Four years ago, NCAB Group Sweden received a call from KTH Formula Student, seeking a new sponsor for their non-profit project. In line with our sustainability goals to create a sustainable industry with growth and profitability for all, we recognized this opportunity as a meaningful contribution.
At NCAB Group Sweden, we have long been committed to sharing knowledge, particularly with young technicians, regardless of their backgrounds. We aim to contribute our expertise in technology, thereby fostering a broad recruitment base.
To honor our four-year partnership, we look back at the years gone and talk to Bengt Boström, PCB Engineer at NCAB Group Sweden who has been part of this partnership from the start, along with Oskar Classon and Emil Nordahl, who are both Head of Powertrain and Electronics at KTH Formula Student.
Can you tell us about the PCBs we’ve delivered over the years?
”The boards are always with black solder mask, since it looks better/cooler and visible boards are part of the game in Formula Student competition. We mostly supply standard boards with 2 and 4 layers, but we have also delivered a few more complex boards with heavy copper to be able to distribute more power,” says Bengt Boström.
How important has NCAB’s technical support been when you have further developed your designs?
‘’When designing high-performance PCBs for our race car, ensuring that every design is both reliable and manufacturable is crucial. NCAB’s technical support has been invaluable in this process, especially when inspecting our Gerber files before production. When we submit our Gerbers for review, their experts go through them and provide detailed feedback if anything needs to be adjusted. This not only guarantees that our PCBs can always be manufactured without issues but also ensures they perform as expected once integrated into the car,” explains Oskar Classon.
‘’One example of a design which benefitted from NCAB’s technical support is a PCB we designed for our car’s powertrain, which had to carry peak currents up to 180A. Throughout the design process, we were in contact with one of NCAB’s experts, who helped us select the PCB stackup, gave us tips on laying out the PCB and advised us on how to route the high current through the PCB without interfering with the low voltage electronics that were also needed. This support resulted in a PCB that satisfied the current requirement while minimizing weight and size.
Furthermore, our support engineer’s experience was invaluable for identifying and avoiding issues that we had not even thought of, ensuring that our design was well-manufactured and worked first try,’’ says Emil Nordahl.
During these four years of collaboration, what is the biggest development you’ve seen the team make?
‘’In the beginning, the designs were simple and didn’t always adhere to the design rules we would have liked. Over time, as we provided guidance on creating robust and producible designs, their output improved. It is always nice to see individuals grow in their roles and adopt the technical advice we offer,” says Bengt Boström.
When asking Oskar Classon and Emil Nordahl about some benefits of working with NCAB Group Sweden, they mentioned the below:
- Technical Support: NCAB has provided us with excellent technical support, helping resolve design or manufacturing questions efficiently and ensuring we get reliable PCBs.
- Quick Turnaround: NCAB delivers PCBs quickly, often within weeks, which has helped us meet tight deadlines with minimal delays.
- High Quality: NCAB delivers PCBs that meet or exceed industry standards, ensuring reliability and reducing the risk of defects.
NCAB Group Sweden are a proud sponsor to KTH Formula student. They have shown great ambition and clear goals and expectations. This is exactly what we love as a PCBs producer for demanding customers. Create relationships with demanding customers that share the same interest for PCBs and a clear goal to make it right from the start.