Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2007 - (Page 39)

part numbers for quoting. Price is typically the deciding factor, but quality and delivery are also keys. You often get what you pay for; so do not eliminate suppliers solely on cost until completing the audit and board quality assessment if you can afford to visit the supplier. Narrow the list based on information gathered. Narrowing the list is a bit subjective based on the weight that you place on the information gathered thus far. Make a list comparing each supplier with regards to the following attributes: 1. Location 2. Number of part numbers supplier is capable of producing 3. Quality credentials 4. References and recommendations 5. Cost. Audit the facilities. When fiscally possible, choose one or two individuals from your facility who are experts in the area of PCB manufacturing, lean manufacturing and quality audits to travel to the potential suppliers to perform audits. This will help narrow the search for the best suppliers meeting your capability requirements. IPC-1710 is a good guidance document for data collection at the manufacturing site. Test suppliers’ products. As resources permit, have a third-party lab or your internal lab perform qualification testing on the suppliers’ products. This can be your actual product build or another similar build that the manufacturer is producing for another client. A full qualification will provide you with the most information, but even a few thermal stress microsections performed at a minimal cost can provide a wealth of information. Ongoing verification of supplier quality can be accomplished through acceptance testing and periodic conformance. IPC-6012 and IPC-6013 are good guidelines for vendor certification. Add the passing supplier to the approved supplier list. Now that your evaluations are complete, setup a matrix that outlines the pluses and minuses of those companies that have not been eliminated for any specific reason. Choose those that you consider meeting or exceeding your expectations in critical areas. What to Do if You Cannot Do it All There is minimal cost involved in performing Internet searches, polling colleagues and checking a supplier’s quality credentials and industry involvement. Attending conferences is slightly more costly, but this will be time well spent with industry experts. Testing a supplier’s product will provide a wealth of information. An expert from a knowledgeable test laboratory would be able to assist you in gaining the most knowledge with the funds available. Often, PCB suppliers are willing to pay for testing or split the costs if the anticipated orders are large enough to justify this expense. If resources are available to fund travel, auditing the supplier’s facility will give you an inside look at the type of production facility with which you are dealing. PCD&F Ed. note: This paper was originally published in the IPC Midwest Conference Proceedings, September 2007. RENEE MICHALKIEWICZ is laboratory director with Trace Laboratories Inc., Hunt Valley, MD; rmichalkiewicz@tracelabs.com. In Stock and ready to ship! ONLY $34.95 plus shipping & handling Order your copy of the fourth edition of Printed Circuit Board Basics: An Introduction to the PCB Industry today! Now there’s an easy-to-read handbook that explains the process and business of printed circuit board manufacturing in simple terms anyone can understand! A must-read for those who are new to the industry and a valuable resource for those who work in the industry, Printed Circuit Board Basics: An Introduction to the PCB Industry is the perfect book to help your customers and employees understand the services your company provides to the PCB industry. Authored by Dan Beaulieu, a 30-year industry veteran and a founding partner of D.B. Management Group, and edited by Mike Buetow, editor-in-chief of Printed Circuit Design & Manufacture magazine, the fourth edition contains: • An updated primer on single-sided, double-sided and multilayer PCB manufacturing processes; • A review of new technologies such as embedded components and microvias (HDI); • Updated PCB specifications; • A history of the industry; • Detailed, updated graphics—including over 45 color photos and illustrations; • An updated glossary of terms and definitions (twice the size of the glossary in previous editions); • And much more! Visit www.pcdandf.com/cms/basics to order your copy of Printed Circuit Board Basics today for only $34.95 plus shipping and handling! P.S. Is your company looking for the perfect customer premium or orientation tool? PCB Basics can be customized with your logo, products, services and more. Contact Frances Stewart (fstewart@upmediagroup.com) at 678-817-1286 for details and a quote. DECEMBER 2007 PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB 39 http://www.pcdandf.com/cms/basics http://www.pcdandf.com/cms/basics

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2007

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2007 Contents Our Line Market Watch Around the World Happenings ROI 2007 PCB Designer Salary Survey Interconnect Strategies Positive Plating RF Design Ad Index Noise Reduction Supply Chain DfM Off the Shelf Marketplace The Signal Doctor

Printed Circuit Design & Fab - December 2007

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