FAQ about Winow

Why Choose Us?

Winow is a leading electronic manufacturing service provider in China. We provide one-stop services such as PCB manufacturing, PCB assembly, and component sourcing, so you can save time and shipping costs. Winow maintains a strict quality management system and has passed ISO9001 and UL certification. In addition, we provide a complete after-sales service system.

What is your turnkey order lead time?

The final lead time is the purchase lead time plus the assembly lead time. However, we try to shorten the timeline by streamlining resources. For example, once we receive your Gerber files for PCB manufacturing and the assembly BOM, we will start preparing templates and purchasing your outsourced parts.

How do you test and control quality?

For PCB fabrication samples, we usually test with a flying probe. For PCB volumes over 3 square meters, we typically use fixtures, which is faster. With many steps in PCB production, we perform inspections after each step.

For PCB Assembly, we have IQC (incoming material check), IPQC, and CQA quality control systems, plus a range of test equipment including ICT inspection and functional test.

What certifications do you hold?

ISO9001, ISO14001, UL, and RoHS compliance. We can provide raw material reports based on customer requirements.

How do you package boards?

Inner vacuum packaging and outer cartons.

How do you ship?

Depending on the customer, we sometimes ship through our forwarder, who is also an agent for DHL, TNT, UPS, and FedEx. Our forwarder can provide better freight rates than we would get directly from those express companies.

What is your production capacity?

Our PCB capabilities average 20, 000 square meters per month. For PCBA capabilities, we operate 6 SMT lines for assembly.

I only have a PCB sample, not design files. Can you produce it?

Yes, we can reverse-engineer the Gerber files from your sample and manufacture accordingly.

Can you design Gerber files?

No, sorry — we do not offer PCB design services.

What PCB file formats do you accept? What CAM software do you use?

We accept Gerber files for production. Our CAM software includes CAM350, GENESIS, UCAM, GC-CAM, and V-2000.

Can I panelize multiple part numbers together?

Yes, this is common in our factory. Panelization can help reduce both fabrication and assembly costs.

What base materials do you use?

Shengyi, ITEQ, KB, SL, NANYA, TACONIC, ROGERS, ISOLA, and others.

What is your minimum order quantity?

We have no MOQ limitation. Prototypes, medium volumes, and large volumes are all welcome.

Will RoHS lead-free boards be marked with a lead-free symbol?

Yes, but please specify this requirement in your design file.

Are my design files safe?

All customer files are strictly protected and never disclosed to third parties. We can sign an NDA with you.

PCB Design & Technical FAQ

Are submitted hole sizes the final hole sizes?

Yes, the submitted hole size is the final hole size within a tolerance of 1 mil.

What hole sizes are available?

• 14 mils to 150 mils — 1 mil increments
• 150 mils to 200 mils — 5 mil increments
• Above 200 mils — routed out

We use imperial-unit drills. Metric files are converted to imperial units and rounded up to the next mil.

How do I specify internal cutouts or milling?

All internal cutouts, slots, and milling should be specified on the same layer as the board outline. The minimum routable slot size is 32 mils. Please note this requirement in the "Special Request" section when ordering.

Do you allow multiple designs per setup?

No — only one design per setup.

Online Ordering FAQ

What currency are your prices quoted in?

US Dollars (USD).

What is the daily cutoff time?

Orders must be placed by 1 PM local time to count for that day. Later orders are treated as the next day's.

What is the difference between PCB Prototype and Production orders?

Our prototype service pools several designs under one setup, making it cheaper for small quantities, but with a fixed standard specification. Production service uses a setup unique to your part number, reusable across many runs, with custom materials. Production setups are kept for a minimum of 6 months.

Do I need to provide credit card details when ordering if I'm unsure my design meets requirements?

No. We will not request payment until we review and verify your PCB design meets our design rules. If revisions are needed, we will recommend changes first.

Your prices are very low — how can I be confident in quality?

We can provide samples for your testing on a free-of-charge basis.

Purchase Order FAQ

My company uses a Purchase Order system and pays by bank transfer. Can you accept this?

Yes — please keep the order value above USD 250. We may bill an additional USD 30 for bank charges and commissions, which vary by country. We prefer to avoid bank transfers for small orders due to administrative overhead and commission uncertainty.

My company issued a Purchase Order — what's next?

Email us at info@winowpcba.com. The relevant sales representative will contact you promptly.

Do you offer credit terms?

Yes, generally net 30 days.

Can you start fabrication before receiving payment?

Yes. Just let us know under the "Special Request" section. We often begin production upon order placement — by the time your purchase requisition is processed, the boards are often ready to ship.

PCB Specification FAQ

For PCB Prototype service, can I choose a different material or copper thickness?

Yes, that is fine.

What is a Custom Specification PCB?

Any build that is not 0.062" FR4, 1 oz copper, HASL finish, white silkscreen, and green soldermask.

PCB Assembly FAQ

Can you handle lead-free assembly?

Yes — we have two dedicated lead-free PCB assembly lines.

How do you ensure quality in component sourcing?

Winow's management team has over 15 years of electronics industry experience with a vast supply network. We work with multiple high-quality, low-cost component partners. Learn more about our component sourcing service.

Can you do partial assembly?

Yes — we offer both partial and turnkey assembly. Please mark components as "not included" in the BOM for parts you do not want us to place.

Shipping FAQ

How long does shipping take?

It depends on the destination. For most developed regions, FedEx/DHL delivery is typically 2 working days. Shipments to the Middle East, South America, and Africa may take 4–5 working days.

Is overnight shipping available?

Domestic shipments within China are overnight by default. For international destinations, the fastest available is the standard 2-working-day FedEx/DHL International Priority service.

How much does a PCB weigh?

On average, 100 sq. in. of 0.062" FR4 weighs 0.4–0.55 lbs. With packaging (~0.3 lbs), about 0.7 lbs of PCB can fit in the first pound of shipment. We always use the lightest and smallest packaging to save you shipping costs.

Why are your shipping rates lower than competitors?

We practice honest shipping costing — if FedEx bills us $10, we bill you $10. Many competitors use low product prices to attract customers but then add excessive shipping and handling charges. Always compare the total shipped cost.

After-Sales FAQ

How long is my production setup stored?

We store production setups for a minimum of 6 months from last use, extendable by another 6 months on reuse. If unused for 6 months, we will contact you with the option to keep the setup for a USD 10/year storage fee, which can be discounted on reuse.

I received the wrong boards. What should I do?

In rare cases (about 1 in 2, 000 parcels), a sorting error can occur. If you receive someone else's PCB, another customer likely has yours — usually within the same country. Contact us immediately so we can arrange a swap using our FedEx account.

Still have questions?

Contact our team at info@winowpcba.com or visit our Contact page. We're here to help.