rationality and reliability of the design.
Next, according to the design requirements, suitable materials and processes are selected to manufacture the PCB board, which includes complex process flows such as cutting, drilling, etching, electroplating, and surface treatment of the circuit board.
2、 Component procurement and inspection
The OEM will purchase components based on the material list provided by the customer.
In order to ensure the stable quality of components, each component undergoes strict inspection and screening to ensure that it meets production requirements.
This step is crucial because the quality of the components directly affects the performance and reliability of the final product.
3、 Solder paste printing and surface mount processing
After the PCB board is ready, the next step is solder paste printing.
Solder paste is a mixture of solder and flux used to connect component pins and PCB pads.
Print the solder paste onto the solder pads of the PCB through screen printing to prepare for subsequent soldering work.
SMT processing is one of the key steps in PCBA production.
Use high-precision automatic surface mount machines to accurately place surface mount components on PCB pads printed with solder paste.
The surface mount machine uses vacuum nozzles or robotic arms to pick up and place components, ensuring that each component can be accurately placed on the corresponding solder pad.
4、 Reflow soldering and plug-in
Reflow soldering is the process of sending a PCB board with already installed components into a reflow soldering furnace, where the solder paste is melted at high temperatures to firmly solder the components onto the PCB board.
The temperature curve of reflow soldering needs to be strictly controlled to ensure soldering quality and prevent damage to components.
For large connectors, electrolytic capacitors, sockets, and other components that are not suitable for SMT technology, as well as surface mount components that cannot be mounted on certain machines, manual or automatic plug-in operations are required.
After the plug-in is completed, there are both surface mount components and plug-in components on the PCB board.
5、 Wave soldering and cleaning
Wave soldering is the process of feeding a PCB board into a molten solder pool through the conveyor belt of a wave soldering machine, allowing the solder to wet the exposed pins on the bottom surface of the PCB board, and then forming solder joints that are tightly interconnected.
This step is mainly used for welding through-hole plug-in components, with reliable welding quality and stable connection.
After welding is completed, the circuit board needs to be cleaned to remove residual solder flux and other contaminants during the welding process.
This is usually done through chemical cleaning or ultrasonic cleaning to ensure the cleanliness of the PCB surface and prevent it from corroding the circuit board or affecting subsequent use.
6、 Assembly, testing, and packaging
The cleaned PCBA board will be assembled, such as installing the casing and connecting the power supply.
Then proceed with final testing to verify the overall functionality and performance of the product.
Testing includes online testing, functional testing, etc., to ensure that the circuit board has no short circuits, open circuits, or other phenomena, and that all functions are implemented normally.
Finally, clean, package, label, and provide anti-static and moisture-proof protection for qualified products before preparing to ship to customers.
Thus, the production process of PCBA has been successfully completed.
