The so-called brain of the computer is the motherboard. This board is made of printed circuit boards, often abbreviated as PCB, that hold the crucial electronic components of a system. Some of these components are the central processing unit (CPU), memory, and peripheral connectors. Before the 1980s, each of these components was housed on individual PCBs that were plugged into a backplane which is a board that can connect with the main circuits of a computer. After the mid 1980s, many of these functions were housed on motherboards that also included main memory and external storage, along with the CPU. The CPU is hardware that carries out computer instruction programs by using arithmetical and logical operations. Memory is a physical device used to store programs or data, either permanently or temporarily. Peripheral connectors include expansion and graphics cards, image scanners, microphones, or even webcams.
These circuit boards cannot always be assembled on a mass-scale by an unprofessional. To meet the market demand for PCBs, many businesses offer services for PCB Assembly in Illinois. One of the major contract manufacturing businesses located in Illinois is called Caltronics Design and Assembly Inc. This family owned and operated business services all types of PCB Assembly in Illinois. Currently, there are three major types of PCB services available: full turn-key, partial turn-key, and consignment. The full turn-key service does not require any parts or participation from the consumer. With a full turn-key assembly, the company will take care of ordering the parts like the bare PCBs and electronic components, ensuring delivery, and assembling the boards using automated equipment specifically designed for this purpose.
With a partial turn-key, a portion of the parts are provided by the consumer. These parts can be custom, difficult to find, or simply the parts one has in inventory. After a portion is provided, the company will provide the rest of the parts and the assembly of the boards. During consignment, all parts are provided by the customer including the bare boards and electronic components. The business will assemble the boards. The varied assembly types are suited to benefit each customer.