Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

As I think about the processing of multi-layered printed circuit boards (PCBs), I find it interesting that in the early 1980s, I wouldn’t have dreamed of where we are today in terms of technology. I mean, think about it. Where we are in comparison to then is simply phenomenal.

You may be asking: what is an HDI printed circuit board and what makes it different than standard PCBs? Let’s break it down for better understanding from a design and from a supplier point of view. As Epec continues to grow our design business, it has become very apparent that many designers are very good at what they do and have no manufacturing knowledge to proof designs against.

More often than not, a quote will be requested without enough information to price, never mind to manufacture. In 1957, IPC was founded as the Institute for Printed Circuits by Richard Zens (Printed Electronics Corp/Epec), Al Hughes (Electralab), Robert Swiggett (Photocircuits), William McGinley (Methode), and Carl Clayton (Tingstol).

In printed circuit board (PCB) designs, through holes are used to connect components and conductors on different layers of the board and can be divided into two types: plated and non-plated through holes.

I am still amazed at how far technology has brought us throughout the years. When asked about printed circuit boards (PCBs) and what they go into, the answer is everything you can imagine, everything you use in most cases.

As the oldest production printed circuit board (PCB) company in North America, perhaps in the world, the 70+ year story of Epec Engineered Technologies is connected to the development of the PCB and the electronics industry. Epec’s storied history also includes delivering PCBs for the Apollo 11 spaceflight.

So, let’s talk about non-recurring charges, better known as NREs, that are applied to most new and new revision first-time orders for manufacturing of printed circuit boards (PCBs). These charges help aid in several crucial steps for manufacturing with a cost of processing, programming, testing, and manpower to deliver a quality product.

As a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer for more than 70 years, we have worked with thousands of customers to provide quality products in prototypes of a few pieces to many tens of thousands of circuit boards repetitively.

From a printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing supplier’s point of view, often we are consulted about design and layout at the concept phase. Over the past many years, we have seen an increase in customers asking to assist with design, layout, and modifications to the circuit board. From this repeat request, we developed an engineering team to make it happen.

When it comes to printed circuit boards (PCBs), the bare board is always where customers look to cut costs. Unfortunately, we often see this request after the design has been completed and we have the Gerber files in hand to quote the printed circuit board.