Blog & Insights
Practical guides on PCB manufacturing & assembly
PCB ENIG vs Hard Gold Plating: When Is the Extra Cost Worth It? | Donlly
ENIG vs electroplated hard gold for PCBs—compare solderability, wear, and cost, then use our quick selection checklist to avoid overspending on prototypes
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PCB Assembly Quality Control: What Good Looks Like
AOI, X-Ray, ICT and FCT explained — and why 100% inspection, not sampling, is what protects your yield.
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PCB Surface Finish: ENIG vs HASL — How to Choose
ENIG and HASL are the two most common PCB surface finishes. Compare them on cost, solderability, flatness and lead-free needs, and learn when each one is the right call.
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Rigid vs Flex vs Rigid-Flex PCB: Which One Do You Need?
Not every board should be a flat FR4 slab. Understand when a flexible circuit or a rigid-flex build earns its cost in weight, reliability and assembly time.
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Turnkey vs Consignment PCB Assembly: What Saves You More?
Should your CM buy the parts or should you? Compare turnkey and consignment PCBA on cost, lead time, quality control and IP risk before you choose.
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PCB DFM Checklist: 12 Things to Fix Before Fabrication
Most PCB rejects trace back to design, not the factory. Run this 12-point DFM checklist on annular rings, clearances, silkscreen and test points before you release the gerbers.
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IPC Standards Explained: What IPC-A-610 and IPC-6012 Mean for Your Board
IPC-A-610, IPC-6012, IPC-7711 — the acronyms decide whether your board passes. A plain-language tour of the standards that govern PCB acceptance and assembly.
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Choosing a PCB Substrate: FR4, Rogers or Aluminum?
The substrate decides your board's loss, thermal path and cost. Learn when FR4 is fine, when RF needs Rogers, and when power wants aluminum-backed boards.
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