FAQ

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1:What type of PCB's do you manufacture?

Single sided, Double sided (FR-4, Getek, Polyimide, Teflon, Roger, Nelco).
Multilayers up to 32 layers.
Multilayers with Blind, Buried Vias.
Multilayers for Flash Card and PCMCIA applications (Smart Cards).
6 layers with finished thickness of 0.018" Max.
BGA (Flip Chip)/ SUBSTRATE.
Bluetooth.
Controlled Impedence (Microstrips, Striplines, Single-Ended & Differential).

2: What are the standard lead-times for Prototype?

Up to 8 layers in 5 working days
9-12 layers in 7 working days
13 layers and up in 10 working days

3:What are the best (quick) turn around times?

24 hours up to 8 layers.
48 hours up to 12 layers.
72 hours up to 16 layers.
5 working days for 17 or more layers.

4:What are the minimum trace width and spacing capability?

Standard are 5 mils trace and 5 mils space.
We can manufacture down to 3 mils trace and space.However, these designs subject to review before commitment of delivery
5:What is the smallest hole size that can be drilled?0.008" is smallest.
0.014" is preferred.
6.What software is used in our CAM department?Cam Master, Fix Master, Probe Master from Lavenir Technology
7: How do you Calculate Impedance Controlled Dielectric Spacing?We use Engineering Solutions Software for Impedance Calculation.
8: What are typical Dielectric Spacing for 8 and 10 mil trace width for 50 Ohms MicroStrip?Ex: Fr-4, 4.5 Dk: 8 mils trace: Dielectric between signals and Plans are 5 mils.
10 mils trace: Dielectric between signals and plans are 6 mils.
9: What type of Solder mask do you use?Liquid Photo Image (LPI) Solder mask is standard.
Other solder mask available on request.
10: What is Bed of Nails Testing and how is it performed?Location of all components is extracted in the form X and Y coordinates and a NC drill file is created. Test plate fixture is drilled and is assembled on a standard bottom plate with holes located at 100 mil centers. At each point of the component hole location a pin is dropped. All the pins are inserted. The fixture is placed on the test machine, a board is placed and all the connections and isolations are learned. All the other boards are tested with the first board as a reference. This test ensures that all boards are identical
11:What is Clamshell Net list testing and how is it performed?Clamshell Net list testing is similar to bed of nails testing. This type of testing is used if the board has components on both sides. This test is performed using fixtures for both sides simultaneously and the Net is generated direct from the Gerber Data using one of CAD Software.
12:What is Flying Probe testing and how is it performed? As the fixture costs are very high, a fixture less type of testing is used. The test machine has probes, normally 4 to 16 probes on both sides that move to each location of the net and checks for opens and shorts. This type of testing is more economical for small prototype runs. For quantities of more than 10 boards with more than 2500 nets, fixture testing (bed of nails) is faster. We extract the netlist from your Gerber Data or using your IPC-356D format to test 100% Short and Open.
13:How do I send a request for quote (RFQ)? What files do I need to send?Go to our WEBSITE and fill out a RFQ sheet or E-mail us a Fab drawing in gerber format, DXF, DWG, HPGL or PDF with the quantity and lead time.
14: Once I received the quote, How to place an order?Send a Purchase Order and a completed Gerber Data (Zip file).
15: What paper work to should I complete if I am ordering for the first time?First time order is COD.
16: How do I establish Credit Terms with QualTech Circuits, Inc.?First you send credit information to our Credit Department .
The information must include Name of the Company, Address, Phone and Fax, a Bank.
Reference, and at least 3 Trade References.
Within 10 working days you should hear from our Credit Department.
17: What shipping methods does QualTech Circuits, Inc. provide?
We provide Driver Delivery and Will Call to all Local Customers: City of San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and Mountain View CA.
QualTech Circuits, Inc. ships all of its out of town orders via Federal Express Overnight delivery, unless specified otherwise by our customers.
18: Do I pay tax on my order?Yes, unless your order is for resale, you must pay tax , that includes tooling and plotting. If for resale, the P.O. must be clearly indicated and you must provide a signed resale certificate. The only part that will not be taxed is the price of the PCBs, if this for resale.
19:What happens if the job goes on hold or later cancelled?If the job is placed on hold for any reasons more than 4 hours, an extra day will be added to the due date. If it is on hold for any period of time, the commitment of shipping date will be adjusted accordingly. If the job is cancelled, a cancellation charge will be applied up to 100% of the order price depending how far the job was completed
20: How many employees work at QualTech Circuits, Inc.?As many as 70 at the end of 2000, currently we have 45 employees.
21: How long has QualTech Circuits, Inc. been in business?QualTech Circuits, Inc. (formly known as QuickTurn Circuits, Inc) had been in business since early 1990.
22: How large is your new facility and how long has it been in operation?Approximate 16,000 square feet and has been in operation since April, 2000.
23: What is your yearly revenue?
Prototype revenue 1998/ 6 million, 1999/ 8 million, 2000/ 10 million.
24:Which quality program does your company follow?IPC-A-600E/ IPC-A-6012
25: Is your company UL Approved?Yes, we are UL Approved.
26:Is your company ISO certified?
Yes, QualTech Circuits has been ISO certified as of 2002.
27: Is your company MIL-SPEC certified?No, QualTech Circuits, Inc. is not MIL-SPEC certified
28: What services do you sub-contract?Design, Assembly.
29: What items are necessary to begin manufacturing?Gerber files (Format 274-D, 274-X), Fab Drawing (Ex: Gerber/ HPGL, PDF, DXF), Apperture lists, CNC drill file (Excellon formatted). Read me file.
Purchase order.
Engineering contacts including phone, fax and email addresses.
30: How quickly can a quote be generated?In as little as 30 minutes or less for prototype quantities
Within an hour after information is received for production quantities.
31: How do I contact your company for more information?Tel: (408) 727-4125 Fax: (408) 727-1411
E-mail: info@QualTechCircuits.com
32:Where is your company located?1101 Comstock Street, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA.