The PCB assembly process involves preparing the board, placing components, soldering, testing, and attaching to a housing. Machines apply solder paste and place components before reflow soldering. Testing is crucial, and defects may require troubleshooting. Homemade PCBs can be made with hand-soldering.
In general, the PCB assembly process involves preparing the surface of the printed circuit board, placing the components, soldering, and testing the completed element. Completed cards must undergo extensive testing before being released to a different part of a production line for attachment to a housing, such as a mobile phone. This process is normally done through automated machines, but it is possible to make a homemade PCB with some modifications.
PCBs have specific spots on their surface that can hold components; The first step in the PCB assembly process is applying solder paste to a screen. A machine places screens in areas intended for future components. The solder paste is spread over the screen to allow it to drip onto the PCB surface. This paste is intended to hold future components in specific places on the PCB for a secure circuit connection.
The machines place the components onto the solder paste in the next stage of the PCB assembly process. A computer program controls the machine; chooses particular components from a supply line and physically places them on the board. Solder paste provides adhesion to hold components in place prior to the soldering process.
The reflow solder must follow the positioning of the components so that they do not detach from the board. This part of the PCB assembly process requires the board to be placed in a reflow oven; the heat from the oven melts the solder paste so that the components are permanently bonded to the PCB. Each manufacturer has a different, tightly controlled temperature range to prevent damage to the circuitry on the board.
After the board has cooled, it must be thoroughly tested during the PCB assembly process. Assembly line workers or quality assurance specialists will connect the board to a test fixture; every function and circuit must be powered up and tested for functionality. Any defects or poor circuit connections must be manually re-soldered or the entire board can be scrapped.
Testing multiple PCBs can produce a common circuit problem across a batch. In these cases, quality managers may have to troubleshoot each PCB assembly process to find the cause of the defect. Entire batches can be pulled and repaired once the cause is found. Homemade PCBs can be made with old-fashioned wire component hobe boards following a particular pattern for hand-soldering the components into the circuitry of a board. For example, a hobbyist may solder a PCB to run a motor for a remote control car.
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