10 Reasons For PCB Manufacturing Defects And How To Eliminate Them

Fault minimization is the topmost priority of PCB manufacturers. To do that, understanding common faults and following PCB manufacturing guidelines is necessary. If you can not prevent cheap PCB manufacturing, the final product will be subpar and prone to malfunctioning. May lead to rework, waste time, and materials. and increase production costs.

This article will discuss the significant ten errors in the PCB manufacturing process and how to prevent them.

（Exquisite PCB fabrication）

1.Plating Hole Defects Manufacturing Of PCB

Holes carry electricity from one side of the board to the other. Plating of the hole wall during manufacture. During this, By establishing the electrical conductivity from the top in the endplate portion depositing copper.

If the copper deposition is incorrect, it will create plating voids, leaving gaps in the wall with no copper coating. It could happen due to air bubbles, contamination in the holes, contaminated materials, and other similar reasons. You can prevent this from happening by following the manufacturer’s direction and cleaning the equipment as instructed.

（Holes in PCB fabrication）

2.Lack Of Solder Mask Between Pads

It is a common problem that accompanies PCB manufacturing at home or production PCB manufacturing. When one solder crosses one lead to the other and ends up with an abnormal connection with multiple traces, Can see this error. The error is small, therefore challenging to identify.

If these shorts go undetected, they can damage the complete assembly by burning up the components. One standard solution is adding a solder mask between pads, so there is no gap between the stencil and PCB.

We have to take this problem seriously. This problem is common and often happens. If not handled properly, it may lead to a short circuit or open circuit. Finding practical solutions can help you save time and material costs. Make PCB faster.

（abstract placement of solder mask for components (IC CHIP)）

3.Electromagnetic Compatibility Issues In Cheap PCB Manufacturing

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) are two standard terms linked with the PCB manufacturing process. The former term is generally used to produce and transmit electromagnetic energy, whereas the latter one talks about the damaging effect of EMC. These issues arise because of possible design flaws and can be decreased simply by lowering the board's ground area.

Reducing the contact area of the circuit can effectively block the problem of electromagnetic compatibility. Another method, you can choose advanced PCB production; although the cost increases, the PCB supplier is production will be more refined and more effective to solve this problem.

(PCB Board in front of Electromagnetic compatibility measurements absorbers)

4.Burned Circuit Defects In Cheap PCB Manufacturing

When the PCB passes high temperatures during the manufacturing process, circuits usually can get burned. If there is not enough space around the component, it will zoom in; the ingredients' size and shape do not match the heat generated in the application, say for a 4-layer PCB manufacturing.

We have to avoid burning the circuit. It’s critical to ensure that components have adequate space around them to allow air to circulate any heat sinks, and components will be working within their operating capability.

In general, as long as the heat dissipation function is complete enough, we can avoid circuit burnout during PCB board work.

（Blow up IC on circuit board after short circuit)

5.Chemical Leak Problem In Manufacturing Of PCB

The chemical fluid leakage can result from leftover trace elements that were not removed appropriately with care during the PCB manufacturing process.

Corrosion of PCB boards is also a very troublesome problem. Compared with the issue of PCB burnout, their appearance is different. But the result is the same, and it will also cause the PCB not to work properly.

To prevent this from happening, we must thoroughly clean the board, as the smallest residue can cause corrosion of the boards and trigger a short circuit. During the inspection process, it is vital to check for any chemical leakage and fluids left over.

(PCB board corrosion)

6.The Problem Of Substrate Size In PCB Production

The dielectric constant needs to be small and stable for better transmission. If the substrate material is made for withstanding high frequency and speed, it should also have low hygroscopicity. Size stability and resistance to heat and chemical, and impact strength should also be excellent for selected substrate material.

The size of the PCB substrate can be changed for the following reasons:

• The release of the shearing effect causes the substrate to shrink in size.
• Tension causes the size of the base plate to change.
• The Multi-layer board lamination process results in dimensional changes.

(PCB of printed Gerber mask for manufacturing)

7.Changes In Bending And Warping In SMT PCB Manufacturing Process

We get distressed when the PCB is bent. If we want to restore the original shape, some components will be damaged, and we will lose many costs. So we avoid trying to find out why and how to do this. Here are the common issues in PCB prototype manufacturing or multilayer PCB manufacturing, and solutions.

Some reasons for shape changes:

• Cools too quickly after hot melt, causing shape changes
• Substrate curing
• Different thicknesses of copper foils and different structures cause changes in shape.

Solve the problem:

• Board thickness should be higher, as it is easier to keep flat during mounting and soldering.
• We must evenly distribute the copper on the panel with the same density, to prevent plate warping, to prevent plate warping.
• Panel size must be measured, so it does not break.

(PCB board thickening)

8.Problems With Drilling In Cheap PCB Manufacturing Services

• Hole deviation
• Increase the drilling speed or lower the feed speed rate.
• A white ring appears on the edge of the orifice.
• When thermal stress causes a fracture, adjust the abrasion, and replace the bit.
• Rough wall

Re-sharpen the drilling bit before use and follow manufacturer direction.

• The wall of the hole is too large and exceeds the standard size.
  First, you should use the recommended drill bit size. We need to set the feed and speed correctly.
• Holes are not fully penetrate

Set the drilling program according to manufacturer suggestion before using it.

(PCB hole)

9.Defects On Copper Substrate Surface In Low Volume Cheap PCB Manufacturing

• The copper surface is uneven
• There is glue on the surface pits
• A gluing point on the surface of the substrate

We can solve the above problem: increase the adhesion between the copper surface to be processed and the substrate. It can be achieved by converting the metal surface through oxidation and can be followed by removing the converted layer if required.

(PCB in production)

10.PCB Board Has White Spots

Various reasons could cause this. For example, white spots could quickly generate if you use lead-free or have contamination of the RMA solder. Changes in the materials used can cause residues and white spots.

If white spots are evenly distributed, this is usually from using the wrong solvent for the flux. If you use a heavy-duty flux remover, for example, on a no-clean flux – this will leave residues.
If you use a flux remover, which is alcohol-based, on a no-clean flux – that will also cause the same issue and leave a residue. We can solve the problem by changing the solvent.

The cleaning process is also crucial in the case of white spots. It could be an issue with the process. If you have streaks of white residue or places, then whatever cleaning method is being used it is ineffective. The ideal guideline is following the four steps of the cleaning process. Start with wetting, then scrubbing, then rinsing and drying.

(White residue on print circuit board)

Summary:

PCB manufacturing service requires many skins and precision in the design methods, and following manufacturer guidelines. Any errors missed due to deviations can render the entire end product useless and cause substantial monetary losses.

Therefore, when designing the circuit board need to take appropriate precautions.

If you want to build one, you should always be open to consulting industry experts. We have guided you in all the common issues incurred in a PCB manufacturing process, and by following the suggested method, you will significantly reduce the possibility of board failure. If you want to know more about our PCB manufacturing services, please contact us.