With electrical component shortages, supply chain issues and rising raw material costs, the interest in harvesting scarce parts from failed or obsolete printed circuit boards (PCBs) is on the rise. Recycling PCBs can yield invaluable results — often at a lower cost and much faster timeline than sourcing new or retrofitted materials.
Yet, the process itself requires expert-level problem solving and engineering skills to effectively deconstruct and salvage the components. Much like a puzzle, each board presents a unique challenge that needs to be unlocked in order to identify which components are salvageable, how to most effectively harvest them and where they can best be used.
At Alert Tech SMT, our in-house engineers are trained and equipped to harvest scarce parts from PCBs safely and efficiently, allowing you to maximize your reclaimed components. For anyone interested in recycling outdated or broken boards, here are four benefits to consider.
1. Cut Costs
Save money on materials and production by harvesting components from failed, end of life (EOL) or outdated PCBs. This allows you to free up your budget and invest dollars into more testing, iterations or other critical elements of development.
2. Keep Your Sales Team Moving
Promote your newest and most valuable products by shifting scarce parts from old stock to new products. This will help your sales team capitalize on the momentum of your business’ latest and greatest offering while helping you get a faster return on investment (ROI) on the resources spent on research and development. Still need the older product? Don’t worry. In most cases, old board will be ready to accept a replacement part when the supply is available.
3. Shorten Lead Times
Harvesting scarce components from your failed boards allow you to reduce the uncertainty and, ultimately, move your project forward faster. Rather than waiting for potentially months-long delivery times, our in-house engineers can harvest the electronic components in a matter of weeks or even days.
4. Promote Sustainability
Additionally, recycling PCBs is a more environmentally friendly and sustainable practice. It not only helps keep potentially toxic and non-biodegradable materials out of landfills, but it also requires fewer chemicals and energy to complete.
Don’t let scarcity hold up your production or development process. Recycling PCBs may be the key you’re looking for to move projects forward while saving money and staying on schedule. If you have bad boards taking up space on your shelf, let us know. Equipped with expertise and experience, the team at Alert Tech SMT can help you maximize the valuable components locked in failed PCBs. Explore our capabilities or request a quote to get started.