The Difference Between PCB And PCBA

There are major 3 differences between PCB board and PCB assembly.

Appearance

Manufacturing Process

Manufacturing Cost

1. Appearance

A PCBA is a finished board with all of the electronic components soldered on it, Similarly, a PCB board is a bare circuit. A PCBA is a finished assembly that has every component needed for the board to operate as intended.

2. Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process PCBs is less complicated compared to PCB assembly. Due to the numerous parts and steps needed in PCB assembly, creating a blank board is a less complicated than manufacturing a finished printed circuit board assembly.

For instance, designing the board, making a photomask, etching the copper traces onto the board, and putting on a solder mask are all common steps in PCB production. On the other hand, PCBA manufacturing includes soldering the components onto the board in addition to all the stages involved in PCB manufacture.

3. PCB cost is significantly less compared to PCB Assembly

Because they are easier to manufacture, PCBs are less expensive than printed circuit board assembly. The kind and quantity of components soldered onto the board have an impact on the price of a PCBA.

Depending on the project need, you start with a bare PCB. Subsequently, you must consult with a professional PCBA manufacturer for PCBA assembly for the mass production.

CBAs are less likely to contain errors than hand-assembled boards. This is because the automated manufacturing processes are very precise and repeatable