In this guide 6 sections
Judge PCB assembly software by one real job. A feature list proves little. It should hold BOMs with approved alternates, kit parts against a work order, follow boards through SMT, AOI and test, and link every serial number to reel lots.
Begin with the question a customer asks after a field failure
A board fails at a customer site. They want to know which reel the failed capacitor came from, which line built it, which shift loaded the feeders and what the AOI result said. Can you answer in ten minutes?
One question exposes most gaps. It needs lot capture at feeder loading, a serial or panel ID on each board and an inspection record tied to both, and spreadsheets rarely hold all three. Test this first, with a real board.
Write down your five most recent customer queries or corrective action requests, because they make a better buying brief than any vendor questionnaire. Use them.
BOM and kitting decide most of the fit
Assembly houses receive a customer BOM, usually as a CSV or Excel file, with reference designators, manufacturer part numbers and quantities on every row. The software must import it without retyping and flag missing MPNs and duplicate designators on the way in, before a planner builds a kit from bad rows. Retyping invites errors.
Look at alternates next. A good system stores approved substitutes per line. A planner can then kit a Murata capacitor in place of a TDK one without editing the BOM or asking engineering for a new file.
Kitting then pulls reels, trays and cut tape against the work order, and short lines should show at once, before the kit leaves the store. Partial kits are where schedules slip.
- Import of customer BOM files with column mapping
- Approved alternates held per BOM line
- Moisture sensitive part tracking with floor life clocks
- Reel splitting and leftover reel return to stock
- Customer supplied parts kept apart from bought parts
Line tracking, AOI and test records
Ask how a board is tracked. Some shops scan a panel barcode at every station from stencil print to final pack, while others only record a batch at the line start. Only the first keeps a history per board.
Expect requests for AOI and test results. The software should either connect to the machines and take the result files, or give operators a quick scan and pass or fail entry. Defect codes should be your own. Tombstone, bridging and insufficient solder are typical.
Rework needs its own trail. A board that went back through the repair bench should show which technician touched it, which reference designator was replaced and what the reflow profile was.
- Panel and board serial capture at each station
- AOI and X-ray results linked to the serial
- Defect codes and repair actions with operator name
- Traveler that follows the released BOM revision
- First article sign off before a run starts
Run the demo on your own data
Skip the polished sample project. Send the vendor one real BOM, one real work order and a fake shortage, and ask them to show the result live. Note where they say it needs configuration.
Watch the screens your operators will use. A planner can cope with a dense grid of rows and filters, but a feeder loader standing at the line with gloves and a handheld scanner cannot. Test that.
Ask for a call with another assembly shop of your size, then ask what broke in month one and how long the vendor took to fix it.
- Import your real BOM and show errors
- Create a kit with one short line
- Change a revision mid run and show the warning
- Trace one serial back to its reel lots
- Print a certificate of conformance
Settle data ownership and integration before you sign
Find out how your data gets out. Check that BOMs, lot records and AOI results export in open formats such as CSV, so if you leave in three years your traceability history leaves with you. It is your data.
List the systems that must connect. Common ones are accounts, a distributor pricing portal, a pick and place machine and a label printer, and each is a point where the link can fail.
Before the first demo, list your must have records, your five customer queries and the three machines to connect, and put them on one sheet. Hand a copy to every vendor you invite.
PCB assembly software fit sheet
Three blocks share a single sheet. Block one lists the must have records. Rows are BOM import, alternates, kitting, serial capture, AOI result and certificate, and columns mark each as met, partly met or missing for up to four vendors. Block two holds your five customer queries, each with a tick for answered or not answered per vendor, plus a note of what was shown. Block three lists the machines and systems to connect, such as the pick and place line and the label printer, plus a column naming who builds each link.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Do I need an ERP or a manufacturing execution system for PCB assembly?
It depends on size. A small shop may need only BOM, kitting and traceability, while a larger EMS provider usually needs purchasing, inventory and accounts linked as well. List your records first.
Can a spreadsheet still work for a PCB shop?
For a few jobs a month, yes. It breaks once you need reel lot traceability, revision control and a quick answer to a customer query, and that is the point to move.
How long does it take to move over?
It depends on your data. Allow time to clean part numbers and count stock before go live, then run the old and new methods side by side for one job.
Should the software connect to pick and place machines?
Where the machine writes usable output files, yes. It saves manual entry and cuts feeder errors. Insist on seeing it work live with your own machine brand and your own output files, not a sample prepared on the vendor’s demo line.