Does your project require a Class 3 printed circuit board, or will a Class 2 PCB suffice? To understand which classification is right for you, it is best to start by knowing a device’s end-functionality. While increased performance may be appealing for a product, the costs incurred may not justify the final product.

Below, we identify advantages for each type of circuit board in PCB manufacturer China’s factory, based on differences in design, manufacturing, and inspection.

Advantages of Class 2 Printed Circuit Boards

Design – Without the same specifications of a Class 3 PCB, Class 2 PCBs have a much simpler design that makes placement and routing of components much simpler. This leads to reduced costs across the board.

Manufacturing – Class 2 PCB assembly does not require the same amount of time or materials that Class 3 fabrication calls for. The required amount of barrel fill for through-hole leads is 50% for Class 2 PCBs, while that number is 75% for Class 3 PCBs.

Inspection – Because Class 2 PCBs are not typically used harsh environments or scenarios requiring a high degree of functionality, inspection times are dramatically reduced. For instance, surface-mount components may be slightly placed off of the pad, resulting in a visual defect. While this doesn’t meaningfully change the performance, such a defect is not allowed in Class 3 PCBs.

Advantages of Class 3 Printed Circuit Boards

Design – Class 3 PCBs have to meet much stricter standards in terms of specifications and tolerances. As a result, the added expense leads to much higher quality over a longer period of time. These machines are designed to keep people alive in medical applications, planes in the air in aerospace applications, and military equipment functional in the most extreme environments. With greater time spent designing these boards, users can expect seamless results over a long period of time.

Manufacturing – The process for fabricating Class 3 PCBs is much slower, producing flawless printed circuit boards at the expense of time. The process looks quite a bit different than what you can expect with Class 2 boards – installation and cleanliness are given a much higher priority.

Inspection – Rigorous inspection is required for every printed circuit board of this classification. Class 3 PCB inspection helps identify faults early in the production process.