Blistering in PCB Plating: Root Causes and Process Fixes
Blistering after copper plating and electroless copper is a common defect. Learn the process causes—microetch, bath activity, oxidation—and how to control them.
Read article
Rigid-flex focus · Fast-turn SMT · Fast delivery
Rigid-flex boards. Fast assembly. Fast delivery.
FeSS Technology focuses on SMT assembly for rigid-flex PCBs. Send bare boards and components, or bare boards alone — your Gerber and BOM are reviewed by an engineer first, then assembled, inspected and shipped. Quotes in 24 hours, assembly in as little as 72 hours, DDP across the US and Canada.
- Consigned boards or full consignment, from 1 piece
- Rigid-flex · flex · rigid SMT assembly
- 0201 to fine-pitch BGA, double-sided mixed technology
24h
Quote turnaround
72h
Fastest assembly
0201case
Smallest part placed
100%
AOI before shipment
Instant online quote
Price the assembly, the parts and the freight in minutes
Upload your Gerber and BOM, confirm the process parameters, and get one consolidated price — assembly, components where needed and DDP shipping — before you talk to anyone.
Engineering review within 1 business day · NDA available on request
- Gerber and BOM parsed automatically
- Consigned and sourced parts quoted separately
- One price covering assembly and DDP freight
Three ways to work with us
We plug in where your project already is
Send boards and parts, or boards alone. If you are still at the file stage, we review the files before anything goes into production.
Consigned boards + consigned parts
Send bare boards and components; we handle stencil, placement, reflow, AOI and electrical test, and charge for assembly only.
Consigned boards, sourcing by us
Send bare boards only; we source parts to your BOM, assemble them and quote it as one package.
Engineering file review
Send Gerber and BOM; our engineers check footprints, clearances, panelization and manufacturability, and return recommendations before build.
One window, start to finish
Assembly at the core, a finished board at your door
File review, incoming check, placement, inspection and shipping are handled by the same engineer. You send boards and parts; you get hardware you can power up.
PCB Fabrication
Quick-turn bare PCB fabrication from 1 to 40 layers with controlled impedance, ENIG or HASL finish, 100% electrical test and 24-hour quoting.
Explore service
PCB Assembly
SMT, through-hole and mixed-technology PCB assembly with AOI, X-ray and functional test, backed by authentic component sourcing and DDP delivery.
Explore service
Turnkey PCB Assembly
Full turnkey PCBA: fabrication, authentic parts, assembly, test and DDP shipping under one purchase order, with a named engineer on every order.
Explore service
Quick-Turn PCB Assembly
Priority fabrication and assembly slots for prototypes and bridge builds, with committed ship dates in 3-5 working days for US and Canadian teams.
Explore service
Prototype & Low-Volume
Prototype and low-volume PCB assembly from a single board with no minimum order quantity, free DFM review and 3-5 day quick-turn builds.
Explore service
SMT & BGA Assembly
Fine-pitch SMT, BGA and through-hole assembly with AOI, X-ray inspection, stencil design, rework and functional test for high-reliability boards.
Explore service
Component Sourcing
Authentic electronic component sourcing from authorised distributors with lot traceability, long lead-time alerts and form-fit-function alternatives.
Explore service
IC Programming
IC programming and firmware loading for prototypes and production, with device verification, labelling and traceability before assembly.
Explore service
72 hoursassembly and inspection
Why FeSS
Rigid-flex is our home ground. Speed is our rhythm.
The hard part of rigid-flex is assembly, not the files. We review before release and set separate profiles for flex and rigid zones, so dates are planned rather than hoped for.
- Rigid-flex assembly expertiseSupport, bake and placement profiles are set separately for flex, rigid and transition zones to reduce warp and cold joints.
- 72-hour assemblyOnce parts are kitted, standard orders move through a fast lane and complete assembly and inspection in as little as 72 hours.
- Consigned parts get the same careEvery customer-supplied part is checked for part number, lot and orientation; incoming boards are accepted to IPC-6013 before they go on the line.
- Engineering up frontDFM / DFA review on every order, so footprint, clearance and panelization issues are resolved before production starts.
How it works
Five steps. One accountable window.
File review, parts kitting, incoming acceptance, assembly and shipping — with a status update at every stage and no project stuck between hand-offs.
Quote & file review
Send Gerber, BOM and quantity; assembly pricing and engineering notes back within one business day.
24 hours
Material confirmation
Consigned parts checked for part number and quantity; sourced parts purchased to BOM with alternates confirmed.
1–3 days
Incoming inspection
Bare boards and components accepted to specification; issues raised before the line starts.
Same day
SMT assembly
Stencil, paste, placement, reflow and AOI, with double-sided and mixed technology scheduled separately.
24–72 hours
Test & delivery
Electrical test, visual inspection and reports, then DDP shipping to the US or Canada.
