Electronics in the automotive industry feature high reliability and high performance because their work involves human safety. Automotive printed circuit boards, or PCBs, support and mount automotive-grade components on a single circuit board, which can be thick-copper (≥3oz), high-Tg (≥170℃), flexible, multilayer, HDI, ceramic, or high-frequency. Besides the common certificates, automotive PCBAs must specifically be certified with IATF 16949:2016. As an experienced automotive PCB manufacturer and assembler, PCBONLINE, we also attach a "PPAP level 3 required" report and a COC (Certificate of Conformance) report in our delivery of automotive PCB assemblies.
What is special about automotive PCB assembly? How does PCBONLINE complete the PCB assembly process to meet the demanding reliability requirements? The content below will tell you how PCBONLINE provides automotive PCB assembly for battery management systems, cell connection systems, central control systems, navigation systems, and EV charging pile inverters.
What is Special about Automotive PCB Assembly IATF 16949 and PPAP?
First, we should note that automotive PCB assembly must be certified with IATF 16949:2016, in addition to the regular standards ISO 9001:2015, RoHS, and IPC-A0610 Class 3.
PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) is a core requirement of the IATF 16949 quality management system for the automotive industry, ensuring that our manufacturing processes can consistently produce products that meet customer design specifications before mass production begins.
Level 3 is the most commonly used level of PPAP, requiring submission of a complete report and samples, and is suitable for most automotive electronic component suppliers.
To summarize, the PPAP Level 3 document list is a complete quality assurance document/report required by IATF 16949. We must submit it before the mass production of automotive PCB assembly. It proves that our automotive PCB manufacturing and assembly process is stable, traceable, and meets customer specifications.
Besides the PPAP Level 3 required report, we also provide a COC (Certificate of Conformance / Certificate of Compliance) report in our delivery of automotive PCB assemblies. It certifies that the batch of automotive PCBAs meets customer requirements and automotive-grade standards.
What Automotive Modules Are Our Automotive PCB Assembly Suitable for?
As long as an automotive module or system involves electronic and digital functions, our automotive PCB assembly can be used for it. What specific modules and systems have we provided automotive PCB assembly for?
1. Automotive Navigation Module
PCBONLINE provided one-stop PCB assembly for automotive navigation modules. For this automotive PCBA project, we offered manufacturing of 6-layer HDI PCBs, procurement of components, turnkey PCB Assembly, software burn-in, and PCBA functional testing.
What about the assembly standard and quality of this automotive module we made? We assembled it following the IPC-A 610 Class 3 automotive-grade quality standard, and we managed the FPGA welding void rate to be < 3%.
Besides one-stop automotive PCB assembly, we provided free DFM and passive component replacement, significantly reducing mass production costs and increasing efficiency by 21%.
2. Car Central Control Unit PCBA
PCBONLINE provided a one-stop PCBA for this automotive central control unit. For this automotive PCBA, we offered 8-layer HDI PCB manufacturing, procurement of components, turnkey PCB assembly, software burn-in, and functional testing.
Same as the above project, we managed this project, meeting the IPC-A-610 Class 3 automotive-grade quality standard.
To ensure the improved shock resistance of this automotive PCBA, we had the four-terminal sensing test for the overall performance of the PCBA. Our optimized thermal management technology ensured rapid cooling of high-heat processors and power components, enhancing.
3. Current Transformer Motherboard for EV Charging
Electric vehicle charging involves large currents and thermal dissipation. If you're working on EV charging piles and related products, partner with PCBONLINE for one-stop PCBA!
For this EV charging current transformer motherboard, PCBONLINE provided 4-layer thick-copper PCB (6/4/4/6 oz) manufacturing. Besides, PCBONLINE procured 70% of the components and aluminum heat sinks for this automotive PCBA project.
We also managed this current transformer motherboard, meeting the IPC-A-610 Class 3 automotive-grade quality standard.
What is unique about this automotive PCB assembly? Its customized copper busbars enhanced the PCB's high-current capacity and optimal heat dissipation design. Our large-area PTH assembly, mature solutions, and experience in high-current PCBA production also contributed to this successful automotive PCBA project.
4. CCS (cell connection system)
A cell connection system connects the battery cells and a battery management system, monitors the temperature and voltage changes for battery pack working and safety, and provides fast and slow charging paths.
