What is Box Build Assembly?

Box build assembly is the process of assembling various components like electronic elements including assembled PCBs, mechanical parts, and required sub-assemblies into one complete packaged, functional product. It is one of the later stages of electronics manufacturing following PCB fabrication and component assembly stages. Many large RF products, especially the ones available in benchtop and rack-mount modules like amplifiers, signal generators, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers etc. undergo this process during manufacturing.

Box Build Process

The general process of box build goes through the following steps: 

• Kitting: This involves gathering all components needed in each assembly, such as PCBs, cables, accessories, enclosures, screws, fasteners, labels, packaging, documentation, and tools for assembly and testing. 
• Sub-assembly: This process is for integrating small modules and components that find places in the main assembly. It includes mounting the PCBs, power supplies, drives, wire harnesses, etc., and also the interconnection of these components using cables and wires. This process also involves adding accessories like brackets, handles, and keypads to the enclosure to physically integrate the product.
• Testing: It includes various forms of testing like functional, safety, and compliance testing to ensure that the assembled unit works as it should and is also safe. The quality assurance of the fully assembled unit is done according to regulatory standards.
• Packaging: This involves the finalization of the assembled product with user manuals, packaging, and labeling to prepare the product for shipment to end customers.

The complexity of box builds depends on the number of parts, the design of the enclosure, component density, and production volume.

EMS Companies

Electronic manufacturing services (EMS) companies are companies that specialize in box builds and are also known as contract manufacturers. These companies only assemble & package the final product, but they get the various components required for the box-build assembly process from the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) themselves. The EMS companies have all the required facilities for managing projects, supply chain coordination, quality control, mechanical integration, and testing.

EMS Companies have valuable experience in manufacturing which helps to greatly accelerate product development and reduce time to market. It enables brands to concentrate on designing and innovation; meanwhile, the manufacturing and testing tasks are passed on to the EMS provider.