It is often said that the “first-mover advantage” is responsible for the success of some businesses. When a company becomes the first to launch a new concept, it tends to have a higher chance of beating the competition along the way. The same appears to be one of the hallmarks of the excellence that Sunstone PCB brings to the global electronic design market.
As one of the leading manufacturers of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) in the United States, Sunstone PCB has helped fast-track the implementation of newer innovations for the PCB industry.
This is a review of what the Sunstone PCB has to offer to make it one of the top PCB and electronic circuit manufacturers in the USA.
Let’s go Back in Time
Sunstone PCB started operations in 1972, when it was launched and with the intention of introducing innovations to the electronic design industry. It is important to point out that the company dominated the market, because of the innovative products it came up with.
Some of these products are highlighted below:
Major Electronic Design Equipment Usage
One of the core factors that differentiates one electronic circuit manufacturer from another is the quality of the boards. The quality of these circuits is directly proportional to the type of equipment used for the designs.
Between 1975 and 1976, Sunstone PCB added up to six (6) major pieces of equipment to boost the electronic designs. These pieces of equipment included:
- Infrared reflow machine
- Camera and darkroom
- Dry film processor
- Electroless tanks
- Routing machine and digital drill machine and;
- Conveyorized etcher
Online Ordering
Sunstone PCB, as a futuristic electronic designing company, seized the opportunity that came with the Internet, via the introduction of an online ordering platform called PCBExpress. This allowed the customers to place orders for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) designs in real-time.
The company would also expand into giving online quotations in 2001, via the introduction of the PCBPro service.
Improved Circuit Board Design Capabilities
Between the years 1982 and 1998, Sunstone PCB introduced a wide range of capabilities for electronic designs. It started with the creation of both the Layup Room and the Press Room in 1982. This would be followed suit by the development of the first sets of multilayered circuit boards.
In 1991, Sunstone PCB added the Onsite CAM Team to allow for both photo plotting and in-house tooling.
Then, in 1998, Sunstone PCB started the in-house electrical testing of the electronic designs to be sure of the full functionalities before shipping.
1. Circuit Board Assembly Services
The assembly of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) is one of the numerous services that Sunstone PCB offers. The company is able to meet up with these demands because of the collaboration with Screaming Circuits.
The collaboration, which was cemented in 2005, allowed Sunstone PCB to collaborate with Screaming Circuits for the online assembly of circuit boards.
Below are some of the company’s Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) capabilities:
Flying-Probe Electrical Test
This is a test designed to help Sunstone PCB compare the circuit boards electrically to the information contained in the submitted Gerber files.
Bundled Service
The Bundled Assembly is designed to help the PCB customers to get one quotation for all of the specifications they made for the circuit board and its assembly.
Optional Engineering Review
This is geared towards finding out and fixing any last-minute changes or manufacturability issues with the designs submitted by the PCB customers.
Specialized PCBA Service
In collaboration with Screaming Circuits, Sunstone PCB offers a wide range of specialized Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) services.
The two companies help customers with their PCBA specifics, ranging from:
- Short-run
- One-off
- Prototype assemblies
Depending on the customers, the process can also include turnkey or kitted PCBA options. Above all, Sunstone PCB ensures that the PCBAs can be ordered online instantly, as well as supporting the prototyping of these circuit boards.
2. PCBExpress
Some customers have an urgent need for the circuit boards and it is important to choose a PCB manufacturer that can guarantee speedy delivery.
It is for this reason that Sunstone PCB launched a service called PCBExpress. As the name suggests, it makes the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) process to be “express-like,” whereby orders can be fulfilled in good time.
The essence of Sunstone PCB’s PCBExpress service is to shorten the lead or manufacturing time of circuit boards to as low as 24 hours (a day).
Below is some information about the PCBExpress service:
Ideal for Complex Prototyping
The service is ideal for the complex prototyping of PCBs. In this way, it is possible for the customers to manufacture anywhere between zero and 14 layers of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).
Flexibility Offers Reduced Costs
The fact is that Sunstone PCB can handle your complex PCB orders in the shortest time possible, but sometimes, this can come at some extra charges.
If you can be patient, the company would prefer to use the flexible lead time that ranges anywhere between a day and 3 weeks. That way, you get to receive excellent quality, improved features and all at the most affordable costs.
3. ValueProto
Sunstone PCB offers extensive PCB manufacturing services and one of those is ValueProto. It is ideal for PCB consumers who are looking to manufacture up to 100 PCBs, with up to 6 layers, while saving costs.
The core feature of the ValueProto service is to help customers stick to their budget while getting almost everything they wanted for the circuit boards.
Below are some of the Sunstone PCB’s ValueProto service:
- The lead time is flexible and ranges between a day and 3 weeks.
- Up to 6 layers of circuit boards can be manufactured.
- Supports several finishes, such as Immersion Silver (RoHS) and Tin/Lead Solder.
- Free UPS ground shipping
Final Thoughts
Sunstone is an extensive provider of different Printed Circuit Board (PCB) services, ranging from assembly, design and prototyping. The major benefits of having your PCBs customized with the company are real-time quotations via the OneQuote form, flexible lead times and dedicated customer support to help you every step of the way.
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