2–4 days transit
Capabilities
Rigid-flex and high-density assembly on one line
Flex, rigid-flex and high-layer-count rigid boards all run through the same SMT line, with process parameters set per construction.
- Rigid-flex and flex assemblyIncluding flex-to-rigid transitions, stiffeners and connector areas.
- High-density placement0201 passives, 0.3 mm fine-pitch BGA and double-sided mixed technology.
- One standard for prototypes and volumeFrom one board to a production run, the same inspection criteria apply.
Board typesRigid / flex / rigid-flex
Component range0201 to 0.3 mm pitch BGA
PlacementSingle / double-sided / mixed + through-hole
InspectionAOI, SPI, X-ray, flying probe, ICT, FCT
Lead timeAssembly and inspection from 72 hours
MOQ1 piece
100% AOI on every board before shipment
Quality & verification
Boards leave with data, not just a shipping label
Assembly quality is proven by records, not promises. Standard orders include SPI, AOI and electrical test; higher-reliability programs add X-ray, first-article reports and lot records.
- Incoming controlCustomer-supplied boards and components are inspected to specification before release.
- In-process inspectionSolder-paste SPI, post-reflow AOI and X-ray on BGA devices.
- Final verificationFlying-probe or fixture e-test and visual inspection, with FAI documentation on request.
ISO 9001:2015
IPC-A-610
RoHS / REACH
Industries
Built for products that bend, thin down and pack tighter
Rigid-flex and high-density assembly are the shared bottleneck in consumer, medical, robotics and automotive electronics — and the problem we handle most often.
Industrial & robotics
Motion controllers, sensor boards and power stages built for vibration, heat and continuous duty.
Automotive
High-Tg material, heavy copper and PPAP-style documentation for under-hood and EV subsystems.
Medical devices
Controlled processes, lot traceability and inspection records for diagnostic and monitoring hardware.
IoT & wearables
Rigid-flex, HDI and fine-pitch assembly for compact, low-power connected products.
Aerospace & defence
Controlled impedance, high-layer-count boards and first-article documentation for critical systems.
Power & energy
Heavy copper, metal-core and thermal-management designs for inverters, BMS and chargers.
Customer feedback
What engineering teams say
Selected feedback from hardware teams in the US and Canada. References available on request.
“FeSS turned our rev-B prototype around in four days, including a DFM catch that would have shorted two pads on the fine-pitch connector. That one note saved us a full re-spin.”
“One PO covered parts and assembly, and the boards arrived in Toronto with duties already handled. The X-ray report on our BGA was included without us asking.”
“We moved three product lines to FeSS after a supplier missed two build dates. Six months in, every order has shipped on the committed date and the DFM feedback is genuinely useful.”
Before you order
Frequently asked questions
What files do you need for a quote?
Send Gerber files (RS-274X), an NC drill file and a BOM with reference designators, quantities and acceptable substitutes. For assembly, also include the centroid / pick-and-place file. A short read-me with quantity, layer count, finish, thickness and target date helps us quote faster.
Can I send only the assembly work?
Yes. Send bare boards and components and we handle assembly, inspection and shipping only. Or send bare boards alone and we source parts to your BOM before assembly.
Can you review my design files?
Yes. Send Gerber and BOM and our engineers will return recommendations on footprints, clearances, panelization and manufacturability at quote stage, for your approval before build.
How fast can you assemble a prototype?
Once parts are kitted and files are approved, standard orders complete assembly and inspection in as little as 72 hours, plus 2–4 days DDP transit. If you have a hard deadline, tell us at quote stage and we will confirm the fastest achievable date.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
No. We start from one board, and prototypes and production runs follow the same inspection criteria.
Do you ship to the US and Canada with duties included?
Yes. We ship DDP (delivered duty paid) by default for US and Canadian customers, so freight, duties and import clearance are handled in one invoice. If your company requires a different Incoterm or your own freight account, we can arrange that too.
Can you source components for my BOM?
Yes. Turnkey orders include component procurement from authorised distributors with lot traceability. We will flag long lead times, suggest form-fit-function alternatives and confirm substitutions with you before purchase. Consigned parts are also welcome.
Will you sign an NDA?
Yes. Send your NDA before transmitting design files and we will review and sign it. We can also provide our standard mutual NDA if you do not have one.
Engineering resources
View all articles
Notes from the shop floor
Practical guidance on design rules, files and assembly — written by the engineers who review your order.
20 PCB Routing Questions Every Hardware Engineer Should Know
Practical answers to 20 common PCB routing questions, covering high-frequency signal integrity, grounding, stackup, EMC, and thermal design for hardware teams.
Read article
7 High-Speed PCB Layout Rules Every Hardware Engineer Should Know
Seven practical high-speed PCB layout rules covering power delivery, trace bends, crosstalk, stubs, impedance, differential pairs and length matching.
Read articleBare boards and BOM ready?
Send them now — assembly pricing, lead time and engineering notes within 24 hours.