Frequently Asked Questions

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PCB Manufacture FAQs

Will the products I receive be manufactured to any approved standards?

Each of our manufacturing facilities holds as a minimum ISO 9001:2008. All PCB’s are manufactured through UL Approved process and any products can be released to UL upon request. In addition we hold and can release product to a host of further approvals. Please contact us for further information.

What information to I need to give you to get a quote?

Ideally you will supply us with a complete set of Gerber Files (Usually in RS274X Format) and an Excellon Drill File. In addition a profile drawing containing critical dimensions and any special features and materials used would be perfect. In the real world this rarely happens and we can accommodate just about any presentation of data you have. In addition we need to know the quantity of circuits you require and any particular Lead-Times we need to consider.

How long does it take to get a quote?

In almost all circumstances we will quote within one day of receiving the enquiry, and usually we would expect to reply within 4 hours.

What forms of payment do you accept? And what are your Payment Terms?

We accept payment by Direct Bank Transfer, Cheque or Credit Card. For new customers we expect first order to be paid in full on placement of order. This allows to us begin the process of Credit Checks and Account Opening. On successful processing of our Account Application our standard trading terms are Nett: 30 Days.

Are the PCB’s made in UK or Asia?

The answer to this is BOTH! Clarydon has provided manufacturing solutions both in the UK and China for many years now. Every job will be assessed in terms of Volume, Technology, Lead-Time as well as consideration of the future needs of any project rather than just on a single order basis. A decision is then reached where best to offer as a manufacturing location.

What Volume range can you offer?

In reality we can and do offer from One to One Million Circuits. We achive this by using our Multi Facility approach as previously mentioned. In addition the relationship between our manufacturing sites ensure a continuity in any project as it moves from Development and Prototypying through to Volume Manufacture, and even at the end of a project where volumes may come down again back to a ‘spares requirement.’

What is the fastest lead time you can offer?

Many times we have been challenged (and succeeded) to offer a 24 hour turnaround for PCB’s.! Whilst this is by no means the norm, we like to think that ANY reasonable request for delivery can be accommodated. A standard Prototype batch would normally be manufactured in 3-5 days and a standard Production Batch would normally be manufactured in 10-15 days.

What is the best way to contact you and send enquiries?

We offer many ways to contact us.
By Telephone: (+44) 01902 606000 or (+44) 01902 606068
By Fax: (+44) 01902 606088
By email: [email protected]
Skype: clarydon
Our Enquiry Page: Click here.
All of these methods are checked regularly for requests and enquiries.

Why do I have to pay a Tooling Charge?

This is an integral part of the manufacturing process. For your tooling charge we will:

  1. Design Rule Check your data to validate its suitability for manufacture, and identify any potential faults
  2.  Produce Photoplots for all layers including Tracks, Resists and Component Idents, as well as any other special features the PCB may have (Peelable Carbon etc.)
  3. Create Drill programs
  4. Test Fixtures (Bed of Nails or AOI Programme)

This “Tooling” once paid for belongs to you (our customer) and can be returned at any time upon request. In general however most customers prefer us to keep their tooling in our ag=fe and environmentally controlled conditions.
FREE TOOLING OFFER: Clarydon continues to offer Free Tooling where customers are tooled elsewhere and are considering moving the business to us. Please talk to us for details if this is your situation.

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PCB Assembly FAQs