Design in the trenches

5 Things You Should Know About NRE

Non-recurring engineering (NRE) is a broad term referring to a one-time cost to develop, design, or manufacture a

Offshoring to China More Expensive Than United States

Offshoring to China is now more expensive than building in the United States (for the United States). Using

SMT Temperature and Humidity Control

One of the most important ways to prevent PCB defects is controlling factory environmental conditions. If the manufacturing floor’s

Avoiding Risk with a Thorough BOM Scrub

A BOM scrub is the act of scanning a Bill-of-Materials (BOM) to clean off any inconsistencies, errors, or potential

Cut Tape vs. Tape and Reel

When procuring components, it’s important to pay attention to packaging type. Most component distributors offer the same components

Why You Should Always Use a Solder Sample

A solder sample is non-usable board that represents a usable PCB during test processes. It can be used

Fixturing vs. Paneling in SMT

When a PCB is thin, small, oddly shaped, or requires SMT components near its edges, chances are these

Reducing the Cost of RoHS Compliance

For small to medium size CMs, the cost of RoHS compliance can be high—5.2% of annual revenue, by

When Do You Repair and When Do You Scrap PCBs?

For mid-size EMS providers, costs of rework can add up quickly. By some estimates, rework alone could result in

Moisture Sensitivity Levels Explained

Atmospheric moisture absorbed into surface mount packages can expand when exposed to the intense heat of solder reflow

Don’t Underestimate Solder Paste Inspection

Over 50% of PCB assembly solder joint defects can be traced back to improper or sub-optimal solder paste

Counterfeit Component Risk Management

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) estimates that counterfeit PCB components cost manufacturers more than $7.5 billion annually, and warns that