A smooth electronics box build process keeps tight time-to-market deadlines on track by minimizing the need for design revisions owing to manufacturing accommodations.
Introduction →
It’s easy to get tunnel vision in engineering: becoming so familiar with a design or project due to the necessary level of granularity can make it difficult to see the forest with the trees. While PCB design and manufacturing is very much a world’s worth of detail, the ancillary design and manufacturing for electronics also require attention. Electronics box builds are a comprehensive solution to PCBA manufacturing, providing the necessary mechanical support and protection for optimal performance.
What Goes Into an Electronics Box Build?
An electronics box build combines the many disparate elements of PCB manufacturing into a single, all-inclusive process. While designers may only need their manufacturer to fabricate and assemble their boards (especially early in the product development cycle, i.e., prototyping), electronics require an enclosure’s protection alongside integration with other sub-assemblies through wires and cables for larger devices. Depending on the manufacturer, these additional services may need subcontracting if the facilities lack the necessary equipment and personnel. Subcontracting can be a satisfactory solution for many manufacturing jobs, provided the communication between multiple parties is adequate; still, it often extends lead times due to shipping/receiving subproducts of the final design. With widely dispersed manufacturers, transit times can become a significant source of delays to manufacturing deadlines.
VSE makes electronic box builds easy by offering a complete turnkey solution for design teams: we can perform the various box build tasks:
Product assembly
Overarching, manufacturers must incorporate a design’s many products and sub-products into a single package for its final, consumer-ready form.
Sub-product assembly
Sub-products could include daughter boards, flex/rigid-flex assemblies, or other manufactured electronic products critical to system operation.
Enclosure design
Electronic devices are delicate, temperamental, and vulnerable to the elements. The system requires adequate housing as a physical barrier to ensure a long service life of optimal performance. Enclosures may also incorporate thermal solutions, physical support (fasteners, vibration/shock absorption, etc.), and electrical grounding to protect the circuit from shorts.
Testing
No electronic device is complete without thorough inspection and testing to ensure field readiness that meets the stated safety, performance, and reliability goals. Beyond these quality assurance checks, test-to-failure measures provide a highly rugged and resilient product that can withstand operating conditions.
Cable assembly
Off-board signals carried by cables need adequate protection, especially if they run outside the enclosure. Custom-crafted cables with shielding to prevent EMI can endure the most demanding applications.
Wire harness assembly
Like signal routing on the PCB, a well-thought-out wire harness can prevent signal performance issues. First-article PCBs will utilize zip ties and other straightforward wire bundling solutions while revisions flesh out the harness’s reliability and repeatability.
The Benefits of a Box Build Manufacturer
A box build is only as good as its weakest link. By partnering with a qualified contract manufacturer in VSE, electronic designers can leverage the experience and aptitude of an organization with over forty years of experience. Keeping the box build design, manufacture, and assembly at a single location also benefits quality outcomes:
- Faster turnaround times – From project receipt to product ship, our processes seamlessly integrate, focusing on the final goal: a quality electronic product that meets design intent and quality standards while exceeding customer expectations. Since VSE can handle all your manufacturing needs, you don’t have to worry about coordinating with multiple contractors or subcontractors to complete your box build.
- Localized manufacturing – Our San Jose and Reno facilities allow us to deftly meet our customers’ electronics manufacturing needs in two industry hotbeds. Domestic shipping beyond these cities takes days—not weeks like overseas—and scheduling facility walkthroughs or speaking to one of our representatives or engineers during your regular working hours is easy.
- Quality for multiple industries – VSE’s certified experience in PCB contract manufacturing across many domains means we can better serve all electronic devices while broadly applying our knowledge gained in particular industry applications.
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Your Contract Manufacturer Handles All Stages of Electronics Production
Electronics box builds are complex manufacturing products that stress the “mechanical” portion of the electromechanical PCB terminology. Many contract manufacturers can produce a PCBA, but can they guarantee seamless integration into the enclosure, create custom cables on-site, and optimize the wire harness to maximize service life? While electronics are at the heart of PCB manufacturing, a robust mechanical design buttresses device reliability. Our engineers are committed to building electronics for our customers, including a complete system-level manufacturing analysis. By accounting for these manufacturing aspects, no late budget or deadline surprises will throw a wrench into product delivery.
If you are looking for a CM that prides itself on its care and attention to detail to ensure that each PCB assembly is built to the highest standards, look no further than VSE. Contact us today to learn more about partnering with us for your next project.