PCB manufacturing is a major part of many different industries nowadays. The need for these services only seems to be growing – there are thousands of manufacturers to choose from out there.
If you’re new to the world of circuit board manufacturing, all of this probably feels a bit overwhelming.
So, in this article, we’ve decided to facilitate your PCB journey by providing you with some tips and tricks on finding a supplier who can fulfill all of your needs and requirements.
Without any further ado, let’s get right to the bottom of it!
Table of Contents
1. Ask the right questions
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As we’ve already mentioned before, PCB manufacturing is a vast industry. Once you start researching different suppliers, they might all seem very similar to each other. The only way you can distinguish quality manufacturers from the „bad apples“ of the industry is by asking the right questions. Don’t hesitate to contact every supplier you come across during your research. Ask them about their processes, materials, technologies, and prices – everything you need to determine their reliability.
Examples of good questions are:
- What types of capabilities do you possess?
- Can you describe your experience with 10-layer PCB manufacturing?
- Any referrals or client testimonials?
- Do you have internal systems in place to check for design irregularities that could cause production delays?
- Can you describe your customer support policies and systems?
2. Compare different suppliers.
The best way to find a trustworthy PCB manufacturer is by carefully comparing their positives and negatives.
Even if you’ve already narrowed down your list too, let’s say, ten different suppliers who seem reliable, deciding the best one for your needs can be quite difficult. So, we recommend putting it all on paper – who has more experience? Better pricing? Who’s closer to you geographically?
Once you have it all in one place, making a final decision will become much easier. Make sure you don’t base your choice completely on the price they offer. Quality should be your primary concern – 10-layer PCB manufacturing can be complex and expensive, so if your product ends up malfunctioning, you’ll be wasting a fortune for nothing. In other words, if a deal sounds too good to be true, take it as a red flag.
3. Contact the manufacturer directly
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If you’re not able to work with someone local to your country, you might be tempted to hire a middleman to help you look for manufacturers overseas. While there’s nothing wrong with middlemen, doing it yourself is much cheaper – especially if you’re knowledgeable about circuit boards already.
Again, we’re not saying middlemen are always a bad choice, but contacting the manufacturer directly makes more sense for smaller projects and labs.
So, look for ways to contact the suppliers – most of them have their own websites and customer supports that are internationally available (so you won’t have to worry about language barriers in most cases).
4. Read online reviews and ratings.
Google is your best friend when you’re looking for PCB manufacturers online. Dig as much as you can until you find options that suit your needs and requirements. As we’ve already mentioned before, most international PCB companies that deal with 10-layer PCB fabrication have their own website where you can learn more about their capabilities and pricing.
Online reviews and ratings may not always be 100% accurate, but they’re nonetheless a good place to start your research.
Now, of course, make sure the manufacturer of your choice has a functional website you can look at. In this day and age, companies without any online presence are most likely not worth your time or energy. If you’re interested in seeing an example of what to look for in a 10-layer PCB manufacturer, you can do so at this website.
5. Consider your budget
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As we’ve mentioned before in this article, quality should be your primary focus when it comes to the 10-layer PCB fabrication. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll need to overextend your budget and go into bankruptcy to be able to achieve this! Balance is key. Look for manufacturers who suit your requirements AND your budget properly – they’re certainly out there somewhere.
Of course, you can always find ways to reduce your costs – simplifying your design, choosing different materials, or decreasing the size of the board, for example.
Either way, make sure you never compromise the quality of your 10-layer PCB fabrication, even if it costs you a little extra at the beginning.
6. Availability.
In most PCB-related projects, time is of the essence. Even if you’ve found a manufacturer that fits your budgetary limitations and technical requirements, it will all amount to nothing if they can’t respect your schedule.
Asking for their turnaround times right off the bat is of the utmost importance. Don’t hesitate to do it before you make your order. Be specific about your project requirements and don’t forget to be as direct as possible.
Again, the supplier’s availability is a crucial aspect of choosing the right manufacturer for your project. Make sure to check it in time.
7. If you can’t find anything online, ask for recommendations
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If you’re unable to find something that suits your requirements online, you can always ask your colleagues, business partners, and friends for advice. It’s an old-fashioned way of doing things, but it can certainly help you narrow down your choices.
Either way, we’re certain you’ll eventually find what you’ve been looking for – there’s such a wide range of choices available nowadays.
The bottom line
All in all, finding a trustworthy PCB manufacturer online can be a bit difficult for an industry newbie. There are many companies to pick from, all of which have their own unique advantages and disadvantages.
In this article, we’ve provided you with some practical tips on finding a supplier who can handle your 10-layer PCB fabrication as quickly as possible.
We hope you found it to be useful, and we wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.
