Printed Circuit Board (PCB) repair – in house or outsourced?
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) repair – in house or outsourced? It’s a surprising fact that far more PCBs are damaged during the manufacturing process than they are when in use by customers. The good news is that even though Printed Circuit Boards are more complex today than ever before, it is certainly still possible to repair them. A decade ago, PCBs were certainly much simpler, and repairs were easier to carry out in house. Nowadays things are a bit different.
Today’s printed circuit board manufacturers and assemblers are driven by simple economics. They need to repair their damaged circuit boards otherwise they are potentially wasting thousands of pounds producing viable but non-working PCBs. To scrap the PBCs that are faulty straight after their manufacture doesn’t make economic sense. Sustainability in the current environment is key for any business.
One question that we are often asked is whether it is best to develop and maintain an in house repair unit or to contract the repair out to a company such as Greasley Electronics who specialise in PCB repair. See our video below for more information.
Which makes the most sense for you?
The repair in-house always involves more than just reworking the removal and re-attachment of a damaged component. A company considering setting up an ‘in house’ PCB repair unit needs to make a real commitment in several key areas. The cost, time and equipment required can be considerable. In many cases this specialist outlay can work out as more expensive than outsourcing – so long as you find a reputable repair company.
Unfortunately, there are companies out there in the PCB repair market who can cause damage to the PCB board – and you will end up with a ‘floored’ repair that doesn’t work at all or may only have a short life. Sometimes, employees tamper with boards too and this doesn’t help us when they get sent in more damaged than they were in the first place!
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Repairs
What can cause the damage to PCB?
- Soldering and de-soldering
- The replacement of damaged PCB circuits
- Replacing old contacts and SMT pads
- The need to re-plate and solder-contaminated gold contacts
- Renovating burns or physical damage to the laminate,
- Repairing ‘through holes’ on the PCB
In the experience of Greasley Electronics, PCB manufacturers and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) are better off outsourcing printed Circuit Board repairs.
Contact us on 01530 835 823 or email info@greasley.co.uk to find out more about why we repair Printed Circuit Boards for so many manufacturers around the UK and beyond.