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FAQ's

FAQ's

Pre-Sales
Ordering
PCB File
PCB Specification
Panelization
PCB Assembly
Electronics Components
Payment & Shipping
Misc.

Answers

Pre-Sales
  • Q: Is there a minimum quantity?
  • At Quick-teck, there is no minimum quantity! You are free to order just 1 PCB if that is all you require.
  • Q: What's your quality warranty?
  • We keep our prices low by constantly implementing more efficient manufacturing processes, by developing systems that allow us to quickly change setups, by maintaining partnerships with suppliers, and by conservatively managing our business.
    We are committed to providing our customers with PCBs that meet the highest standards for quality and value. We comply with the ISO9001:2008 quality management system and UL approvals.
    Low cost doesn't mean that you have to compromise on quality.We guarantee bare boards against quality defects under normal usage, and if there are problems, we will:
    1. Replace boards at no charge or refund up to 100% of your payment.
    2. Issue a 10% discount (up to £50) voucher on your next order.
    The above conditions are based on you returning the boards to us. They are also based on a 7 working day limited warranty, valid from our delivery date.
  • Q: Do you check my manufacture data?
  • Yes. We check the design files you sent to us. We may provide some recommendations, free of charge if needed. Our recommendations(based on our design rules) may include but are not limited to increasing clearance, trace width or pad size to decrease cost or increase manufacturing capability. Of course, while we will make recommendations, the final decision is always yours.
  • Q: I am in mainland Europe, can I place an order with you?
  • Yes. You're welcome to an place order with us. We don't charge you UK VAT if you let us know your EU VAT number. We try to achieve the same lead time for orders to most of mainland Europe, but for some addresses please allow us up to two days' extra lead time. Apart from this, there is no any other difference to the UK customer's ordering experience. Check here to find details of the order process.
  • Q: What do I do if I need a large volume?
  • Before you buy or procure PCBs from the Far East via an agent, we would like to hear from you. We are certain that we can save you money on large volume orders since we don't use any other PCB suppliers for manufacturing.
  • Q: Do you send paper invoices?
  • We send all invoices via email in PDF format so that you can print them yourself, but feel free to contact us if you need us to send paper invoices.
  • Q: Do I have to register an account with you to place a PCB order?
  • You do not have to register an account with us to place an order. However setting up an account on Quick-teck is a way of saving your personal details, such as delivery addresses for future use. You can also use "My Quick-teck" to track your order history, collect points and convert to vouchers, access to members-only technical articles. This makes the site friendlier and easy to use.
  • Q: I will travel to China, can I visit your factory during my travel?
  • You are more than welcome to visit our factory if you are a returning customer. Unfortunately, we don't provide this service to new customers.
    Our factory is based on Shenzhen, China and is ISO9001 and RoHS compliant. Contact us before you travel to China and we will provide you the details..
  • Q: Sometimes we received emails from other China based PCB manufacturers, quoting a better price for the job, can you match this price?
  • No, while we have a very low pricing structure, low prices are never our only aim. Our products are created to industry standard quality, with free technical support, order tracking, UK customer service and a choice of guaranteed lead times.
    From beginning to end, Quick-teck have your best interests in mind:
    • VAT and shipping are included our price, there are no hidden extra costs.
    • Quick-teck engineers carry out a free file review. We will review your files and notify you if they find that your design contains errors or does not conform to our technical requirements. This free service saves our customers time and money being wasted due to design faults.
    • We provide high quality, RoHS compliant, industry standard PCBs. 100% quality satisfaction guarantee, or your money back.
    • We provide real-time online order status tracking to keep you in the know and our UK customer service team are here to support you if needed.
    • Our garanteed lead times include manufacturing and shipping time. If you do not receive your order by your guaranteed delivery date, a proportional price reduction can be applied on the next order.

    We believe our technical expertise and UK customer service is far superior to our competitors, but don't take our word for it. Find out what our customers have to say about us...
    http://www.quick-teck.co.uk/contactus/testimonial/index.php.

