| I will give some advice about avoiding costly | | | | a PCB prototyping service. |
| mistakes while running sample product and PCB | | | | Try to choose a manufacturer that not only has |
| assembly and how to minimize time to market | | | | low setup costs but also can do full-quantity |
| for new electronic products. | | | | assembly runs. Specialized prototype assemblers |
| Making of prototypes is the first step of a new | | | | might not be equipped to take on larger quantity |
| product launch and is typically done following | | | | manufacturing. This has the advantage of |
| simulation of product performance by employing | | | | simplifying the migration between sample and |
| the simulation capabilities of PCB and industrial | | | | finished product. Your supplier may then very |
| design software. The simulation results often allow | | | | easily reuse your translated design files. This may |
| you to find errors and help you improve your | | | | not be the case if you are switching suppliers. |
| design. This will save time and money by | | | | Also, chances are that your new supplier will read |
| minimizing the amount of prototype iterations | | | | some files differently which will risk performance |
| required before mass production. | | | | of the finished product. |
| One strategy to speed up sample optimization is | | | | A number of PCB vendors also can aid you |
| working with a modular design. A modular design | | | | throughout the design by offering in-house PCB |
| will concentrate core features of your design in | | | | design. If you are not very experienced in the |
| particular parts which are interchangeable. | | | | design, you may want to think about choosing |
| Throughout your sample optimization you can | | | | such a vendor. Such a vendor can also much |
| then improve separate modules that do not yet | | | | more simply and much more rapidly solve |
| meet your performance constraints rather than | | | | design-related issues. |
| having to rebuild your entire design. When a | | | | Buying components for prototype runs is a |
| specific module does not meet the design | | | | concern. Purchasing components in small quantities |
| constraint, it can be swapped relatively quickly. | | | | is expensive and involves a lot of work. Also, a |
| The time benefit at this stage is evident. During | | | | number of suppliers have minimum order quantity |
| the design phase though structuring your design | | | | requirements. Small quantities of SMT parts are |
| into modules will take additional effort. | | | | hard to mount by automatic machines because |
| Depending on the design complexity, you might | | | | they normally do not come in reels. If you select |
| consider manually mounting PCB components to | | | | a supplier that has stock of commonly used SMT |
| reduce cost. Then again, for average to large | | | | parts which you can order, you can save a lot of |
| complexity this approach tends to be | | | | time. In addition, you won't waste any parts which |
| exceptionally time consuming, particularly if you | | | | are left over. |
| want to build a number of prototypes. Thus it | | | | If you picked a manufacturer that also does the |
| makes sense taking into consideration a contract | | | | final product assembly, you will not only save time |
| manufacturer for the assembly. | | | | to market but also ensure that circuit boards that |
| You ought to look for a subcontractor that has a | | | | are found to be faulty during the final examination |
| low setup cost since this cost is going to | | | | will be repaired much more rapidly. Be sure you |
| dominate the total expense in case of | | | | can easily and effectively converse with your |
| small-quantity runs. Because prototype PCB | | | | supplier. Also, make certain that your supplier can |
| vendors combine boards from several customers, | | | | identify with your issues. This ability will be key in |
| you will typically only have a limited selection of | | | | avoiding expensive delays and errors of the PCB |
| board materials and thicknesses when employing | | | | assembly and final product manufacturing. |