How to Get a Quickturn PCB Prototype in USA

Getting a quickturn PCB prototype in the USA requires choosing a fabrication partner with the right capabilities to meet your design requirements and turnaround time (TAT).

A reliable quickturn partner can help reduce prototype lead times while maintaining the quality and performance your design requires.

PCB designers and product developers should consider factors such as design complexity, material availability, fabrication requirements, and assembly needs before placing a prototype order.

In this article, you’ll learn what quickturn boards are, their benefits, the factors that affect turnaround time, and how to choose the right quickturn fabrication partner in the USA.

Highlights:

1. Quickturn TAT can range from a few days to several weeks, depending on board type and manufacturing requirements.
2. Lamination cycles, via fill, drilling, surface finishes, and other fabrication requirements can extend TAT.
3. Complete fabrication, manufacturing, BOM, and assembly documentation helps prevent delays.

What is a quickturn PCB?

It is a printed circuit board that is fabricated, assembled, and tested within a short turnaround time. Depending on the design complexity and manufacturing requirements, the turnaround time can range from a few days to several weeks.

Benefits of quickturn board orders:

1. Facilitates faster testing of design ideas or components.
2. Provides DFM assistance to reduce overall project costs and time-to-market.
3. Determines product efficacy before investing in large-scale production.
4. Supports the production of small quantities of prototype boards required for design and validation purposes.

To learn how to assess a circuit board fabricator, read how to get your first PCB manufactured.

What is Sierra Circuits’ typical turnaround time for quickturn PCBs?

Sierra Circuits’ quickturn turnaround time ranges from 1 to 53 days, depending on the board type, layer count, panel quantity, and manufacturing requirements. Each additional lamination cycle adds approximately 7 days to the TAT. Specialized manufacturing processes may require additional time.

The table below shows standard turnaround times.

Note: These are base manufacturing turnaround times. The actual turnaround time may vary depending on additional lamination cycles, drilling requirements, surface finishes, panel dimensions, material specifications, and engineering or CAM planning requirements.

Visit our Turnkey Pro page to get an instant online quote.

What are the factors that affect the turnaround time of a prototype?

Design complexity, layer count, panel size and quantity, lamination cycles, drilling and via-fill requirements, materials, fabrication specifications, surface finish, impedance, data quality, and documentation can all influence prototype turnaround time.

Watch the full video as Amit Bahl, Chief Revenue Officer at Sierra Circuits, explains the key factors that impact quickturn PCB turnaround time.

Here are the parameters that impact TAT:

1. Board features and test procedures

Board complexity and test requirements can affect how much time a manufacturer needs to review the design, prepare manufacturing data, and plan production. Following DFM and DFT guidelines helps identify potential issues early and avoid delays.

Verify component availability when developing your PCB prototype, and choose suitable layout strategies for a compact design. Providing clear test requirements and establishing a clear test protocol in advance is key for a rapid turnaround time.

The following design and documentation factors can impact CAM preparation and planning time:

1. Layer count: A higher layer count can increase design review and manufacturing preparation time. Changes needed to resolve annular ring, spacing, or drill-to-copper clearance issues can add further delays.
2. Complex technologies: Embedded components, metal-core boards, backer boards, cavity boards, D-coupons, HDI constructions, flex and rigid-flex products, and other specialized technologies may require additional CAM preparation and planning.
3. Non-standard requirements: Requests that need manual changes to the manufacturing traveler or process steps can increase preparation time.
4. Customer specifications: Additional needs and quality clauses in the purchase order may require further review before the job is ready for manufacturing.
5. New product introduction (NPI) review: Boards that require a NPI review may need additional engineering evaluation and preparation time.

Amit Bahl, Chief Revenue Officer at Sierra Circuits, explained, “If you want to master the art of quickturn PCB fabrication, the secret is simple: understand how your design requirements affect the manufacturing process. Multiple lamination cycles, specialized surface finishes, and complex fabrication specifications can extend turnaround time. Discuss your requirements with your fabricator early to understand their capabilities and limitations and establish a realistic turnaround time.”

Download our Design for Manufacturing Handbook to learn how to shorten your product development cycle.

Design for Manufacturing Handbook

11 Chapters - 96 Pages - 90 Minute Read

What's Inside:

• Annular ring sizes to avoid drill breakouts
• DFM strategies for designing reliable vias
• Trace width and spacing best practices
• Solder mask and silkscreen must-knows

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2. Lamination cycles

A lamination cycle is a manufacturing step in which layers of a printed board are bonded together under heat and pressure.

