Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for pCB assembly companies.
A checklist built from how pCB assembly companies work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Bill of materials with approved alternates
- Reel and component lot register
- Kitting and shortage list
- Paste, stencil and moisture-sensitive logs
- Line setup and feeder records
- Inspection and test results
- Lot report and delivery
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For estimators
- For stores and kitting
- For line leaders
- For inspection and test
- For the owner
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Kits short, by job and part
- First-pass yield by board type and line
- Reels consumed by assembly lot
- Paste jars and stencils nearing limits
- Moisture-sensitive parts by remaining floor life
- Rework by defect type and operator
- Consigned stock held, by customer
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- Component distributor quotation files
- Test equipment result files
- Accounting export
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Can we load a customer’s list from a spreadsheet?
- What does reel traceability store?
- Does it follow the moisture-sensitive part life?
- Can several customers’ parts sit in one stores?
- Is machine program control included?
- How does test failure analysis work?
- Can past jobs be brought in?
- What does it cost?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Reels are not tied to the boards
- Paste and stencils are managed by feel
- Moisture-sensitive parts miss their bake
- Shortages are found at the machine
- Rework is invisible
Prefer to talk it through? See the pCB assembly companies page.