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Ordering
  • Q: What is your cut-off time every day?
  • Since our factory in China closes at 19:00pm(GMT+8), orders placed after 10:30am (UK time) will be processed with an order date for the following business day. Lead time is considered as manufacturing time + shipping time for your order!
  • Q: Can I place an order at the weekend?
  • Yes. Our online order system operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,so you can place your online order at anytime. Normally, you will be sent a confirmation email within 4 hours of you placing the order. For orders placed at the weekend or between 18:00 and 04:00 (the next day) on working days,please allow up to 12 hours for a response.
  • Q: Do you test the bare PCBs before dispatch?
  • Yes. All prototypes and medium volume order PCBs are tested using flying probe testers. Custom designed and manufactured fixtures (also called bed of nails) are used for large production runs.
    E-test costs are included in the prices you are quoted online.
  • Q: Why was I asked to check email in the first 6 hours after placing the order?
  • Your manufacture data was passed on to our engineering team within 15 minutes of placing the order. If any issues are found, you will be contacted by email. This process occurs within 6 hours from when the order was placed. Our records show that one of four customers need to be contacted before the order is confirmed. If you are a new customer, then this ratio could be higher. Therefore, in order to improve your order process please check your email regularly within 6 hours of placing the order.
  • Q: Do I still need to pay setup and tooling fee for repeat order?
  • We keep the setup and tooling in our factory for eighteen months. So if your order is repeated within eighteen months, the tooling and setup cost can be deducted.

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PCB File
  • Q: What kinds of files does Quick-teck need?
  • We prefer the Gerber RS-274X and NC drill files which are our standard manufacturing format. Please archive all your files into a ZIP/RAR file for uploading. For multi-layer boards please indicate the layer sequence information in a txt file.
    If you are using these design tools, and have difficulties converting the manufacturing file, we may be able to help you (additional charges may be applied).
    Should you have any special requirements, supplying us with a README.txt file will be very helpful. We will appreciate it if you can keep an eye on your email for the first 6 hours after uploading your file.
    Non-standard format files may lead to longer lead time.
  • Q: Do you accept ExpressPCB format file?
  • No.
  • Q: How can I check the manufacturing data before I send it to you?
  • We recommend GC-Prevue and Gerbv as Gerber viewer. Try GC-Prevue from Graphicode which is free of charge. It will allow you to check the Gerber and drill data. For Linux customers, please use Gerbv which can run on many common Unix platforms.
  • Q: What is your manufacturing minimum track thickness and clearance?
  • Minimum clearance and track thickness are 6mil. Minimum hole size is 15mil. Click here to find out more information about our technical capability.
  • Q: Can I use inch sizes in my design?
  • Yes, you can use imperial units in your design, but please note that we work in metric units. This means we will convert your dimension to metric with the nearest available metric value.
  • Q: What is good number precision for Gerber generation?
  • You can select either 2.4 or 3.4.
  • Q: Can you manufacture my PCBs from a picture file?
  • No, we cannot accept BMP, GIF, TIFF, or JPG pictures as the manufacturing file as these formats are not good for PCB manufacturing. But you can use these files to request a quotation.
  • Q: What are the most common errors made by customers?
  • Customers make every conceivable error, but the common ones are no board outline, no drill file, no drill sizes, or no layers stack-up information. Try to make your file names descriptive. Also a README.txt file is very useful for us in understanding your PCB.
  • Q: Will my PCB files be checked?
  • Yes. Your data will be checked with our design rule check. If we find any technical issues or have any enquires we will contact you. This is quite common for prototype orders. Please keep an eye on your email in the first 6 hours after placing your order.