Multilayer boards require one lamination cycle, while HDI boards with multiple levels of buried vias and microvias may need additional sequential lamination processes. Each additional step adds manufacturing steps, increasing the cost and turnaround time.

The time required for each lamination cycle depends on factors such as the HDI stack-up, number of layers, and materials used.

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Based on the current turnaround guidelines, each additional lamination cycle adds 7 days to the applicable base manufacturing time.

Lamination-related feasibility analysis (FA) may also be required for certain constructions, adding to the engineering review and preparation time and extending the TAT. These include:

1. Overall board-thickness tolerance of ±4 mil or less on boards that are 0.062 inch or thicker.
2. Rogers material with heavy copper.
3. Unbalanced constructions with mixed materials.
4. Arlon laminates with more than 2 oz of inner-layer copper.
5. Boards with white immersion tin on inner layers.
6. PCBs with more than 4 oz of copper on inner layers.

For example, the image 1 above portrays the presence of a buried via (core) along with both staggered microvias. Such a board would have a 2+N+2 stack-up. The total number of lamination cycles required will affect the overall manufacturing turnaround.

A 2+N+2 stack-up has two sequentially laminated buildup layers on each side of the central core, represented by N.

Want to build a reliable stack-up? Schedule a design review with our engineers to validate your design and configure your build-up.

3. Via-fill and advanced drilling requirements

Via-fill methods and specialized drilling operations add manufacturing steps that can extend the turnaround time. The additional duration depends on the type of via fill, drilling method, and board construction.

Sierra Circuits’ manufacturing guidelines distinguish between boards without via fill, those with non-conductive via fill (NCVF), and those with conductive copper via fill (CVF).

For rigid PCBs with up to 10 layers, a single lamination cycle, and 7 – 12 panels, the base turnaround time depends on the via-fill method: 5 days without via fill, 8 days with NCVF, and an additional 25 days for CVF over the applicable base turnaround time.

Advanced drilling and mechanical requirements can also extend manufacturing time:

1. Laser, CD, and back drilling: +2 days
2. Countersink/bore: +1 day
3. Control-depth drilling: +2 days of CAM/planning time for HDI constructions with more than two lamination cycles

Via-in-pad designs may require extra processing, extending manufacturing time.

Amit Bahl explained, “Vias placed directly within surface-mount component pads can cause solder to wick into the holes during assembly. Although via-in-pad designs help save board space and support thermal management, they may require additional processing and turnaround time.”

4. Board dimensions and fabrication specifications

Board dimensions, material availability, fabrication specifications, and special requirements can affect PCB turnaround time. Uncommon materials may take longer to procure, while incomplete fabrication details or non-standard requirements can increase engineering review and manufacturing preparation time.

A printed board fabrication drawing provides essential manufacturing information, including mechanical dimensions, IPC class, materials, layer stack-up, via drill charts, plating thickness, controlled impedance requirements, and tolerances.

Consider the following factors during the design phase:

• Manufacturing capabilities: Check the fabricators’ capabilities, including minimum trace width and spacing, to ensure your design can be built without additional revisions.
• IPC class: Specify whether your prototype must meet IPC class 2 or class 3 requirements. Different acceptance criteria can affect manufacturing and inspection requirements.
• Material availability: Choose materials based on electrical performance, availability, and cost. Less commonly used materials may have longer procurement lead times.
• Controlled impedance specifications: Ensure the fabrication drawing clearly identifies target impedances and the trace widths and spacing. Missing or conflicting information can delay engineering review.
• Board thickness and panel dimensions: Sierra Circuits’ current guidelines specify an additional 1 day for panels below 35 mil, 2 days for boards thicker than 125 mil, and 2 days for oversized panels. Tight overall board-thickness tolerances may also require lamination feasibility analysis.
• Special manufacturing requirements: Non-standard customer requirements, additional quality clauses in the purchase order, and process steps that require manual edits to manufacturing instructions can increase CAM/planning time.
  • Review the notes included in your fabrication drawing and ensure you understand how the fabricator will interpret them. Unclear, conflicting, or non-standard notes can require additional clarification and delay manufacturing. 

5. Surface finish

The selected PCB surface finish can affect turnaround time because different finishes have unique processing steps.

