How to avoid production delays and have PCBs on time
How to get your PCBs on time? The data supplied by the customer to prepare the production documentation for PCB production must meet certain criteria to ensure efficient and error-free processing.
1. Common errors in customer data designs
At Gatema PCB, we prefer data in the ODB++ format, because this format preserves attributes from the design software and helps prevent errors such as mirrored layers or an incorrect order of internal layers. At the same time, if the production data is supplied in both ODB++ and Gerber formats, we automatically use the ODB++ format for processing and assume that the production data in both formats is identical. This helps us avoid unnecessary delays and ensures that customers can get their PCBs on time.
Missing or incorrect labeling tends to be the most common cause of problems because many design systems allow mirrored data output.
For this reason, it is always necessary to label circuits TOP and BOT in copper. Correct marking of TOP and BOT in the copper of the board provides information about the layer definition as well as the orientation of the layers.
The most common cases of changes according to the technical preparation of production
As circuit boards become more sophisticated and miniaturized, designers face more pitfalls related to data preparation. Because there are many opportunities for errors in PCB design preparation, Václav Ambrož, CAM Manager, summarizes the most common cases.
2. Sending outdated data can prevent customers from getting their PCBs on Time
“The customer sends data, which we process in the Technical Production Preparation Department. The order is confirmed and the customer is sent a preview, in case of gerber data for checking. On the basis of these, the customer discovers that he has sent an older version of the data by mistake. The order must then be processed again from the current data.”
“Sometimes, however, customers fail to notice the mistake and approve everything. By the time the order processed using outdated data is already in production, the customer only then discovers the error. Resolving the issue afterwards is much more complicated, especially in terms of time, resulting in unpleasant production delays and meaning that the customer does not have their PCBs on time,” says Ambrož.
He adds another example: a customer orders a PCB with specific requirements (PCB thickness, surface finish, Cu thickness, solder mask color, etc.) and, after the order has been processed and released for production, realizes that they want to change something in the specification. “Sometimes this can be changed without any problems, but in other cases it causes complications, especially when the order is already in production. This can result in delays and make it difficult for the customer to get their PCBs on time,” he adds.
3. Requested specification change for an order from a priced demand
“It also happens that a customer requests the production of a plate,” Ambrož continues. “Based on his data and specification, a quotation is created for him, in which the board is completely specified, including panelisation, customer panel dimensions, etc. Based on this quote, the customer orders the board.”
“We process the production documentation in our technical preparation department based on the customer’s data, specifications, and the details provided in the quotation. After receiving the inspection documentation, the customer wants to make some changes (typically modifying the customer panel), even though the PCB was ordered according to the quotation, where everything had been specified precisely.”
“This means we have to go back to the beginning again, making it impossible for the customer to get their PCBs on time,” explains Václav Ambrož, describing the resulting delay.
4 . Customer data does not meet our technical conditions
“This is a pretty broad area. In general, a customer may have a board designed that does not meet some of our specifications. We then need to work this out with the customer, and in the extreme case the order may be cancelled by us due to non-producibility.” The CAM manager added common production delays and requests from customers delay the completion of orders.
At Gatema PCB, we strive to prevent errors and production delays so that our customers can have their PCBs on time. Customers can use the PCB configurator to configure the technical parameters of their PCBs in advance, helping to avoid technically unfeasible requirements.
The boards can be panelized either with a groove or using a 2.0 mm milling cutter to create tabs. However, such a panel can contain only one type of board. It is necessary to specify the XY multiplicity, the total number of required pieces, and the width of the technological border. If no width is specified, a standard width of 10 mm is used. For this purpose, the easiest way to verify whether the panel can be manufactured is to submit the panelization request through our PCB configurator.
We have also prepared a detailed PCB Designer’s Guide for our customers. It contains all the necessary technical data and instructions for preparing production files. The guide also provides a range of rules and manufacturing limits that should be considered when designing a printed circuit board, whether it is rigid, flexible, or rigid-flex. Taking these requirements into account from the outset can help prevent delays during production clarification and ensure that customers get their PCBs on time.
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It also contains essential information and answers to questions you may have, from the materials used to the aspect ratio of drilled holes and the selection of the right technology. By following these basic parameters, we can save you a great deal of time during the PCB ordering and manufacturing process, helping to ensure that you get your PCBs on time.