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PCB Specification
  • Q: What is your standard specification PCB?
  • The following is used for our standard specification boards: FR4, 1.6mm thickness, 1oz copper weight, white silkscreen, green solder mask, HASL/Gold finish.
  • Q: Is the hole size defined in the Gerber file the finished hole diameters?
  • The hole size (contained in your Gerber file) is assumed as the finished hole diameters after plating. The tolerance of size is +/-0.08mm.
  • Q: Can you tell me the thickness information about your 4-layer PCB stack-up?
  • The standard 1.6mm thickness 4-layer stack-up is as below (from top to bottom): 1oz copper (0.035mm) + 7628Prepreg(0.1778mm) + 1.2mm core board + 7628Prepreg(0.1778mm) + 1oz copper(0.035mm). The tolerance of the finished thickness is +/-0.1mm. We can also offer 4 layer PCBs with thicknesses of 0.8mm, 1.0mm, 2.0mm and 2.4mm. Please click here to find out more information about a multi-layer PCB stack-up.
  • Q: Can I order a PCB with a non-rectangular shape?
  • Yes, you can, we accept any PCB shape. Note that a rectangular outline (the minimum rectangular shape which can cover the entire PCB) will be used to calculate the board size. The shape should be clearly indicated in at least one of your copper layers. Otherwise you must supply a mechanical plan, separate from the Gerber file, indicating the shape of the PCB. This file has to have a reference to the copper layers, or has to have the same offset as the other layers.
  • Q: Does Quick-teck bevel gold fingers?
  • Yes. A standard 45-degree bevel will be added to your edge connector. We can also bevel at 15 or 30 degrees upon request. For multi-layer boards please ensure you have adequate back set for the bevels. Please mention this in the order form when placing your order.
  • Q: What solder mask do you use for PCBs?
  • We use green Liquid Photoimageable (LPI) solder mask for the standard prototype PCBs.
  • Q: Are there any other colour options for the solder mask?
  • Although green is the standard colour we use for prototype PCBs, we can also provide the following colours: red, white, blue, black, yellow, etc. You might need to pay a bit extra if these custom colours are used. Please contact us to find out more details.
  • Q: Can I use CEM-3 for my prototype order rather than FR-4?
  • No. We didn't see much difference between these two being used for prototype PCBs, so only FR-4 is used for the prototype PCBs. CEM-3 is available for a mass production order.
  • Q: What board manufacturer do you use for FR4?
  • Customers can specify the material supplier for production orders. For prototype and low volume orders, the following are the main suppliers for FR4 board: Kingboard (Hong Kong), NanYa (Taiwan) and Shengyi (China).
  • Q: Do you recommend a specific hole/pad ratio?
  • There are many factors to be considered including the hole type, size, board thickness, finish type. For these normal through hole pads, we have the following values which are commonly referred. Hole/pad size in mm: 0.4/1.5, 0.5/1.5, 0.6/2.0, 0.8/2.5, 1.0/2.5, 1.2/3.0, 1.6/3.5, 2.0/4.0. Please contact us if you require any further suggestions.
  • Q: Do you make flexible PCBs?
  • Yes. We are able to build flexible PCBs of up to four layers. The specifications are: polyester, 6mil minimum tracking width/clearance, 15mil minimum hole size, 1oz copper weight, 75µm base material thickness, HASL finish. These are the standard specifications for flexible PCBs.

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Panelization
  • Q: Can I put multiple circuits together and run them as one printed circuit board order?
  • Yes. We allow a maximum of two circuits to be put on the same panel without any extra charge. These two circuits can be the same design or different. Any of them should not be larger than 80x80mm. These circuits will be de-panelized before dispatching. If there are more than two circuits on the panel or any of the circuits are larger than 80x80mm, extra charge will be applied. Please contact us to get a fast quote.
  • Q: My assembly company need the PCBs as panelized, can you do this for me?
  • Yes. We can panelize your circuits upon your request. Here are some standard panels for your reference. Additional fees might need to be paid if you have special requirements. Please contact us with your requirements to get a fast quote.
  • Q: What is the minimum distance between the boards on the panel?
  • Zero, if you use V-score between the circuits/boards. However, if you like to use stamp holes (also called mouse bite) between them please leave at least 3mm's gap.
  • Q: What is the maximum panel size I can use?
  • While the single circuit board can be up to 500mm x 500mm, the maximum panel we allow is 230mm x 310mm.

