Local PCB Manufacturer vs China based PCB Manufacturer
There is always a dilemma among the electronic equipment manufacturing companies on whether they should get their PCBs manufactured from a local PCB manufacturer or a China PCB manufacturer. There are advantages and disadvantages in both approaches. What works for one company may not work for another company. Before deciding, you should take time to review the pros and cons of both approaches.
When you send your PCB manufacturing need to a local PCB manufacturer you will have a better control over the manufacturing process or at least that is what most people think. However, in reality, no one really visits their PCB manufacturing company. They just connect with their PCB manufacturer through phone, email and through, video chats. In this internet era, distance is never a concern. It really does not make any difference whether you are a local manufacturer or a company that is thousands of miles away.
When you manufacture your PCBs from a local manufacturer, you would not have to pay a huge shipping fee. When you order your PCBs from a China PCB company, you would be paying international shipping fee. However, despite the huge shipping fee, many electronic equipment companies prefer to get their PCBs manufactured by a China PCB company. This is because the low PCB quotes received from the PCB manufacturers in China will offset the PCB shipping charges and after offsetting customers will still be able to enjoy further savings.
As China has turned out to be the world’s most favorite PCB fabrication hub, all the companies have equipped themselves with the latest PCB manufacturing equipment and they also have well trained staff. All these enable the Chinese manufacturers to deliver the best quality PCBs within a reasonable price. As the PCBs are often ordered in huge volumes on an ongoing basis, one is expected to source the cheapest quotes possible as long as the quality of the PCBs is not sacrificed.
Some customers experience language related issues this is because they fail to identify an experienced PCB manufacturer with good English speaking staff. As a result, customers have difficult time interacting with their PCB manufacturers. This however is not a problem with all the manufacturers in China. As most of the companies deal with international clients, they started hiring people with good English language skills. You should not therefore face language issues with your China PCB manufacturer. You may have to however select a company with highly experienced English speaking staff and this is an area that you cannot afford to ignore.
We cannot say that there are no challenges at all in working with a China PCB company. There are a number of challenges but all the challenges could be addressed effectively by taking the required measures. Moreover, most of these challenges are experienced only during the initial stages of outsourcing. Over a period, you will be able to overcome all these challenges and start enjoying the fullest benefits of outsourcing your PCB manufacturing needs to China.
ChinaPCBOne Technology LTD. is the author of this article on China PCB. Find more information, about PCB manufacturer.
