Cirtech Electronics launched its new PCB manufacturing plant in February this year. After 15 years of supplying the southern African market with quality, imported product, Cirtech saw the need for a manufacturer of high quality PCBs in South Africa. One of the key considerations behind the decision was the need for quicker turnaround times between order placement and delivery.
The Cirtech plant comprises the latest and best equipment available. To ensure maximum efficiency and quality, the entire operation is housed in a single dust-free, temperature controlled environment, where contamination by dust or moisture in transit is eliminated by the use of hermetically sealed packaging.
Working with tolerances measured in microns requires total control of the environment
Quality control is central to the functioning of the new plant. Before an order goes to the line, a design rule check ensures that the PCBs are within manufacturing tolerances. Because PCB manufacture is an intricate marriage of photographic and electrolytic processes, a strand of hair or a particle of dust can cause an unwanted connection or break in the micro-fine printed circuitry. To ensure the integrity of each board, thorough inspection is conducted during manufacture and before dispatch. Inner layer inspection is carried out in a clean room through a laser-driven automatic optical inspection (AOI) apparatus and all boards are subject to flying probe electrical testing before dispatch.
To reduce human involvement in the manufacturing to a minimum, the production line is fully automated. This ensures that dipping, curing and drying times are optimised, during the crucial wet stages of the process. The chances of contamination of the micron-thin laminations are thus reduced to virtually zero. An in-house laboratory controls the OMG chemistry used throughout the plant.
Cirtech offers various finishes to its PCBs, including immersion Nickel Gold, hot air solder level, organic surface preparation, immersion Silver and conductive Carbon. The plant is currently equipped to manufacture single-sided, double-sided and multilayer PCBs with a variety of solder mask colours.
Rooibos heads to space
News
A South African scientific initiative linking agriculture and space research has officially launched today with the Rooibos in Space programme at Parklands College’s Innovation Centre in Cape Town.
Read more...From the editor's desk: Local can be international Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
Welcome to the July 2026 issue of Dataweek. As you can see from this introduction, Dataweek’s regular editor, Peter Howells, is on extended leave and I am filling the void in his editor’s column – hopefully without being too boring.
Read more...Landis+Gyr EMEA introduces new company name: EYKON
News
EYKON is the new company name of Landis+Gyr EMEA, formerly part of the Landis+Gyr Group. The company supports electricity, gas, water and thermal utilities in managing increasingly complex networks, improving operational efficiency and enabling more sustainable use of resources.
Read more...Yamaha Robotics will show visitors to EFX
Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services News
Yamaha Robotics will show visitors to EFX 2026, the Expo for Electronics Manufacturing, in Stuttgart from 6-8 October 2026, how advanced surface-mount automation helps companies grow their business and increase productivity.
Read more...TSE has relocated
News
The Technology Station in Electronics (TSE) has entered a new chapter with its relocation from the CSIR campus to TUT-owned building at Ditsela Place in Hatfield.
Read more...Innovative MyLegrand app RS South Africa
News
Legrand SA is set to launch the MyLegrand mobile application, a digital platform designed to strengthen engagement across its professional network.
Read more...From Cape Town to Johannesburg
News
Würth Elektronik South Africa has taken a significant step forward with its recent relocation from Cape Town to Johannesburg, marking a new phase of growth and ambition for the company.
Read more...Lesley Havenga: Building partnerships for Africa’s electronics future
Editor's Choice News
As Würth Electronik expands its footprint across South Africa and the broader sub-Saharan region, Havenga’s blend of manufacturing expertise, supply chain knowledge, and people-centred leadership appears well suited to the task.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version