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Long Size PCB: Challenges and Solutions in Modern Manufacturing
Long Size PCB: Challenges and Solutions in Modern Manufacturing
Long Size PCB: Challenges and Solutions in Modern Manufacturing
At SQPCB, we have invested heavily in both specialized equipment and unique production methods to overcome these barriers. Our capabilities include producing single-sided and double-sided PCBs up to 1.5 meters in length, and four-layer PCBs up to 1.2 meters. This advanced capacity allows us to serve industries requiring larger-than-standard boards, such as LED lighting, telecommunications, medical devices, and industrial automation.
So, why is manufacturing long size PCBs so difficult, and how does SQPCB overcome these challenges? Let’s explore in detail.
[caption id="attachment_2894" align="aligncenter" width="700"] long size PCB[/caption]
The industry standard for PCB fabrication is largely defined by equipment size. Most PCB production lines are designed to process boards up to 24 inches long (approximately 610 mm). Some advanced facilities may stretch to 26.67 inches (around 678 mm), but beyond this, production becomes increasingly difficult.
This limitation is not about materials—it’s about the physical constraints of the machinery. The following equipment categories are the most restrictive when it comes to producing long size PCBs:
Exposure Machines – Standard exposure machines are built for conventional sizes, and aligning larger substrates becomes prone to distortion and error.
Drilling Machines – Larger boards require precise alignment over extended lengths, which increases the potential for misregistration.
Forming Machines – Cutting and shaping oversized boards requires stronger and more precise handling to avoid breakage or deformation.
Testing Machines – Electrical test systems are optimized for standard panels, and longer PCBs require customized setups to verify performance.
In short, while a PCB design may call for a long board, most factories simply cannot process them due to these limitations.
Even if equipment size were not an issue, dimensional stability is a major challenge in long size PCB fabrication. During manufacturing, boards undergo multiple high-temperature and high-pressure processes such as lamination, plating, and solder mask curing.
These conditions cause expansion and shrinkage of the materials, which is magnified over longer lengths. For a standard PCB, this effect is minimal and easily controlled. However, for boards over 1 meter long, even a small percentage of dimensional shift can translate into millimeter-level misalignment.
This creates issues such as:
Misregistration between layers
Drilling offset leading to poor hole-to-pad alignment
Warpage or bowing of the entire board
Difficulty ensuring accurate solder mask clearance
Problems during final assembly and testing
Without advanced control methods and precision equipment, the yield rate of long size PCBs drops dramatically.
At SQPCB, we have invested in advanced equipment and developed specialized workflows to ensure that long size PCBs are produced with the same reliability as standard boards.
We use LDI (Laser Direct Imaging) inline automatic exposure machines for both circuit patterns and solder mask layers. Unlike traditional film-based exposure, LDI eliminates issues caused by film distortion, misalignment, or manual errors. This ensures precise registration even on boards exceeding 1 meter in length.
Our inline automatic text spray printers guarantee consistent marking across the board without the variability of manual printing. This reduces handling damage and improves clarity, even on oversized PCBs.
SQPCB operates with in-house lamination, solder coating, and ENIG finishing processes. By controlling these critical steps internally, we ensure both quality and delivery reliability. This vertical integration eliminates reliance on external vendors and provides customers with consistent results.
Although these equipment investments were substantial, they significantly improved yield rates and reduced defects caused by outdated methods such as film-based exposure. The result is greater precision, fewer scratches, fewer foreign particles, and a consistently glossy solder mask finish.
The demand for long size PCBs is rising across multiple industries where extended form factors are essential. Some of the most common applications include:
LED Lighting
Streetlights, commercial lighting strips, and automotive headlights often require long PCBs for continuous LED arrays.
Telecommunications
Base station antennas and networking systems sometimes rely on long boards to support high-frequency and high-density circuits.
Medical Equipment
Diagnostic imaging devices and testing instruments frequently use long PCBs to accommodate multiple modules on a single board.
Industrial Control Systems
Automation lines and robotic systems often require extended boards for distributed control functions.
For these industries, working with a manufacturer that can deliver long size PCBs reliably and at scale is critical.
Choosing the right partner for long size PCBs is not just about capability—it’s about trust, consistency, and technical expertise.
Proven Capability: Single/double-sided up to 1.5m, 4-layer up to 1.2m.
Advanced Equipment: LDI inline exposure for circuits and solder mask, automatic text spray printing.
Controlled Processes: In-house lamination, solder coating, and ENIG.
Quality and Delivery Assurance: Fewer defects, reduced rework, stable timelines.
Customer-Centric Philosophy: Flexible order quantities—prototypes, small runs, or large-scale production.
At SQPCB, we go beyond producing boards—we solve complex manufacturing challenges. Our investment in next-generation equipment allows us to achieve what many standard factories cannot, ensuring that our clients’ projects are completed with precision and reliability.
1. What is the maximum size of PCB that SQPCB can produce?
We can manufacture single-sided and double-sided PCBs up to 1.5 meters in length, and 4-layer boards up to 1.2 meters, exceeding the industry’s typical 24–26.67 inch limit.
2. Why are long size PCBs more difficult to manufacture?
The main challenges are equipment limitations (exposure, drilling, forming, testing) and material dimensional expansion/shrinkage during processing, which can lead to misalignment and warpage.
3. How does SQPCB ensure precision for long size PCBs?
We use LDI inline exposure machines and automatic text spray printers, along with in-house lamination, solder, and ENIG finishing processes, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
4. What industries benefit most from long size PCBs?
Industries such as LED lighting, telecommunications, medical equipment, and industrial automation commonly require long PCBs for their designs.
5. Can SQPCB handle both prototypes and mass production of long PCBs?
Yes. We offer flexible order quantities, from quick-turn prototypes to large-scale production runs, all with strict quality control and reliable delivery schedules.
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