Top 10 Low Volume Printed Circuit Board Assembly Manufacturers In the World

6 min readSep 22, 2023

Many companies need low quantity PCB assembly services for prototyping or pilot builds during product development, before ramping up to mass production volumes. Identifying a competent PCB assembler that provides exceptional service on small batches is key.

This article covers 10 leading PCB assembly providers catering to low and medium volume production needs globally.

1. RayMing Technology

Founded in 2005, RayMing offers complete PCB manufacturing and assembly services from their factory in China. For small volume builds they provide:

SMT assembly with component sizes down to 01005 (0.4mm x 0.2mm)
Automated optical inspection (AOI)
Flexible board to board connectors assembly
Manual and automated testing capabilities
Functional testing by application engineers
Fast turnaround time within 2–3 days
Prototype and pilot production batches starting from 5 boards
Seamless transition to mass production

RayMing provides exceptional support, quality and reliability needed by customers ramping up innovative electronic products. Their customer focused approach helps mitigate the risks involved at early stages of product development.

2. Velocity Electronics

Based in the USA, Velocity focuses on high mix, low volume PCB assembly catering to engineers, startups, makers and inventors. They provide:

No minimum order quantities, any number of boards accepted
Prototyping, pilot production and bridge manufacturing
Automated SMT down to 0201 components (0.6mm x 0.3mm)
Selective soldering of through hole parts
Manual soldering of SMT or odd components
Functional testing as per requirements
Fast 5 day turnaround on assembly orders
Seamless transfer to mass production through their Mexico facility

Velocity Electronics delivers high quality, fast turn low volume PCB assembly ideal for prototyping.

3. GooPCB

Headquartered in China, GooPCB provides design, PCB fabrication and assembly services. Their small batch focused capabilities include:

SMT assembly supporting 01005 components
No minimum order quantity
Starting from just 10pcs boards
Functional testing as required
Both leaded and lead-free soldering
Online DFM check and quotation
5–7 working days standard lead time
Scaling up seamlessly to higher volumes

WELLPCB accommodates the needs of innovators and startups by providing responsive, high quality low volume PCB assembly services.

4. JLPCB

JLCPCB is now one of the largest PCB manufacturers globally, catering to budget buyers with low cost prototyping. But they also provide SMT assembly aimed at supporting low volume production:

Offering assembly for boards sourced from JLCPCB or externally
SMT components down to 01005 (0.4mm x 0.2mm) size
Dedicated NPI lines for quick-turn prototypes
Testing capabilities include flying probe, boundary scan, ICT
Starting at $99 for full turnkey assembled boards
Seamless transfer to volume production is available
Order assembly directly when uploading PCB designs

JLCPCB provides easy access to low cost PCB assembly services to go along with their PCB prototyping options.

5. Advanced Assembly

Advanced Assembly is an electronics manufacturing services company based in the USA focused on supporting low volume to mid volume production needs. Their assembly services capabilities include:

SMT assembly with 01005 components
BGA and MicroBGA assembly
Double sided assembly
Through hole parts assembly
Box build, racking, cabling etc.
Conformal coating and potting options
Functional testing for prototypes or series production
Lean setup for rapid ramp up or ramp down
Minimum order of 25 boards, typical volumes up to 1000 boards

Advanced Assembly provides startups and engineers with responsive, flexible electronics assembly services capable of scaling efficiently.

6. Imagineering Assembly

Imagineering offers advanced PCB design and fabrication. Their assembly division Imagineering Assembly provides sophisticated small batch manufacturing including:

High density PCBs with 0402 and 0201 components
Certified for ITAR, medical and defense assembly
Functional test development
Selective soldering
Box build capabilities
Low to medium volume batches
Seamless transfer to volume production
Rapid prototyping in under 5 days
Expert engineering support

Imagineering Assembly specializes in high complexity, low quantity assembly jobs needed for cutting edge product development in high reliability sectors.

