PCBgogo

When it comes to PCB manufacturing, you might get into troubles with making the circuit boards. Luckily, there are a series of advanced PCB manufacturing equipment in PCBGOGO so that we can solve the problems in the PCB industry. There is no doubt that it also includes appropriate execution of PCB edge castellation, which we can make sure that there is a high quality on tight tolerances for edge plating after profiling. 

Do you know what’s the edge plating or castellation? In fact, the edge plating or castellation refers to the copper plating that runs from the top to the bottom surfaces of the circuit board, and extends to at least one of the perimeter edges. So PCB edge castellation makes sure there is a strong connection with the circuit board and limits the chance of equipment failures, particularly while controlling the protections for sub-motherboards and small form factor boards.

Edge plating PCB process

As you know, there are a great deal of challenges for a PCB manufacturer mainly in how to prepare the plated edges and the life span adhesion of the plated material, what’s more, it needs the precision handling in PCB manufacturing that is used for edge PCB soldering. PCBGOGO can make sure that the PCB edge castellation thoroughly prepares edges surfaces, which applies the plated copper for prompt adhesion and processes the circuit board to make sure the long-term adhesion between each layer.

Needless to say, we can control the potential hazard for plated through hole and edge plating with a controlled process during printed circuit board manufacturing for edge soldering. So the most important concern is the creation of burrs, which result in discontinuities in plated through hole walls and limits the life of adhesion of the edge plating. 

Edge plating applications

Now edge plating PCB has been widely used in many industries, particularly in applications that need better support for connections, for example for circuit boards that slide into metal casings. What’s more, edge plating has other benefits as follows:

l Improve the current-carrying capabilities of PCB;

l Offer edge connection and protection;

l Offer the possibility of edge soldering to improve fabrication.

In fact, PCB manufacturers need to fabricate the circuit boards with specialized equipment and trained personnel for the process although edge plating on printed circuit boards is a simple addition in many cases. In addition, designers need to make sure that there is a band of copper on both edges of the top and bottom side, because the plating will connect to the copper bands.

So we will try our best to do the precise checks so that keep everything safe. For example, the PCB castellation should never lead the internal power planes to the edge of the circuit board, as it can make the edge plating short-circuited. What’s more, we need to make sure that there is a gap before the edge plating process while fabricating the circuit board for edge soldering. 

Limitations

Because fabricators need to hold the circuit boards within the production panel in PCB prototype, they can’t plate the complete-length edge. Therefore, there are some gaps required to place rout tabs. It needs routing the circuit board profile at the place when fabricating the circuit boards with edge plating, and the edge plating is required before starting the process of through-hole plating, which remove v-cut scoring on a PCB that needs to undergo edge plating.

The edge plating PCB in PCBGOGO

With over 10 years as an industry leader, PCBGOGO has lots of manufacturing experience for PCB edge plating, and we are able to control high quality for edge plating without burrs. Because the satisfaction of customers is our goal, we will try our best to fabricate your board with the highest quality to meet your demands and committed to adhering to the strictest standards in PCB fabrication and assembly. 

PCBGOGO, the electronic engineer’s best partner, is offering you low cost PCB fabrication with high quality.