The final steps include **surface finishing**—such as HASL (Hot Air Solder Leveling) or ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold)—to prepare the copper pads for soldering components.
In essence, PCB manufacturing combines precision PCB Manufacturing engineering, chemical processing, and quality control to produce reliable boards that form the backbone of modern electronics. The quality of a PCB directly impacts the performance and durability of the electronic device it powers.
Industry standards such as IPC-6012 (Qualification and Performance for Rigid PCBs) define the baseline for acceptability — covering annular ring, dielectric spacing, hole wall quality, and more. Aligning with these standards in your documentation reduces ambiguity for manufacturers.
But IPC standards alone aren’t enough. A design can technically “meet spec” while still being extremely difficult to fabricate.