Part 3. The Factory Process: Turning Data + Parts Into Shippable Units
Walk the real production chain: DFM + freeze, SMT, manual/THT, inspection, test, box build, shipping/returns.
3.1 The Virtual Build: DFM + Sourcing + Data Freeze
Before a single dollar is spent on silicon or a single stencil is cut, the product must be built ...
3.2 SMT in One Page: Print → Place → Reflow
Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is the heartbeat of modern electronics manufacturing. It is a line...
3.3 Manual and Through-Hole Assembly
While SMT is a triumph of robotic consistency, Through-Hole Technology (THT) and Manual Assembly ...
3.4 Inspection and Defect Handling: AOI, X-Ray, Rework
Inspection does not add value to a product; it only adds cost. A board that passes inspection is ...
3.5 Test Strategy: ICT vs Functional vs Burn-In
Testing is the only mechanism that converts a manufacturing gamble into a guaranteed product. Wit...
3.6 Harnessing and Box Build
The transition from PCBA to Box Build (System Integration) is a shift from the microscopic precis...
3.7 Shipping, Traceability, and Returns
The manufacturing process does not end when the device passes its final test. It ends when the cu...