Hot air solder leveling (HASL) and electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) are commonly used finishes.

Specialty coating may require additional processing, extending manufacturing time.

According to Sierra Circuits’ current guidelines, the following finishes add to the base turnaround time:

• EPIG/EPAG: 10 additional days
• White tin: 5 additional days
• Hard or soft gold: 3 additional days

A PCB that requires two different gold finishes may also need additional processing. For example, a board with ENIG on surface-mount pads and hard gold on edge connectors requires separate plating processes for the two finishes, which can affect the overall turnaround time.

6. Assembly drawings and notes

Incomplete assembly drawings, missing BOM details, or unclear assembly notes can lead to clarification requests, component placement errors, and rework, delaying assembly. Complete and accurate documentation helps manufacturers assemble and inspect the board correctly the first time.

They should feature information related to part lists, shapes, top and bottom views of the board, identification labels, and assembly-specific notes. These drawings, along with fab notes, help in the inspection of the circuit board.

Follow these guidelines to keep your PCB assembly on schedule:

• Check component footprints: Follow the design-for-assembly rules and verify that component footprints match the selected parts.
• Provide a complete BOM: Include manufacturer part numbers (MPNs) and clear part descriptions to help prevent sourcing errors.
• Prepare supplied components correctly: If you provide your own parts, follow the manufacturer’s kitting guidelines.
• Ensure legible silkscreen markings: Make sure the silkscreen clearly identifies components and includes reference designators and polarity indicators needed for assembly, testing, and troubleshooting.

Are you worried about getting low-quality/counterfeit components, price inflation, and inefficient inventory management? We’ve got you covered. Sierra Circuits’ customer-owned inventory services (COIN) is a personalized component sourcing and stocking program designed to meet your specific needs.

With COIN, we procure and store the required parts for your PCBAs, eliminating the risk of counterfeit or low-quality components while ensuring you have access to the necessary parts when you need them.

See our FAQs on COIN services.

7. Panel quantity and board construction

Larger quantities require more material processing and manufacturing time. Panel dimensions also matter, as oversized panels may need additional handling and processing.

According to Sierra Circuits’ current manufacturing guidelines, oversized rigid panels add 2 days to the base turnaround time, while an 18 × 24-inch rigid-flex panel adds 1 day.

Board construction also influences manufacturing time. Rigid, flex, multilayer flex, and rigid-flex circuit boards follow different manufacturing processes and have different base turnaround times. For example, a rigid-flex board with up to 10 layers and a single lamination cycle has a base turnaround time of 15 days for up to five panels without via fill or 18 days with NCVF.

Sierra Circuits fabricates and assembles high-quality circuit boards. To learn more, see our rigid PCB manufacturing capabilities.

To talk to an expert, book a meeting, or call us at +1 (800) 763-7503.

8. Data quality and manufacturability

Accurate, complete, and manufacturable PCB design data helps streamline CAM preparation and production planning. If the submitted files contain design-rule issues or require extensive manual editing, the manufacturer may need additional time to prepare the board for fabrication, extending the quickturn turnaround time.

According to Sierra Circuits’ current CAM/planning guidelines:

• Complex design corrections: Extensive edits to address tight trace-width or spacing requirements, drill-to-copper clearances below 6 mil across multiple layers, or annular rings below 2.5 mil add 1 day.
• Semi-additive processing: Designs with trace widths or spacing below 3 mils add 2 days.
• Customer arrays without Gerber array data: Creating an array from a customer-provided drawing requires 6 hours of CAM/planning time.
• Multi-part designs: Preparing multi-part designs requires 8 hours of CAM/planning time.

9. Impedance requirements

Controlled-impedance PCBs require precise design specifications and additional checks to ensure signal integrity. Missing or unclear impedance information can delay engineering review and CAM preparation.

According to Sierra Circuits’ current guidelines, more than 10 impedance requirements add 6 hours of CAM/planning time. The following conditions may also require an engineering feasibility analysis:

Certain requirements can also require engineering feasibility analysis, including:

1. Inner-layer impedance with 5% tolerance
2. More than 15 impedance requirements
3. Trace widths of 4 mils or less
4. Multiple lamination jobs with impedance on plated inner layers

Providing accurate impedance requirements, target values, and controlled trace widths and spaces in the fabrication documentation can help prevent delays caused by information mismatches.

