RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

What are the Requirements for Building a Circuit Board

Prototype?

Testing your schematic design and prototyping it is a very significant stage during the process of PCB
manufacturing. With prototype printed circuit boards, you will be able to spot any design flaw and find
solutions to them.

Before sending your product to the PCB manufacturer, you have to ensure that you’ve checked out all the
design flaws and bugs. You definitely don’t want lots of defected or faulty products attributed to your name.

Furthermore, when you prototype the pattern of your circuit board, this is another concept proof. Both is
useful in showing proof of your property and demonstrating this product to your potential buyers and
investors.

But, what does prototype PCB board mean? Here, we will address what prototype pcbs are, their uses as well
as the build requirements they are involved with.

Request Prototype PCB Manufacturing Quote now

Table of Contents

What is a Prototype Circuit Board?

Prototype printed circuit boards form an important step in the process of designing an electrical item.
Furthermore, they utilize conductive tracks in connecting components.

Also, in contrast to the traditional circuit boards, the printed circuit boards feature lower costs of
manufacturing. Due to their printed nature, process of complex wiring isn’t necessary.

Furthermore, businesses offering electronic design can get some benefit from quicker turnaround time,
because the process of PCB manufacturing is less labor-intensive compared to the traditional circuit boards.

Because of the absence of wiring, the PCBs are usually more reliable and safer. Furthermore, using PCBs
will also prevent the wires from breaking loose or snapping.

Differences Between Solderless Breadboards and Prototype PCBs

A breadboard without solder is very useful in the development of electronics. They have been useful since
the 1970s. The breadboards are made up of spring-loaded clips, which allow electrical connections. Also, the
breadboards are not permanent and you can reuse it for different designs. This makes this tool very important
for prototyping.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Furthermore, they are useful in testing a design’s functions before you can make up the printed circuit board
later. Some limitations come with breadboards. They can only function with the through hole components.
However, a PCB typically makes use of surface-mount components.

Though breadboards may be used for some circuits, it could cause issues when using breadboards as a
prototype due to the absence of surface mount components.

In majority of cases, the modern circuitry ought to feature prototype PCBs that are made up instead of going
for breadboard prototypes.

Request Prototype PCB Manufacturing Quote now

The Make up of a Circuit Board

Circuit boards come in different types. The most known of them are the single-sided ones, that feature
copper tracks that connects the components on just one of the sides of the printed circuit board. These are
referred to as the one layer PCBs. You can also see multi-layered PCBs and double-sides PCBs.

Printed circuit boards are composed of several elements. These include silkscreen, solder mask, copper, and
FR4.

Silkscreen

The silkscreen is the last or final layer present on the PCB. This helps in printing numbers and letters to the
PCB. This helps during the PCB assembly process. The most accepted color is white; however, you can use
any color.

Soldermask

The function of the solder mask is to help in insulating the copper traces. The solder mask helps in
preventing solder jumpers. It also ensures that the copper doesn’t come in contact with other metals.

Copper

This is laminated onto the circuit board. The process involves adhesive and heat. The copper plates utilized
helps in determining of the board is a one-layer type or double-layered or two layer or multilayer.

FR4

This is also called flame retardant. It is an epoxy resin laminate that is glass-reinforced. This is the major
element of a circuit board. It os the part that give the board rigidity

What is the Manufacturing Process for Printed Circuit Boards?

Two different processes exist during PCB fabrication. These are surface mount and through hole.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

For surface mount, the soldering is done directly to the board. For this, you don’t have to use leads. The
benefit of this technology over the through hole method is that creating smaller PCBs, which have the ability
to perform complicated processes is possible.

For through hole technology, it makes use of leads that are inserted into the holes on one of the sides of the
circuit boards. Then, these are soldered onto the copper layer present on the other side.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

Requirements for Building a PCB Prototype

There are some things you need to put in place before building circuit board prototypes. Most especially, the
right documentation must be ready.

