Someone who is highly experienced in sourcing PCBs always know how important it is to establish long term association with their PCB manufacturer. Unless you have tried sourcing PCBs regularly, you will not be able to readily appreciate this key factor. Let us explore why it is so very important to establish long term association with your PCB manufacturer.
When we say that you should establish long term association with your PCB manufacturing company, we mean that you source all your PCBs from the same manufacturer. Do not try to change your manufacturer with every order. Each time you change your manufacturer, there will be a variation in the quality of the PCB. Even though the PCB specifications are the same, whether you like it or not, there is always a significant variation in the PCBs manufactured by one PCB manufacturer and the next. This is because of the variation in the quality of the supplies used in the PCB sourcing process and the differences in the manufacturing procedures. When there are such variations in the quality of the PCBs used in your devices, it will affect the overall quality of the product. Your products will not be of uniform quality and this will make your products unreliable. You could avoid these long series of issues by selecting a PCB manufacturer that is worthy of being your long term supplier.
You will also save on the PCB manufacturing costs significantly when you source your PCBs from a single manufacturer. Your manufacturer will give you a better quote when you work with them on a long term basis as they would not want to lose your business. You will also get priority support as a long term customer that gives them a lot of business. You will not enjoy all these benefits when you use multiple companies and when you keep changing your supplier with every order.
In the PCB manufacturing industry, there is a practice of charging an initial setup fee when you signup with a new company. This will be a non-refundable fee. If you keep switching from one PCB manufacturer to the next, you are going to spend more money than you should as you will be paying the initial setup fee itself several times.
The advantages in working with a single PCB manufacturer come at no extra cost. In fact, you will actually be saving considerably when you use this sourcing approach. Further to that, you will also notice that you are spending lesser time in the sourcing processes when you decide to work with a single manufacturer for all your ongoing needs. Take your time therefore to find a worthy PCB manufacturer that you can confidently consider as your long term partner. There are multiple companies in the industry and you will definitely have a wide range of options to consider. Make the right choices here, simplify the entire PCB sourcing process and enjoy great savings.
ChinaPCBOne Technology LTD. is the author of this article on PCB manufacturer. Find more information, about PCB manufacturing.
