If you've been thinking about soliciting the help of a third party PCB assembly manufacturer, you're not alone. Many small and medium sized electronics businesses are realizing how beneficial it can be to partner with a contract manufacturing service, both as a means of saving money and improving the quality of their finished products. Despite the fact that there are many such contract manufacturing services, though, it's important that you are aware of what to look for before partnering with another company. This will ensure that you get the most bang for your buck, and preserve the integrity of your boards, enabling yourself to move forward and grow. If you're not sure how to go about reviewing your prospects, take a look at these "dos" and "don'ts" to selecting a PCB assembly manufacturing service.

DO Consider Location

Some businesses make the mistake of turning their eyes overseas when looking for a contract manufacturing company. In many cases, offshore companies will charge less money for PC board assembly services, but there's a reason for that. Offshore companies don't always adhere to the same safety and labor standards that we value in the United States. Counterfeit parts may be utilized in order to shave off costs and cut corners. This could compromise the quality of your devices, and even make you liable for lawsuits. As a result, it's best to keep your sights on qualified American companies.

Of all the of the many advantages associated with contracting with a professional PCB assembly service, the potential savings to your electronics company is, by far, the biggest benefit. We have discussed the fact that contract manufacturers can help small to mid-sized businesses cut down on their costs, but why is this? How can paying for outside help actually enable you to improve your cash flow? By taking a look at how economies of scale play a role in the PCB assembly service business, it's easy to see why partnering with a third party will work to your advantage.

As a business owner, you pride yourself on your independence and self-sufficiency. But while your "can-do" attitude may have helped you to get where you are today, you may find that asking for help could take you to an even higher level. Third-party PCB assembly manufacturers can help to shoulder some of your business's burdens, improve the quality of your products, and lower your overall spending. Here's how:

If you feel as though your small or medium sized electronics business might be in need of some outside help, you're not alone. With technology growing more complex, it's more important now than ever to have the ability to produce compact, lightweight printed circuit boards (PCBs) that will function efficiently within even the most advanced electronic devices. As such, numerous businesses are looking for partnerships with a reliable PCB assembly service. But you can get so much more out of your third party service than just product assembly. In order to get the most value from your relationship, here's a look at six ways that you can use your PCB assembly service to your advantage. 

1. Enjoy state-of-the art machinery

Do you ever wish that you had the financial resources to keep up with the bigger companies? With the help of the right PCB assembly service, you can. Instead of purchasing expensive, cutting edge assembly and manufacturing technologies like robotic arms, you can let your outsourced business partner do all of the heavy lifting for you. In this way, their investment in technology will work to your benefit as your electronic devices will be produced with the latest and greatest machinery. 

2. Use high quality system components

In order to keep your clients and end-users happy with your PCBs, it is extremely important that you only utilize high quality system components, conductors, and parts. It is because of this that it's wise to look for a PCB assembly service that is American based, rather than located overseas. Although foreign companies may offer you a cheaper up-front price, these partnerships will cost you in the long run as many of these enterprises utilize low-grade or bootlegged parts. A qualified assembly company will have access to the best components from suppliers who can offer them great deals, which then results in further savings for your business. 

3. Improve assembly precision

If your current assembly process relies on human labor or dated machinery, it's time to consider seeking the help of a third party service. Because these companies are able to purchase and maintain advanced assembly and manufacturing equipment, you can count on the fact that each one of your PCBs will be assembled with care and absolute precision, meaning that you don't have to waste money on faulty equipment or product recalls.

4. Boost customer satisfaction

When you're able to provide a sophisticated and highly functional PCB to your clients at a reasonable price, they will be far happier with your company and give you their return business. In this way, you will be able to grow financially as contracts are renewed, and the word spreads that your brand name is synonymous with quality and value.

5. Troubleshoot and repair devices faster

When something goes wrong with one of your products, how long does it take for you to get to the root of the problem? When you make the decision to contract with a PCB assembly service, you'll find that it doesn't take nearly as long. Systematic testing and troubleshooting will review the source of the fault faster so that the experts are quickly able to correct the issue and get you back on track.

6. Reduce warranty replacement costs

When you've got a PCB assembly service partner on your side, working diligently to find and correct any problems that customers may be experiencing, you can save money. Instead of being forced to trash the faulty PCB and send your client a warranty replacement, your third party service can fix the underlying issue and get the product returned to your customer fast. Not only will cut back your costs on replacement units, but this will also make you look more professional and capable to your customers. 

Make sure you're always getting the most out of your business partnerships. How can you use your PCB assembly service to further improve your company?

Without the help of rigorous testing and assembly compliances, the whole process of PC Board assembly wouldn't be able to endure the life cycle of being a PCB and more than likely would fail much sooner than later. All of those tests aren't just for the sake of testing, they are implemented to make sure that everything is in working order and the board itself can withstand extreme heat, cold, and even weight distribution and tolerances. However, the tests themselves even need to have perfect ratings--especially when it comes to tolerances, in particular.Tolerances are what the PCB will go through in order to pass all of its testing, making sure it can work properly in certain situations without short circuiting, breaking, or shutting down completely. But most importantly, there are also tolerances during the design phase to make sure that the board is "balanced" when it comes to all of its components and won't suffer from breakage or overload.