Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

For decades, 130°C and 150°C Tg FR-4 materials were widely used throughout the printed circuit board industry. Many legacy PCB drawings still specify these materials today. However, PCB manufacturers are finding that traditional 130°C and 150°C Tg FR-4 laminates are becoming increasingly difficult to source.

Printed circuit boards used in extreme environments must withstand temperature extremes, vibration, shock, moisture, chemicals, corrosion, and high electrical stress.

When starting a new PCB design or revision, considering the end application is usually at the forefront. Most of what we produce here at Epec is built to IPC-6012, the latest revision and Class II. Industry standards, as defined, and, of course, customer specifications, fabrication drawings, and the purchase order related to it are all taken into consideration, but these are typically part of the fabrication-to-quote and occur when the design is complete. So, what should be considered long before the quote and purchase?

A great tool to catch printed circuit board (PCB) defects before they cause problems is the ability to identify process indicators. The earlier these process indicators can be identified in the PCB fabrication process, the greater the ability to avoid financial risk with the PCB builds. In high-reliability applications, waiting until final inspection to catch defects is too late. By that point, time, materials, and labor have already been invested, and the cost of rework or scrap can be high.

At the conclusion of our webinar, Navigating PCB Supply Chain Challenges, we had several questions submitted to our presenter, Epec President Kendall Paradise. We compiled these into a readable format on our blog.

Printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing relies on a coordinated combination of materials and processes to create reliable electronic circuits. Insulating substrates like FR-4 fiberglass-epoxy or specialized polymers provide mechanical strength and electrical isolation, while conductive copper layers are patterned using photoresists and chemical etchants.

From a PCB manufacturing perspective, designing for testability focuses on ensuring the circuit board can be efficiently inspected and verified at scale without slowing down production or increasing costs.

In today’s high-density electronics, designers are constantly balancing miniaturization with long-term reliability. One technology that makes compact layouts possible is the use of blind and buried vias, specialized interconnections that don’t completely pass through the board like traditional plated-through-holes.

Many engineers and buyers assume that printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers are only interested in large production volume orders. It is an easy conclusion to draw. High-volume manufacturing often dominates industry conversations, and many suppliers structure their operations around scale. But the reality is very different for companies like Epec, which specializes in high mix, low/medium volume-engineered products like PCBs.

Printed circuit board assemblies used inside battery packs operate in a uniquely demanding environment. They are often enclosed, exposed to temperature swings, subjected to charge and discharge cycles, and expected to perform reliably for years without service.