Keywords; PCBA China, PCBA Assembly China

The most significant steps for the successful layout design of a PCB are represented by the First article assembly and client approval. Almost all queries related to its testing, assembly, and fabrication is answered by Approval of the first article circuit board for PCBA China. This article will let you know about the first article assembly in a broad spectrum.

For the benefit of the customers, companies offer the first article assembly service. For the prototype, they offer the most suitable cost structure in this service. To offer clients required suggestions and ideas on design, they have experienced staff. Reducing costs and improving the manufacturing process, these staffs use their extensive knowledge so that the process moves forward comfortably towards the placement of order.

Significance of first article assembly for PCBA China

The first article assembly process is a highly significant step for every PCB. When circuit boards are fabricated in a current work order, multiplication of the error can occur due to any small error in the machine setup. Hence for assembling the first article, using stringent quality inspection techniques is necessary. To fabricate a PCB, companies train their engineers providing evidence of concept validation. Statistical process control methods are used by their inspection team to demonstrate the techniques used for supervising the PCB assembly process.

Modern techniques such as X-ray Inspection are used for BGA and leadless component assembly to check the soldering on the joints. For verifying other placement, component orientation, and solder joints, Automatic Optical Inspection is used. Regarding their quality methods, they offer any additional information if the customer needs it. If they require any modification of services or quick shipping of first assembled PCBs, they don’t demand an extra charge. 

They inspect the boards and inform the companies about any changes necessary once the customer receives the first article PCB service boards. At no extra cost to the customer, the companies take up the required modifications in another set-up for the PCB assembly line and the programming of our machines.

First article inspection

First article inspection is a documented, independent, complete, functional, and physical inspection process. Verifying the production methods used by the PCB manufacturer to produce an acceptable PCB as mentioned by the applicable design documents, specifications, and/or engineering drawings are the intention. Providing objective evidence that all specification and design requirements are exhaustively recorded and verified is the purpose of a first article inspection.

However, sometimes OEMs and suppliers are unaware of the importance and purpose of the first article inspection. Thus, loss of time and money occurs, which creates havoc in both production and design. A qualification report for a new PCB is required by a custom design center initially in most cases. This is to verify whether demonstration, test, inspection, or analysis has met all design characteristics. Individual design characteristics, including reliability data, must be captured by the qualification report. Sometimes destructive testing may be required by this. The supplier is ready to go turnkey on qualification of a PCBA Assembly China and a first article inspection is required at this stage.

Significance of First article inspection

Basically, the processes used by the manufacturer are qualified by the qualification report. If these processes output a PCB as expected during normal production builds is verified by the first article inspection. Procured vendor parts don’t come under the first article inspection. Typically, when the supplier has never previously built the PCB, and the manufacturer builds to the customer’s technical data package, it is used.

Key product characteristics are offered by the First article inspection and assembly that drive product performance. It is likely that other PCBs produced will also not conform if the first PCB from the production process is faulty. To verify items have passed, mistakes are not made and no steps are skipped, companies ensure that quality engineer reviews the first article inspection in detail before the release of a shipment for this reason. To ensure the PCB meets all design requirements, validation whether all the requirements mentioned, such as notes on a drawing are given a careful review by the quality engineer. Whether the deviation is significant from the expected nominal and the amount of process shift are indicated by this data.

To ensure the design intent is met by PCB design characteristics forwarded to the manufacturer when the PCB is actually produced, the first article inspection is a standard process. The first article inspection may be repeated by the customer either in part or entirely if there are changes like:

• If the functioning, fit, or form of the PCB is significantly affected by the design change
• The location or source Change where the PCB is produced
• Any alteration in a vendor-supplied item with a revision factor or an age factor
• If any a significant change has occurred in the manufacturing equipment
• If there is a remarkable change in the processes related to testing, assembly, manufacturing, or inspection
• For a significant amount of time, the production process has been interrupted
• If the manufacturing processes are adversely affected by a man-made or natural occurrence
• Any change in test personnel or manufacturing on the product line.
• There is significant test yields degradation

Therefore, clarifying the purpose of the first article inspection is necessary for the customers so that companies can mitigate the issues described above. Therefore, many companies even never consider the first article inspection as just another check in the box like other suppliers do.

Two Purposes of First Article Inspection for PCB Assembly

The first article inspection process generally serves two major purposes. Inspection and validation of all documented requirements are the first. The establishment of the manufacturing POR or Plan of Record for the production line is the second. They must replicate it on an ongoing basis once the manufacturer establishes the POR. This ensures documented requirements are met by the manufacturer for all future production runs. It provides assurance that each board will be manufactured by the manufacturer as per the same process and that each board will identically function.

When an existing design undergoes a revision and for a new printed-circuit-board (PCB) design, the first article build process is meant. Unless the customer is revising the board, the manufacturer can’t change the POR. The changes must be validated when a design is due for revision. Producing a new first article will be necessary at that point.

Conclusion

It is important that the customer and the supplier must be easily able to read the first article inspection report and it must be in an organized format. For any part of the PCBA China or PCB in the report, anyone must be able to locate a certificate of conformance.