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Custom electronics
design process
Our design process involves
the following steps:
- Specifying your design requirements:
The client must provide us with details regarding the design
requirements (technically known as "design specifications"
or "specs"). The specifications must include as much
details regarding the design requirements as possible. Some
clients may require a confidential non-disclosure agreement
to be signed to enable them to disclose the details of the design.
We welcome such agreements, given that, they are fair and
acceptable. It would be ideal if the client can provide as much
details about the design needed as possible. We understand not
all clients have a sound knowledge about the technical details
involving the design. In such cases, we can convert their requirements
in plain English into technical specifications. We sometimes,
also suggest improvements/amendments to the design by which
it can be made even better or by which the manufacturing/design
costs can be decreased even further.
- Providing a price quote for
the design: After studying the design specifications we
will analyze the amount of work involved, number of engineers
to engage on the design, resources needed, estimated completion
time etc. Then we will get back to you with a price quote
for the design. After the client accepts the price quote and
places the order for the design, we will begin the actual design
process.
- Design process flow: Following
is the brief work flow of our design process. Click on the image
to enlarge it.
- Standard deliverables:
By default, we include the following as standard deliverables
with every design job.
- Schematic diagram
with part values
- PCB layout files
in Gerber format. Drill information files in Excellon format.
- Source code in
C or assembly language (well commented) and binary (hex)
files for the microcontroller (if used).
- Source code and
executables of PC software developed as part of design (if
any)
- Complete technical
documentation of the project
- One fully working
prototype assembled on the PCB, ready for demonstration
These
deliverables will be more than sufficient for you to begin
mass production of the design by a third party manufacturer
or through us.
- Final changes/modifications
to the design (optional): After the prototype is examined
by the client, on rare occasions, they may find it necessary
to make a few changes or additions to the device before entering
production. If the changes are small and does not involve any
hardware changes & if they can be achieved through a simple
firmware upgrade, then it will be done without any extra costs.
For more elaborate changes that requires the hardware/PCB etc
to be re-designed or if it takes a long time to implement
the changes to the firmware, it will be charged appropriately.
Normally, most of the deigns that we do satisfy the specifications
or exceed it, so most of the times, this step will not be necessary.
- Meeting FCC/CE/UL and other
regulatory requirements (optional): The client must understand
that in order to market an electronic device within a country,
it will need to satisfy some regulatory requirements within
that country. For example, the FCC part 15/part 68 requirements
in USA or CE mark in European countries etc. It may be problematic
or even illegal to market these products in some countries if
they are not certified by the regulatory body. Understandably,
meeting these regulatory requirements involves extra efforts
& sometimes requires a few design iterations, and hence,
can cost significantly more. Some regulatory requirements
are easy to achieve and some requires more efforts. The customer
is expected to specify the regulatory requirements that the
designed product has to meet (if any) in their design requirements/specifications.
It would generally cost more to design a product meeting regulatory
requirements rather than just to design it for proof of concept
(or demonstration purposes), since it involves elaborate testing
and verifications from third party test labs to ensure that
the design indeed meets the regulatory requirements. Most regulatory
requirements are not required if the product is not intended
to be sold or marketed (like for use within an organization/industry
etc). These are just a few guidelines and for obtaining exact
information or more details, the clients must contact the regulating
bodies within their countries.
- Small quantity test production
(optional): We can also support our customers with small
quantity test productions (50 to 100 nos. at a time) which will
enable them to test out their products in the market. We
can help in the mass production by managing the entire
production process with manufacturing companies with whom we
have good understanding/tie-ups.
- Large volume electronic manufacturing service: We
also supplement our design services by offering large volume
manufacturing service of the designed product where we manage
assembly, testing & packaging with strict quality control
procedures. This enables our customers to have a one-stop solution
starting from product concept to mass production.
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