
[Custom electronics design process]
Our design process involves the following steps:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Design process flow:
Following is the brief work flow of our design process. Click on
the image to enlarge it.
4. 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 excellent 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.
Note:
Commercial Use: Choose this option if you want to sell the
design or sell products that make use of our design. All
technical documents including schematics, PCB layout design and
microcontroller source codes will be delivered to you.
Company/Industry/Business Use: Choose this if you want to use
the circuit design in a company, business or an industrial
organization and do not have the intention to sell the design as
a commercial product. All technical documents including
schematics, PCB layout design and microcontroller source codes
will be delivered to you.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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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