Electronics Manufacturing Service Provider Needs from You
Contract electronics manufacturing service or EMS providers typically work with clients in a vast selection of industries with differing requirements for stock management, testing, product packaging, and product service. In certain programs, the EMS provider simply assembles the printed circuit boards and then ships the boards to the client. In other programs, the EMS provider will build the printed circuit board, load firmware/software into memory, test the board, and then build the board and related cables, enclosures, and documentation into a finished product that’s shipped to the client. Some customers will offer all the materials, raw boards and electronic components, required to get work along with the EMS provider assemblies the printed circuit boards, performs any necessary testing, and ships the finished boards to the client. This is usually regarded as inventory supplied on a consignment basis where the EMS provider essentially supplies labour and experience only. Some customers supply some portion on the substances, such as specialization or higher cost integrated circuits, proprietary components such as transformers or coils, raw printed circuit boards, etc. and rely upon the EMS provider to buy the rest of the components required to build the boards. Most EMS providers prefer using their own buying power, their extensive contacts, and their present parts inventory where applicable to offer all the necessary materials for a client’s particular project. This method is usually regarded as inventory supplied on a turn-key basis. <!–More–>
However, before any of this can occur, the EMS provider must offer an assembled board quotation or pricing quote to the client for the job. Besides the quantity commitments, manufacturing release amount and yearly usage amount, this pricing procedure also takes a detailed bill of material from the client along with a set of the Gerber files for the printed circuit boards. The BOM should define each the components together with the authorized vendor and vendor’s part number for each element. This information permits the Materials Management group to ascertain accessibility, packaging, and pricing for each element based on the amounts and seller information. The BOM information is also required to allow a technical review to ascertain the quantity of work and the equipment needed to set the components and to solder the components to the board.
The Gerber files for the printed circuit board design supply Materials Management together with the information they require so as to find raw board pricing and lead times from the printed circuit board production sellers. The Gerber files also offer the Manufacturing Group with the information they need to create the production program, are elements on top only or top and bottom of board; surface mount, through hole, or blended part types; wave solder or reflow oven procedures required, etc.. The Manufacturing Group also has to estimate time to plan the part placement equipment and also to load the elements in the positioning feeders, set-up expenses, costs to dictate the solder paste stencils, and must also measure test plans, procedures, and necessary test equipment. To be able to properly place components on the printed circuit board with every element correctly oriented, the EMS provider will require silkscreen files to be aware of the proper orientation of the components on both sides of the board. The display paste file for surface mount applications will be asked to order the stencils for the solder paste application to the board before the part placements.
All this might appear to be a whole lot of information, but every piece is necessary in order to offer the most cost effective pricing to your finished product. Fortunately, the Gerber files are often readily available in the pcb design system as the Gerber format is the industry standard output format. The BOM is normally in the form of an Excel spreadsheet or formal drawing. Help your EMS provider by providing the approved vendor’s name and part number for each element. Learn more about what is the difference between electronics and electromechanical systems. For more info, visit us on Communications & Networking in Alberta.
In Summary:
The information required to prepare an accurate quote for a typical printed circuit board assembly job comprises:
-Definition of stock method, consignment, partial consignment, or turn-key.
-Complete Bill of Material with at least one manufacturer’s name and part number for each element together with notes identifying any elements to be provided by the customer.
-Gerber files for the printed circuit board designs.
-Estimated Annual Usage, EAU, production and quantities discharge amounts.
-Name of contact person, along with their telephone number, fax number, and email address. Additional information that may be helpful if you have it available:
-Assembly, schematic, and PCB drawings.
-Sample board assembly or prototype board assembly to assess.
-Evaluation requirements and procedures needed by the customer.
