PCB Manufacturing Certifications

VSE’s Top-Class PCB Inspection Techniques, Equipment, and Operators Catch and Correct Defects

There is a lot that goes into the manufacturing of a printed circuit board assembly. From start to finish, many processes involve different levels of machinery, automation, and human intervention. Like a well-rehearsed stage production, all these processes work smoothly together to complete the finished circuit board. While all these processes are vital, one doesn’t have as high a profile as the others—PCB manufacturing certifications.

High-level precision inspection techniques are essential to successfully manufacturing your PCBA. The right components require precise placement and verification of solder joint solidification. Without processes performed by your contract manufacturer to ensure the qualification of critical printed circuit board inspection criteria, you wouldn’t have the assurance that your board adheres to the highest levels of quality, and premature or intermittent circuit board failures would be commonplace.

Supporting Processes for PCB Manufacturing Certifications
Quality Management System (QMS)	ISO 9001 (and for the medical device industry, ISO 13485) helps certified manufacturers create repeatable and reproducible processes.
Trusted Vendor Sourcing	Quality PCB manufacturers only deal with reputable suppliers to avoid counterfeit components that can hinder performance or damage a PCB.
Pre-Production Design Review	Evaluating the board’s BOM, footprints, and layout ensures optimal manufacturing yields, performance, and service life.

PCB Manufacturing Certifications Are at the Heart of Our QMS

Circuit design can be complex, but bringing that design to life is a different challenge. At VSE, we understand the intricacies of both aspects. We are a team of skilled engineers who analyze designs and catch defects before commencing production. We also strive to offer our expertise in any way possible to satisfy our client’s needs.

Automated solder paste inspection (SPI):

SPI systems use a laser scanner and high-resolution image processing to inspect the solder paste shape, volume, and alignment to the pad on the board. The amount of solder paste on a pad can vary depending on the attached component, and the solder’s shape can change depending on the pad type to reduce solder voids or bridges. With small high-density parts like ball grid arrays (BGA) that hide solder joints from automated optical inspection systems, fully effective SPI is essential.

First article manual inspection:

After attaching components to the first circuit board, an inspector checks all parts against the bill of materials (BOM) before the board goes through the solder reflow process. The inspector confirms that the components match the BOM and that their location and rotation are correct to provide a known “golden” board for the automated optical inspection process. This board then passes through the automated optical inspection system to establish a “golden” set of images that the other manufactured boards use as a control.

Automated optical inspection (AOI):

The AOI system will compare components for correct placement and all visible solder joints on subsequently manufactured boards using the known “golden” first article board as the standard. This system uses a combination of illumination wavelengths and high-resolution cameras to check part markings, such as polarity indicators and resistor color bands. It will detect open solder joints, insufficient solder deposition, solder bridges, and misaligned parts.

For those boards with a greater level of complexity in their component placement, there are other inspection techniques that your contract manufacturer can use. The first is an X-ray examination of the board – 2D X-ray systems inspect components, such as BGAs and quad flat no-leads, for alignment and solder defects. There are also automated 3D systems available. Another inspection method is an endoscopic system optimized for inspecting BGA solder joints. It uses a tiny prism at the tip, which can be moved around the entire perimeter of a BGA to inspect for optimal and uniform solder joints.

Our Unrelenting Commitment To Industry-Leading PCB Quality

ISO 9001:2015 | October 2000 – present

ISO 13485:2016 | May 2013 – present

UL 508A | 2018 – present

IPC Corporate Member | October 2004 – present

IPC-A-610 Certified IPC Trainer (CIT)

Your CM Has Their Eye out for PCB Defects

At VSE, we have the experience, equipment, and PCB manufacturing certifications you need for the best quality in the industry. We also optimize our inspection processes and systems for prototype builds, pilot builds, new product introductions (NPIs), and low-to-mid volume manufacturing so that you receive the most benefit for your specific builds. Our inspection processes, test capabilities, and goal to test as much as possible within your constraints maximize the opportunity to find and correct potential defects before your PCBAs are shipped back to you.

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.