Cicero
Active Member
Hi there guys,
Sorry I've been a little quiet in here recently, I've been pretty busy with an embedded project which has been taking all my time.
But, this is a more business advice type question and some of you may have some good experiences and suggestions:
I'm in the UK (now), and joined a small but growing company that designs products with primarily leaded pcb assemblies.
More recently, especially with me on board, we are moving more and more into surface mount in an attempt to modernise and also cut costs on some of our more high volume items (we're still talking hundreds of boards, not thousands). So all in all we are still a low volume manufacturer.
At the moment, we are in a kinda transition phase, we hand solder our smd devices (just IC's at the moment) onto the boards, and then assemble the rest by hand.
My previous experience has either been in a company that contracts out all assembly (which is an obvious option), or has their own pick and place, reflow oven, and wave bath etc.
At the moment we have NO smd equipment. I would love to have our own machines, but its an all or nothing situation, you can't just buy one oven for example, you need the screening equipment, pick n place to go with it all.
How would you suggest we tackle a transition to primarily smd? Have any of you been involved in a situation like this?
My gut feeling, is that our only option is to contract out our manufacturing. Start with our highest volume board, and run from there. Its only worth investing in new equipment when you can be certain you'll be running enough boards through them to make it worth while.
I dunno, just throwing it out there, interested in whatever input you can offer.
Sorry I've been a little quiet in here recently, I've been pretty busy with an embedded project which has been taking all my time.
But, this is a more business advice type question and some of you may have some good experiences and suggestions:
I'm in the UK (now), and joined a small but growing company that designs products with primarily leaded pcb assemblies.
More recently, especially with me on board, we are moving more and more into surface mount in an attempt to modernise and also cut costs on some of our more high volume items (we're still talking hundreds of boards, not thousands). So all in all we are still a low volume manufacturer.
At the moment, we are in a kinda transition phase, we hand solder our smd devices (just IC's at the moment) onto the boards, and then assemble the rest by hand.
My previous experience has either been in a company that contracts out all assembly (which is an obvious option), or has their own pick and place, reflow oven, and wave bath etc.
At the moment we have NO smd equipment. I would love to have our own machines, but its an all or nothing situation, you can't just buy one oven for example, you need the screening equipment, pick n place to go with it all.
How would you suggest we tackle a transition to primarily smd? Have any of you been involved in a situation like this?
My gut feeling, is that our only option is to contract out our manufacturing. Start with our highest volume board, and run from there. Its only worth investing in new equipment when you can be certain you'll be running enough boards through them to make it worth while.
I dunno, just throwing it out there, interested in whatever input you can offer.