PCB Quality: Metrics, Standards, and Manufacturer Tips

VSE’s End-To-End Services and Turnkey Solutions Adhere to the Industry’s Highest Standards

Valley Services Electronics is committed to optimizing PCB quality with manufacturing services that strive for a zero-defect mentality. Our dedication to excellence permeates every aspect of our operations, from engineering and design to manufacturing and testing. Our clients’ solutions are our top priority, and we take pride in consistently delivering exceptional results. We approach every job carefully and take pride in our work, treating each project as our design. This unwavering commitment to quality is how we consistently deliver outstanding results.

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How to Identify Manufacturing PCB Quality
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.

OUR UNRELENTING COMMITMENT TO INDUSTRY-LEADING PCB QUALITY

VSE has sought industry certifications to serve our partners better as we’ve grown. For our customers working in the medical, semiconductor, biotech, and similar industries, tight manufacturing tolerances and design suitability require exacting control over every aspect of production. We’ve risen to meet this challenge and can ensure our PCB manufacturing processes meet these industry-recognized standards:

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)

Certifications

Our certifications show our ongoing commitment to developing and refining our processes as much as our products. We seek continuing education and certification to offer you the benefit of our growing body of knowledge and experience. Some of our certification achievements – like ISO 13485:2016 for medical devices – were born out of a desire to grow our abilities, but now enable us to deliver more value to our customers in the medical industry. As we continue to expand our capacities for every industry we serve, our dual commitment to quality and our customers will help you meet deadlines and production benchmarks.

ASSEMBLY IS AT THE HEART OF OUR QUALITY ELECTRONIC MANUFACTURING SERVICES

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 dedicated to quality electronic manufacturing services for our customers. We also strive to offer our expertise in any way possible to satisfy our client’s needs.

Layout review – We can enact mutually agreed-upon ECOs and revisions without additional input from our customers. We balance high quality and reliability against cost and manufacturing complexity to maintain design intent with rapid turnaround times.

BOM review/procurement – Component sourcing has become more critical than ever, with long lead times and shortages. We examine every BOM for obsolescence and end-of-life (EoL) production status before leveraging our over forty-year business relationships for bulk purchasing—your components are available faster and at a lower cost.

PCB manufacturing – Our pick-and-place machine can handle modern electronics’ high-density placement and soldering requirements, including a team of trained technicians for manual soldering of components sensitive or otherwise incompatible with automated processes. We can handle flex and rigid-flex assemblies that have become prominent with small form factors.

Enclosure design – Maintaining reliability in electronic systems is paramount for several industries and applications. Yet, as much attention as the soundness of the PCBA receives, a suitable enclosure will go a long way to preventing damage and poor conditions that can reduce a product’s service life.

Wire harness – As electronic systems grow more complex, so do their testing regiments and intra-board connections. A well-organized wire harness aids in testing and troubleshooting while maintaining the mechanical integrity of connectors.

Between our original San Jose facility for NPIs and our new Reno site for high-volume manufacturing, we can cover your PCB production from prototype to established design or anywhere in between.

QUALITY-FIRST PCB PRODUCTION WITH EXPERIENCE

Whether you’re using VSE for production runs or prototypes, our PCB quality remains the same. For production runs, we deliver a fully compliant first article, complete with documentation, and maintain that quality throughout the entire production run. An expedited prototype builds through a quick-turn process and immediately puts a working board in your hands. Our clients are often so pleased with our adherence to quality processes under tight deadlines that they also retain our services for the production stage. Our complete package of quality electronic manufacturing services, partnered with our unparalleled customer service, allows VSE to rise above other EMS solution providers. We’ve helped innovative companies worldwide bring life-changing and life-saving products to the market.

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.