Customers often ask us how we can increase or improve lead time on certain projects. The resounding answer often goes many different ways depending on whether the project is turn-key, consignment, or a re-run.
We’ve put together a quick reference guide to help in getting your project back in your hands as quickly as possible.
- Assembly drawings in detail. Having clear polarity marks, especially LED’s cathode/anode marks, can at times take an entire extra day off the lead-time.
- BOM with manufacturers and their part numbers is key. Even if you only use your own part numbers, the manufacturer’s part numbers can help speed up the check-in and set-up processes
- Kitting overages (additional parts) are always appreciated. Tape and reels work the best. We’ll send back what we don’t use in ready-to-use condition
- Schematics can help to eliminate questions back and forth.
- CAD Data is preferred, although we can use X-Y-R Data. The more precise, the better.
The following tips can help your order move more quickly through the assembly process and improve the results:
1. Bill of Materials (BOM), preferably in Excel format (but a plain text file is acceptable). All component designators of a given part number should be in the same cell (if Excel).
2. Gerber files for the PCB. A full set of files is required if we are supplying the PCB. If the PCB is customer-supplied, we will need external copper (top and bottom) and Silkscreen layers at a minimum, but a full set is still preferable.
3. CAD files. They are commonly referred to as a GENCAD or ASCII output files and are an output or export from the CAD system that the board was designed in. Several choices will work. One is a “native” ASCII output file, which is CAD system specific (i.e., Protel *.pro file), (Allegro .val or .va2 file). If you tell us which CAD system was used, we can tell you what the file extension would be. Another choice is a GENCAD file (usually a “.cad” extension). We can also use an IPC-D-356 file (either a “.ipc” or “.356″ extension). Also acceptable is a Fabmaster file (.fab). NOTE: The IPC-356 file seems to be the most popular and generic. Finally, in place of ASCII CAD files, we can also import the ODB++ data files.