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PCB Assembly
  • Q: What do you require in order to produce an assembly quotation?
  • Bill of materials (BOM) detailing the components to be fitted to the PCB with the manufacturers part numbers and the components suppliers' part number (e.g. Farnell, RS, Digi-key). You can find the BOM template we are using here. PCBA sample photos if possible. By allowing us to see the product pictures it will help us to give you the quotation faster. In addition to the above, we would need details of approximate order volumes and a desired delivery schedule.
  • Q: Can we supply PCBs and use your assembly service only?
  • No. We only assemble boards ordered from us. If your PCBs are manufactured in Europe, it is too costly to ship to China and back again for assembly. It is much more cost-effective to have your PCBs both manufactured and assembled in China - this is how we are able to offer you such a competitive price for your PCB manufacturing needs. More information about assembly service process can be found here.
  • Q: Do you need extra parts when assembling my boards?
  • In general, our process doesn't require any as we do not experience much loss. However, to avoid any delays due to parts shortage or missing items, we would encourage customer to provide 3% extra passive devices and 1-2 extras for IC's and other expensive parts. These unused parts will be returned to customer together with the finished boards.
  • Q: What are your PCB assembly quality standards?
  • We manufacture PCBs to meet IPC-A-610 Rev F Class 2 specifications as the default, supported by inspection and test criteria established by IPC.
  • Q: How do we need to supply our components?
  • We encourage customers to use our component sourcing services. This is the most cost-effective and fastest way for PCB assembly. Bear in mind that our factory is in China and 73% of electronic components in the world are originally made in Asia. If you decide to provide the components from your site, please make sure each part is packed in an individual bag or tray with a label. Components which are sensitive to moisture or static must be packaged in compliance with their storage requirements.
  • Q: Can I order components from a supplier in China on Alibaba and then ask them to send the components to your factory?
  • Yes. Since our factory is also in China. This is a quick and convenient way to handle the components. We don’t charge any admin fees for this process.
  • Q: Can you provide test facilities if required?
  • Yes. Where possible we would prefer to carry out full functional tests before dispatch. We have more than 100 test equipments/facilities in our factory. This includes Vector Network Analyzer, Multi-channel Digital Oscilloscope, Logic Analyzer, Programmable Power Supply, RF Signal Generator, Wi-Fi test set.
  • Q: What is your lead-time for PCB assembly?
  • If all the parts are available, normally the PCB assembly job can be finished within 5 to 9 days in our factory. This means that the order can be delivered within 2 to 3 weeks once assembly job starts. However, we can't fully guarantee the lead time for assembly orders as the customs clearing process is different (we guarantee the lead time for PCB manufacture orders). Like PCB manufacture orders, you can still locate the order process by using the online tracking system. A delivery tracking number will be sent to you once order is dispatched.
    Express UK assembly---Although our China-based assembly factory will keep providing their service as normal, we can now offer an express UK assembly allowing us to provide a fast turnaround, low volume PCB circuit assembly service where we assemble your order and despatch it in up to 3 days after receipt of PCB's and components. More details can be found here.

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  • Q: Why can't you quote for the component cost before the turn-key order is placed?
  • Component sourcing is not a simple task in real life. Finding proper parts/components from both reliable and professional suppliers is not easy. Price is not the only factor that must be considered when sourcing components. This job can take a few days for our experienced procurement engineers to carry out satisfactorily. We only start this job when the customer places the turn-key order with us. Normally, the component cost will be provided in the first 5 working days once the order is confirmed. For most low-quantity orders (less than 50 units), the component costs are similar to what it would be if it was purchased in the UK. This will eventually drop as the quantity increases. In the unlikely case that the price we quoted is not acceptable to you, you can choose to provide the components yourself.
  • Q: Can you provide a Design for Assembly (DFA) service?
  • Quick-teck provides this service free of charge to customers who have ordered PCB prototypes from us and are planning to place the production order with us. Our DFA service provides a report based on the customer's Gerber. By doing this, possible production problems can be addressed during the prototype stage.