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10. Feasibility analysis (FA)

Some designs require additional engineering FA to determine whether the specified construction and manufacturing requirements can be achieved. This review takes extra time and can extend the overall quickturn PCB schedule.

Feasibility analysis may be required for designs with:

• Inner-layer impedance with a 5% tolerance
• More than 15 impedance requirements
• Trace widths of 4 mil or less
• Multiple lamination cycles with impedance requirements on plated inner layers

Class 3 and military specifications may also require additional engineering review, depending on the board construction and applicable requirements.

The additional time depends on the type of feasibility analysis and the board construction. Scaling FA, impedance FA, and full process FA follow different turnaround guidelines, so there is no single fixed time addition that applies to every design.

Identifying special materials, complex constructions, and stringent manufacturing requirements when requesting a quote helps the manufacturer assess feasibility early and provide a more realistic turnaround estimate.

How to choose the right quickturn fabrication partner in the USA?

Choosing the right quickturn fabrication partner involves more than comparing prices and lead times. Consider the manufacturer’s location, certifications, quality consistency, communication, and ability to handle your board’s specific manufacturing requirements.

Avoid compromising on quality to reduce costs. Partnering with a certified contract manufacturer (CM) that offers turnkey PCB manufacturing and assembly can simplify coordination, reduce delays between fabrication and assembly, and help maintain quality throughout production.

Also, evaluate the manufacturer’s engineering, CAM, and fabrication capabilities. Complex board constructions and non-standard requirements may need additional planning or feasibility analysis. A capable manufacturing partner can identify potential issues early and provide a more realistic turnaround estimate.

Consider these five factors when choosing a quickturn PCB fabrication partner:

1. Location: Location is a critical factor when it comes to prototyping efforts. Opting for a local CM can be an advantage in quickturn services. Naturally, the further away the fabrication partner is, the longer delivery will take.

For turnkey projects, consider switching to onshore manufacturers who have a strong supply chain and established supplier contact base. By choosing a U.S.-based fabrication partner, your potential turnaround time becomes much quicker.

2. Product lead time: The sooner the fab-house produces your prototype, the sooner you can finalize your design for large-scale production. Ask the manufacturer how its quoted lead time is calculated and whether it includes CAM/planning and feasibility-analysis time.
3. Certifications: Make sure that the manufacturer’s operations are in conformance with global quality standards like IPC, ISO, UL, and RoHS compliance and possess certifications. Visit our certifications page to know the standards we conform to.
4. Consistency: Your CM should repeatedly deliver quality boards, both at small and large scales.
5. Communication and support: Regular communication with your CM is vital. Your manufacturer should be able to offer in-depth support that you need at each stage of prototyping. Your concerns should be immediately addressed. A capable engineering team should also be able to identify manufacturability, impedance, material, and construction issues before they create delays.

These are just a few things to consider before production begins. Having this information ahead of time will give you a realistic schedule.

See case study: quickturn PCB prototype for Bluetooth application where one of our esteemed clients talks about our ability to support their design requirements.

Sierra Circuits’ One Flow online service helps you get quickturn prototypes with high-quality fabrication and assembly in the USA. Upload your Gerber or ODB++ files to get an instant quote and move from design to finished board faster.

Why should you choose Sierra Circuits as your preferred partner?

Sierra Circuits can be your perfect partner for quickturn PCBs. We cater to IoT, military, medical, aerospace, consumer electronics, and OEMs.

Our strengths include:

1. State-of-the-art facilities with advanced machinery and equipment such as LDI, laser drills, and solder mask spray coating machines.
2. Extensive experience in laser drilling, routing, and X-ray drill machines for accurate internal registration, and mechanical vision drill systems with controlled depth drilling.
3. Self-learning system for material movement compensation, Seica’s FPT machines for electrical testing, and AOI for quality control.
4. 30+ years of experience in manufacturing and assembly processes, ensuring your design is flawlessly built from start to finish. 
5. Certified to all necessary industry standards.
6. Offer advanced circuit board design tools to expedite your design process.

Choosing a single provider for PCB fabrication and assembly reduces delays, shipping and coordination costs, and miscommunication between vendors. It also improves production efficiency and quality control from design through delivery.

Quickturn PCB fabrication is the most efficient and cost-effective way to manufacture your prototypes. A skilled manufacturing partner will offer collaborative efforts so that your final product is the best.