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To ensure a steady supply of PCBs for their production unit, most of the electronic equipment manufacturing companies will be sourcing ahead of their actual requirements cycle so that even if there are any issues with the delivery of one of the batches of PCBs, you will still have adequate stocks to keep your production unit running. However, there are a few important challenges in this approach.
When you get your PCBs delivered in advance and if your sourcing cycle is one or two cycles ahead of your actual requirements cycle then you need to handle the storage challenges. As soon as your PCBs are delivered by your PCB fabrication company, you must ensure that the PCBs are first tested so that if they need to be returned to the manufacturer for defects, you could get the process started. After testing the PCBs must be stored in a safe environment.
Even before the PCBs are shipped by your China PCB manufacturer you need to plan for your PCB storage. The PCBs must not be stored in a hot place. It should not be exposed to high temperatures. Not only that they should also not be exposed to too much of dust. They should be protected from all types of chemical and oil exposures. All these can damage the PCBs and make them unstable in terms of their operations. You will be busy replacing your PCBs if you are careless with your storage arrangements.
Before you order your PCBs, you must do a bit of groundwork. You must start by understanding your monthly requirements. What is the volume of PCBs requiring every month? Based no your order volume you must alter the order frequency. This has to be matched with the production cycle of your PCB manufacturer. Each PCB manufacturer will have a different turnaround time for the delivery of the orders. All these have to be taken into consideration when you are planning your annual PCB sourcing cycle. Along with these factors, you must also take into account your storage capacity. Storing large quantities of PCBs has its own risks. This adds on to unnecessary burden. At the same time if you do not have adequate stock of PCBs, your production cycle will be frequently disrupted. You must take all these factors into account when you are sourcing your PCBs.
If you learn that your PCBs are damaged in some way in the last minute then you will be forced to stall the production process for the want of adequate supply of PCBs. You are therefore required to balance the entire process in such a way that you order your PCBs in right quantities to avoid unnecessary delays or unnecessary disruptions to the production cycle. For someone with a limited experience the entire process will be overwhelming. Do not worry, you can gradually improve your overall sourcing cycle by selecting the most dependable PCB supplier as they will ensure that the PCBs are supplied in a seamless fashion.