Focus more on creating easy-to-follow and readable documentation. This will make sure you have the right
design. Furthermore, the documentation for your PCB manufacturing must not be an afterthought.

In addition, this PCB documentation has to have some context. Now, this is relevant when these designs are
meant for proprietary or innovative technologies.

To make sure that you have the right documentation for your PCB, and ensuring that the entire process is
very easy, follow the steps outlined below.

 Make use of templates to help save time

 Make sure you take note of all the deletions and edits that you have made when making use of
copies based on the older documentation.
 Ensure that you review and have a sign-off process. This ensures accuracy
 Make sure that the documentation matches your completed design
 Ensure that the part numbers are updated.

Summarizing this section, I will say that while seeking out prototype circuit boards that are professionally
made, you must ensure that the information you are giving out is checked thoroughly.

When there are errors present on the page, this can lead to faults affecting the prototype. Furthermore, this
can result into a testing process that is more expensive and more protracted.

Necessary Files for PCB Prototyping

The files outlines below are very important in pcb prototyping. This helps you to achieve the PCB
design easily and successfully.

Asides from this, ensure that the board outline is incorporated within the drill drawing and solder
mask images. These files include

 NC Drill File

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 Centroid File
 Gerber File or gerber files
 ReadMe Text File
 Assembly Drawings
 Bill of Materials

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

How to Avoid Issues with RF & Signal Integrity When Utilizing PCB

Prototype

Lots of issues may area with the design for prototype boards. This relates to signal
integrity, RF and EMC considerations. There are many ways by which you can avoid these issues, which
relates to trace routing. These include:

Cross Traces at 90 degrees

If the crossing of two signal tracks happen, then it must be done at right angle (90 degrees). With this, you
are reducing the possible level of mutual capacitance and inductance between the signal lines.

Routing of the Traces should not be done in Parallel

When traces run in parallel via any length, it will experience a crosstalk level that is higher. For this scenario,
the signals present on one of the traces will appear on another.

Factors Affecting the Overall Cost of PCB Prototype

You will find it hard to estimate what your PCB prototypes will cost until you engage the manufacturer. The
price that the prototyping service will charge depends on the size, complexity, design, components, and
materials. This is one reason why having a general estimate for price is difficult.

If the production batch you have is smaller, you will incur higher costs for PCB prototyping. Below are the
factors that affect the cost of your printed circuit board prototypes.

Material

Some PCB laminate materials and substrate have more costs compared to the others. Obviously, the material
for your PCB prototypes will be more expensive when you give high performance a priority.

Size of the board

When your prototype PCB has a larger board, then expect it to be more expensive and vice versa.

Speed

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

If you need your prototype pcbs to be handled faster, then expect to be spend more.

Request PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Quote Now

How to Ensure High Quality of PCB Prototype Services

Before the shipping of the board to you, there are some control tests that happen during the process of PCB
prototyping. These include:

Aging Screening

This helps you evaluate the reliability of the PCB prototype, which may be in continuous operation for more
than 100,000 hours. Furthermore, the test helps you examine the entire PCB assembly.

Functional Testing

This is to help pinpoint manufacturing issues and flaws that can affect missing or incorrect parts, reliability,
and opens/shorts in nets or solder connections.

Vibration Testing

This involves the shaking or shocking of the components of PCBA to observe the way in which they can
cope with the real environment.

In-Circuit Testing

This method is the moist common and robust method of checking PCB quality control. This automated
testing checks for shorts and opens present in circuit boards. Also, it helps in detecting 98% of faults.

Conclusion

Here comes the end of our article on prototype PCB. We have discussed the make up, manufacturing process,
as well as the requirements before creating one. Contact us today at Rayming PCB for your prototype pcbs

Related Posts:

1. Hot Tips for Excellent Prototype Board Soldering

2. What are the Requirements for Blockchain Hardware?

3. New PCB Technology Supports the Higher Precision Requirements of Touch Sensing

4. Building the Multilayer Metal Core PCB

https://www.raypcb.com/circuit-board-prototype/
PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/