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Electronics Components
  • Q: Can I order electronics components only?
  • No, you should order electronics components together with the PCBs from us. The components will be dispatched together with your PCBs and there is no shipping charge for this service.
  • Q: How can I keep the BOM costs down in a new design?
  • We always try to find the most cost-effective solution whilst ensuring reliable quality and acceptable lead times for our customers. But component sourcing is not always a simple task. Price is not the only factor that must be considered when sourcing components. A technical note created by our engineering team may be helpful when you start a new design.
  • Q: Should we order the components at the same time with the PCB order?
  • No, you don’t have to. It’s quite normal that designers don’t start to look at the components purchasing job until they have outsourced the PCBs. To meet this requirement, Quick-teck allows customers to order the component within three days after the PCB orders placed. In this case, the electronics components orders will be combined and dispatched together with the PCB orders.
  • Q: If we use your assembly service, would these in stock components be free of charge?
  • No. The assembly quote you got (either from online quote form or manually quote from our sales team) doesn’t include the components charge. For many prototype and low volume assembly orders, you maybe use them free of charge, but usually, the components cost is not include in the assembly quote.
  • Q: I cannot find the components I need from your website, can you still source them for me?
  • We keep around 4000 electronics components in our China factory. These carefully selected parts are most common used by our assembly service customers. If you cannot find your required components online, you can either purchase by yourself or use our component sourcing service.

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Payment and Shipping
  • Q: What payment methods does Quick-teck accept?
  • We don't mislead our customers, the amount you get from online quote form is the total you need to pay.
    We accept payment by all major credit and debit cards. The online payment system is managed by Sage Pay, one of the UK's most trusted and reliable payment brands.
    We also accept bank transfers via BACS, wire transfers, and payments through PayPal. Please note that if you use PayPal and the order amount is above £300, a 3% surcharge will apply.
  • Q: Can we open a credit account with you?
  • Monthly credit terms are available to companies who have regular orders with us. Customers may apply for a credit account after placing three orders with us. To apply an account, please contact our sales term for a credit account application form.
  • Q: Do your prices include all tooling and photographic costs?
  • Yes, our prices are all inclusive. There is no more to pay than the price you were quoted online.
  • Q: What's the refund policy?
  • If you request a refund before the manufacturing process starts, you will be refunded the full payment amount.
    If the request is made after the manufacturing process has started, the refund amount will be minus the materials and process costs at that time.
  • Q: How do you determine the lead time?
  • We consider the lead time as the period of time between order confirmation and order arrival (manufacturing time + shipping time). We have options of between 5 and 9 working days for prototype orders.

    Example: An order placed on Monday with 5 working days' lead time, payment made and accepted, data sent and reviewed, all done by 10:30am. So you will get your PCBs the same day the following week!

    Please contact us to discuss your mass production order lead time.
  • Q: Where will my PCBs be shipped from, China or the UK?
  • All customers’ products will be dispatched from our UK office. So if you are EU mainland customer and have a EU VAT number, you don’t need to pay VAT.

  • Q: What's the delivery warranty?
  • We understand short lead time is essential in today's rapidly changing market place.

    A tracking number will be sent via email when your boards are despatched.

    A signature is required for delivery. If our delivery partner is unable to obtain a signature when they attempt to deliver your PCBs, you will receive a postcard with collection details. The time when the first delivery is attempted will be considered as our delivery arrival time.

    We are not in control of the performance of the delivery service, but we do still provide the delivery warranty to our customers. In the unlikely event that your PCBs are delivered one working day after the guaranteed time, we will give you a 5% discount on your next order. If the delivery delay is between 24 and 48 hours (two working days), a 10% discount will be offered; 15% discount for 48-72 hours' delay, and so on (up to 30% of your order.). Please be aware that this price reduction policy doesn't apply to these Laid-back Price orders.


    Find out more information about our terms and conditions from here.

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Miscellaneous
  • Q: Are you able to recommend an enclosure and cable suppliers from China for me?
  • You can visit Quick-teck forum and post your requirement information. By doing this, your requirements can be reached by hundreds of our associated companies in China. If any companies are interested in supplying you with a quotation, they will contact you by private message (PM).

    We have been conducting business in China for over 13 years, which allows us to have a DIRECT link to an extensive network of Chinese electronic manufacturers. You can get us to take total responsibility for dealing with suppliers, in which case some commission will be applied.

    Please be aware that for security reasons, no personal details should be disclosed in the post. Private message is the only way to contact the association companies.

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