PCB Quality Inspection and Quality Abnormality Handling Process

In the precision construction of modern electronic devices, PCBs play a vital role. As a connecting bridge between electronic components, the quality of PCB directly determines the performance and reliability of electronic products. Therefore, strict quality inspection of circuit boards and efficient handling of quality abnormalities are an indispensable part of ensuring product quality. Today, engineers from Highleap Electronic will introduce the quality inspection methods of PCB manufacturing and the processing procedures for quality abnormalities.

PCB quality inspection overview

PCB quality inspection covers the entire process from raw materials entering the factory to finished products leaving the factory, which is mainly divided into the following stages:

Raw material inspection: First of all, the raw materials used to manufacture PCB, such as copper foil, copper clad laminate, solder mask ink, etc., are strictly inspected to ensure that the specifications, purity and stability of the materials meet the requirements.

Process control: During the PCB production process, key indicators such as drilling accuracy, coating thickness, line width and spacing, and solder mask quality are checked through online monitoring and regular sampling inspections to ensure that each step reaches predetermined standards.

Electrical testing (ET): Use equipment such as flying probe testers or ICT (In-Circuit Test) to conduct electrical connectivity and insulation tests on each network on the PCB to detect open circuits, short circuits and other problems in a timely manner.

Appearance inspection: Check whether there are scratches, contamination, missing prints, misalignment and other defects on the PCB surface through manual or AOI (automatic optical inspection) system.

Functional testing: For high-level PCBs, functional testing is also required to simulate the actual working environment and verify whether the PCB can work normally.

Quality exception handling process

Once a quality abnormality is discovered in any of the above links, the exception handling process should be started immediately. The specific steps are as follows:

Immediately shut down and isolate: Once an abnormality is discovered, the first thing to do is to stop production to prevent the problem from expanding, and isolate the identified problematic products to avoid being mixed into qualified products.

Problem analysis: Organize a technical team to conduct a thorough analysis of the causes of abnormalities, which may include raw material problems, equipment failures, improper process parameter settings, etc. Use fishbone diagrams, 5Why analysis and other tools to help find root causes.

Develop corrective measures: Based on the problem analysis results, formulate specific corrective measures. This may involve adjusting process parameters, replacing raw materials, repairing or calibrating equipment, etc.

Implement and verify: After corrective actions are implemented, a batch of samples needs to be re-produced and comprehensively tested again to verify whether the problem has been effectively resolved.

Preventive measures: In order to prevent similar problems from happening again, long-term preventive measures need to be formulated, such as improving process processes, strengthening employee training, and introducing stricter supplier management mechanisms.

Recording and feedback: Record the entire exception handling process in detail, including problem description, analysis results, measures taken and effects, etc., as information for subsequent improvement and training, and feed back the processing results to superiors and relevant departments.

In short, PCB circuit board quality inspection and quality abnormality handling are the cornerstones of ensuring the reliability of electronic products. By implementing strict testing processes and efficient exception management mechanisms, the manufacturing quality of PCBs can be effectively improved, the rate of defective products can be reduced, and ultimately the overall performance and market competitiveness of electronic products can be improved. With the advancement of technology, the application of automated detection technology and intelligent data analysis will further optimize this process and provide stronger support for the high-quality development of the PCB manufacturing industry.

Related Posts:

PCB Quality: The Definitive Guide to In-Circuit Testing (ICT)

In-Depth Guide to X-Ray Inspection for PCB Quality Control 

PCB Testing Methods Guide: Ensuring Quality and Reliability

Highleap Electronic’s Approach to PCB Quality Assurance