7. Elektor

With facilities in the Netherlands, Elektor provides PCB prototyping, small series PCB manufacturing and assembly catering primarily to startups, makers and engineers. Their assembly capabilities include:

SMT assembly with 0603 components
Manual and selective soldering
Functional testing based on requirements
Builds starting from 5 boards
Fast turnaround time within 5 working days
Seamless transfer to medium or high volume
Individualized service for small customers

For entrepreneurs and inventors, Elektor offers a personalized PCB and assembly service capable of taking a product from prototype to production.

8. Aisler

Germany based Aisler offers online PCB assembly ordering, catering to the maker community. With their web based tools, users can:

Upload Gerber files for PCB orders
Select components for assembly from libraries
Customize tests and parameters required
Get instant assembly quote for low volumes
Have boards professionally assembled starting at quantity of 5
Order manufacture of custom components

For hobbyists, engineers and startups, Aisler provides easy access to quality PCB assembly in small batches.

9. Seeed Studio

Seeed Studio provides PCB manufacturing and assembly services combined with open hardware product designs and engineering. For low volume assembly they offer:

SMT assembly with components down to 0201 size
Manual soldering capability
Functional testing
Small batches starting from 5 boards
Typical volume is 10 to 1000 boards
Next day turnaround for assembled boards in Shenzhen
Seamless transfer to higher volume production

Seeed Studio is focused on serving early product R&D needs in the open hardware community with agile, low volume assembly service.

10. PCBCart

Catering to makers and DIY engineers, PCBCart offers online tools to order bare PCB prototyping and assembly services globally. For low volume assembly they provide:

SMT assembly supporting 0402 component size
Single or double sided population
Manual and automated testing options
Functional test plan development
Builds starting at 5 boards
Standard assembly time of 5 days
Seamless transfer to volume production

PCBCart makes ordering small batches of assembled PCBs easy through their intuitive web based ordering system.

Conclusion

For entrepreneurs, makers and engineers developing new electronics hardware, finding a PCB assembly partner capable of delivering high mix, low volume services with prototyping agility and production quality will accelerate time-to-market.

This article covered some of the top assembly houses catering to startups ramping up innovative products. Choosing among them depends on factors like responsiveness, quality, pricing, lead time and production scalability needed for your product.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common FAQs on low volume PCB assembly:

What are the key challenges faced in small batch PCB assembly?

Some key challenges faced in low volume PCB assembly are:

Higher setup time and costs for low volume production lines
Difficulty procuring small quantities of components economically
Increased requirement for manual assembly steps
Higher likelihood of manufacturing defects on small batches
Testing time not reducing significantly compared to high volumes
Balancing production quality with fast lead time expectations

What are some ways PCB assemblers accommodate low volume requirements?

Some ways PCB assemblers cater to low quantity orders are:

Offering dedicated small volume production lines
Maintaining stock of commonly used components
Having skilled operators to minimize manual assembly errors
Implementing rapid changeover methods to switch between orders
Optimizing processes to reduce setup time and costs
Providing high-mix assembly capability
Taking extra care in process quality control and testing

How are BGAs assembled by PCB manufacturers?

For assembling BGA packages and other fine-pitch components, PCB assemblers use advanced processes like:

High accuracy pick-and-place equipment calibrated for precision alignment
Specialized paste printing with tight tolerance on deposit locations
Package placement inspection under microscope or AXI systems
Reflow profile optimization for large or small components
X-Ray inspection of solder joints under BGAs post assembly
Automated optical inspection (AOI) to check for placement defects

What tests are typically performed on assembled PCBs?

Common tests conducted on assembled PCBs are:

In-circuit test (ICT) to verify shorts, opens, incorrect parts, misplacements etc.
Flying probe electrical test for connectivity and basic function check
Board functional test based on product specifications
Automated optical inspection for assembly defects
X-Ray inspection for hidden solder joint defects
Burn-in testing for electronic components under thermal stress

How can an assembler determine correct placement on a customer provided BOM?

For customer supplied BOMs, assemblers use techniques like:

Reviewing PCB design files for component designators and descriptions
Visual examination of bare boards before assembly for clues
Customer consultation on unclear parts
Testing post-assembly with multiple permutations
Limited assembly of unclear sections for customer confirmation
Iteratively assembling trial boards to validate correct configuration

Thorough engineering collaboration resolves ambiguities in customer BOMs during new product introductions.