PCBONLINE has rich R&D and PCBA manufacturing experience in CCS. Whether you need CCS for automotive or renewable energy storage and uses, you can choose PCBONLINE for design and mass production.
For this CCS for electric golf carts, we offered free design of CCS structure and hardware, CCS solutions based on battery pack structure, and technical consulting for BMS system compatibility.
Our automotive PCB assembly went from prototype to mass production, and it followed automotive-grade quality acceptance standards.
For this project, we also offered free technical support (including battery pack technology). Besides, based on the product characteristics, we provided a solution, including cost analysis, R&D, sample, small-batch production, BMS, etc.
What Tests Do We Have on Automotive PCB Assembly?
Besides the PCBA tests during PCB assembly (solder paste inspection, pre- and post-reflow dual AOI, first-article inspection, visual inspections, and X-ray inspection) and functional test, automotive PCB assembly requires an additional test to ensure the highest quality and precision. It is the four-terminal sensing test.
A four-terminal sensing test is also called a 4-wire Kelvin test, which uses one pair of probes to supply current and the other pair to measure voltage. It is suitable for low resistance measurement (<1Ω or milliohm level).
In automotive electronics manufacturing, precise measurement of small resistances is critical for quality control, especially for high-reliability components, such as ECUs, sensors, power modules, and control boards. In our automotive PCB assembly that mounts electronic components on the circuit board, four-terminal sensing is used to ensure accurate and reliable measurement results.
Through four-terminal sensing, we ensure that our automotive PCBA's solder joints, connectors, power resistors, current sense resistors, and grounding copper foil paths have contact resistance of milliohm-level or lower.
Besides automotive PCB assembly, we also apply the four-terminal sensing test on medical, aerospace, and military-grade electronics manufacturing.
Partner with PCBONLINE for Automotive PCB Assembly
Since our foundation in 2005, PCBONLINE has been committed to automotive PCB assembly for more than two decades and served end-terminal and design clients from around the globe, including Fortune 500 companies and startups in automotive electronics.
Our automotive PCB assembly services offer:
- Turnkey PCBA manufacturing: From PCB prototypes and testing to mass PCBA and box-build assembly, our PCB assembly services are custom and one-stop.
- Complete procurement: We source and customize enclosures, cables, and accessories from reliable suppliers.
- Engineering support: We check Gerber, BOM, pick-and-place file, and enclosure and accessory designs, and can suggest design changes.
- Free DFM/DFT: We provide free Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Testability (DFT) checks to ensure that designs are optimized for a smooth production process.
- Quality assurance: IPC-A-610 Class 3, IATF 16919:2016, 4-terminal sensing, and automotive-grade inspection standards.
- Turnkey delivery: From PCB fabrication to final product packaging and shipping.
PCBONLINE manufactures, assembles, and tests automotive PCBs and PCBAs to box builds as a source factory manufacturer from prototypes to bulky production, saving costs and time for you.
We have powerful manufacturing strength for automotive PCBs and assemblies, such as HDI PCBs, high-frequency PCBs, ceramic PCBs, waterproof sealing, and 01005 fine-pitch assembly.
PCBONLINE has robust automotive PCBA capabilities, including speedy delivery for prototypes and small batch orders, and electronic components integration sourcing.
We can precisely control reflow/wave oven temperatures, design PCBA fixtures, and help create user manuals, installation guides, and compliance labels.
Our automotive PCB assembly is certified with ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, RoHS, REACH, UL, and IPC-A-610 Class 3.
Our one-on-one free and professional DFM helps you debug and improve design, to ensure the manufacturability, cost-effectiveness, and final device success.
Send us your BOM, Gerber, and pick-and-place file, and we can bring out turnkey automotive PCB assembly as well as conformal coating, four-terminal sensing, functional test, and value-added services. To get a quote for your automotive PCB assembly project, email us at info@pcbonline.com.
Conclusion
Automotive PCB assembly requires milliohm-level microresistance quality control, so a four-terminal sensing is used to ensure its quality. Besides, IATF 16949:2016 and PPAP Level 3 reports are essential quality certificates for automotive PCBAs. With more than 20 years of automotive PCB assembly experience, we are ready to check your Gerber and provide turnkey services for you. Contact PCBONLINE today!
PCB assembly at PCBONLINE.pdf
Battery Management System Manufacturing at PCBONLINE.pdf
CCS Product Introduction - PCBONLINE.pdf
