Making Your Own Circuit Board: Problems & Pitfalls
With all the talk lately of making your own printed circuit board, you may be asking yourself, why should I hire a professional firm to manufacture one for me when I can create one on my own inkjet printer? While creating a homemade circuit board on a consumer printer might be a fun weekend activity, the end result will leave much to be desired for large manufacturing firms that need durable, high-quality, reliable electronics assemblies. When you’re looking for a cutting-edge printed circuit board that’s built to last, there is no competition: a professional, experienced tech company will deliver the better product.
Still unconvinced? Here are three reasons why professionally-printed circuit boards like those manufactured by TMG are the way to go:
Unbeatable durability: The polymer plastic used on most homemade applications is subpar at best, and larger circuit board companies will have access to greater amounts of higher quality materials at lower prices, all of which means a lower bottom line for the customer. Having wires stick out every which way is not only an aesthetic issue, but it actually compromises the quality and longevity of your electronics set-up. Without a stable, permanent electronics solution, your entire assembly line is in danger of being compromised. Using CAD software and laser printing is still the most reliable way to create a long-lasting circuit board.
Better working, better looking: If dependability is key for you when it comes to your electronics system assemblies—and it should be—then it behooves you to spend a tiny bit more for an incomparably better product. The technology for homemade circuit boards is not yet advanced enough to be applied to large-scale supply chains. Intricate soldering and prototyping cannot be executed efficiently or expediently on an inkjet printer. Additive, or 3D, printing is still too premature to be relied upon for electronic assemblies because, if something were to go wrong, the printer has no way of troubleshooting the issue. A professional, accredited PCB company has the expertise and experience to adapt to and fix obstacles that may arise during the production of your company’s printed circuit boards or box build assemblies. Not to mention, when you create your own PCB, it can be a tangled, wired mess!
Less pricey than you’d expect: This Popular Science article claims that, if you know a little something about printed circuit boards to begin with and you’re aware of what it is your company needs, you can actually purchase high-quality PCBs for a reasonable price. When you go with a large, reputable company like TMG, your firm not only has more choices when it comes to raw materials and breadbox design, but it has access to larger supply chains, which translates to a lower overall cost.
So why can’t you make your own PCB? Well, you can; the technology is there. But the fact remains it will be an inferior product, and a product manufacturer simply can’t afford to settle for less than the best. When quality is on the line, TMG is your best PCB solution.
