A Day in the Life of a PCB Manufacturing Process
Before undertaking a design for manufacturing process, it is important to understand the underlying process behind producing a physical PCB. Regardless of the various technologies present in each facility, a large majority of industry-leading manufacturers follow a specific set of steps to turn your design from digital bits to physical boards. The steps in this process are outlined in Figure 1 and include:
Standard PCB Manufacturing Process
- Data Transfer from Customer
- Data Prep
- Cores/Laminate
- Dry Film Resist Coating
- Place Artwork
- Expose Panels to Ultraviolet Light
- Develop Panels (resist removal)
- Etch
- Strip Resist
- Oxide Coating
- Multilayer Lamination
- Primary Drillingn
- Deburr and Clean
- Desmear
- Copper Deposition
- Dry Film Photoresist Coat
- Expose and Develop
- Copper Pattern Plate (electroplating)
- Strip Resist
- Etch
- Solder Mask and Cure
- Hot Air Solder Leveling (most common PCB surface finish)
- Surface Finishes
- Legend and Cure
- Fabrication and Routing
- Electrical Test/Final inspection
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With the final curing of your board complete, a manufacturer will then begin the electrical test process with the provided test points you established on your board layout. All boards that pass this verification process are considered complete and then make their way through shipping and transport.
Typical Cost Drivers in the PCB Manufacturing Process
The cost to have your board manufactured is largely determined by the specific materials and parts that you specify during your design phase.
Making Manufacturing-Conscious Design Decisions
By understanding this knowledge about the typical PCB manufacturing process, you will be well on your way towards making more informed choices at design time for materials and part selections. Now, let’s jump into a practical design for manufacturing process, starting with material selection.
