Prototype to Production: Choosing a PCB Company | Jaycon Systems
A creator needs a printed circuit board for a product you are developing, but you don’t have the capability or capacity to design or produce them yourself. Does this sound familiar? Many companies need a company that can help take them from their initial idea through the prototyping phase and through to a complete product ready to sell.
Fortunately, some businesses can accommodate these sorts of needs. However, knowing which companies you should work with can sometimes be challenging. Entrusting others with your vision can be difficult. Below, we’ll be looking at some of the most critical factors you must consider when choosing.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Here’s one of the big mistakes many companies make when they are ready to put together products. They don’t give themselves enough time to take care of everything that needs to be done, so they rush as their deadlines are near.
Instead of taking their time to vet and understand the companies they are considering, they rush to find someone they hope can provide them with the help they need. What do you think happens then? Often, they start working with companies that can’t provide them with all the services they need. Other times, creators end up partnering with companies that don’t have enough experience to provide good results.
Designs and products are rushed and aren’t put through their paces when you wait until the last minute. This often means that those products in the customer’s hands are underwhelming. In some cases, they might even have a high rate of failure. Naturally, that is going to affect your brand reputation.
Meeting the Timeline as a Team
You must ensure a long enough timeline to take your PCB from the initial idea to a functioning design. The sooner you start planning and looking for a design team and manufacturer, the better. You do not want to be the reason your products are behind schedule.
Keep your timeline in mind when you are choosing a company, too. If you come across a business that is slow to respond to questions you have or that have a long turnaround time, it may not be the best solution for you. You must work with a company that can meet your timeline while still providing high-quality results.
Consider the Company’s Experience
One of the first things you will want to do is get a better idea of the company’s experience before hiring them. How long has the company been in business and making PCBs? Does the company also provide design work if you need to outsource that, as well?
What fields have they worked with in the past, and will that experience help them with the types of projects you are creating? The number of years a company has been in business shouldn’t be the only factor you consider when considering experience.
You also have to think about the breadth of their experience. Can they provide you with all of the services you will need, and do they have just as much experience in those areas? Do they have experience with surface-mount technology? What about through-hole manufacturing?
While some newer companies might be capable of providing some suitable designs for your PCBs, it doesn’t always mean they are the best overall choice. When choosing professionals for your PCB prototyping and production, you must consider all the other elements.
Most companies worth their time will have a wealth of information on their site about their services, the companies they’ve worked with, and the types of products they have made.
This can help to give you a better idea of whether they will be the right partner for you or not.
Determine the Quality
Of course, this is just as important as the experience that a company brings to the table. It is best to ensure they can provide you with PCB designs and finished products worth what you are paying. Unfortunately, not all companies can shine in this area, so you must be careful.
It can be next to impossible to judge quality when you don’t have a final product in your hand. However, you can reduce your risk when considering a large production. For starters, you need to prototype to get an idea of the type of work they can do.
Get a Prototype of Your Design/Idea
Don’t make the mistake of not finalizing a design prototype before you commit to ordering large quantities of the PCB. It is best to ensure that the board does what’s needed and is as perfect as possible.
You will want to order a prototype from the company you have chosen to get a better sense of the type of work they can do for you. This will let you know what it looks like, how it works, and whether there are any issues.
Place a Small Order First
Of course, this prototype will likely differ from the final board design used in your products. Therefore, you need to get an idea of the overall quality of the company’s typical product. Rather than going into a huge production run, you need to allow room in your timeline for a small batch that is essentially a test run. Rapid prototyping teams can create final designs after several iterations and edits.
Put the initial PCBs you get through their paces to ensure they work well for your needs. You should place a larger order with them only once you are satisfied with the results.
When researching the quality, a company can provide, ensure you get a better idea of the machinery and tools they use for the job. You should also check to see whether they have certifications, for example.
When choosing the best company for the job, patience and research can go a long way.
How do you know what Customers are Saying?
Another way to get an idea of how your experience with a company is likely to go is by checking out what previous customers say. Look for testimonials and reviews to better understand your expectations when signing something with a company.
Check the Production Capacity of the Company
How large of a product run are you planning? How many PCBs will need to be created and shipped to you, and how quickly will you need access to them? Keep in mind that not all companies that design and manufacture PCBs will be capable of meeting your production needs.
Check out the company’s website to better understand its production capacity. If you don’t find enough information to glean whether they can handle production for your PCBs, reach out and get in touch with someone at the company to make sure.
Ideally, you will have a company that can grow with your business. When you are first getting started, you might find that you don’t need to have large runs of your PCBs.
However, as your business grows, so will your PCB needs. Check to see whether the company would be capable of accommodating you as your needs increase. If the company can’t scale and you plan to grow your business, it might be better to choose someone else.
Types of Assembly Options — Hand Assembled and SMT Assembly
Something else to look into when you are choosing your PCB designer and manufacturer will be their assembly services. First, get an idea of the quality of boards they are working with. Naturally, you want to work with those who work with the best circuit board suppliers. This will ensure that the boards you have made always start with a quality base and are as pristine as possible. In addition to these options, check to see how many layer options are available with the boards.
When putting together prototypes, does the company assemble these batches by hand? Always look for this, as it can make finding any potential issues for assembly easier. Finding those issues before moving into mass production will help save you from some headaches down the line.
Speaking of mass assembly, does the company feature a surface-mount technology (SMT) line for assembly? This will make it possible for the company to do more than offer those small batches for prototypes. It allows for printing thousands of boards you might need for your products. Make sure the company you are considering uses this type of assembly.
Testing and Programming
When choosing someone to design and create your circuit boards, it’s a good idea to ensure they can also test and program those boards for you. Will the company be able to handle this for your volume? What testing can be done, and does the company stand behind its work? Testing services should always be available through the PCB assemblers.
Why is testing needed? Without it, you might find that the boards aren’t working correctly too late. You could already be behind on your deadline, or some PCBs could be in products before you realize a problem. Naturally, this domino effect could cost you time and money and harm your reputation.
Before you choose a company, make sure you ask them about their testing options. Find those that can provide quality, comprehensive testing, and measure quality control for their products.
Compare the Costs
Everyone likes the idea of saving money, so the cost will always be something you must keep firmly in mind when making your choice. You want a good value, so you have a better ROI.
Of course, you must remember that cost is not everything. Getting a great deal could still damage your company if the end products are of low quality. It is essential to find a good balance. You want fair prices and rates, but you also want to ensure the best possible quality for your PCBs.
Keep in mind that multiple factors could affect the cost. The amount ordered, the types of services requested, the labor costs, the materials, etc. You will also have to consider the shipping.
Compare the prices between companies you are considering but remember to look at more than just the price. You also must consider the other subjects discussed here, including their experience, reputation, customer support, quality, etc.
Check to See What Other Services Are Offered
Do you need help more extensive than PCB design and manufacturing? A lot of companies might benefit from additional types of services.
For example, they might offer plastic injection molding, which can produce plastic parts at high volumes. This might be necessary for housing your PCBs, for example. You might also want a design company that can create exclusive visual languages and final production files for you, taking your ideas and turning them into projects that are prototyped and manufactured. When mechanical and electronic components are designed to work perfectly together, there is less chance of error.
Of course, not all companies that work with PCBs will have the capacity to provide these types of services. If you feel that you might need some or all of the services mentioned above, check to see if the PCB specialist you are considering can help.
Consider the Customer Support
Don’t choose a company until you have a better idea of how they treat their customers and what type of customer support they can provide. You should check out their site to see what means of contact are provided.
- Always look at the company contact page to understand how you can communicate with them.
- They should have actual physical addresses listed, a phone number, and their hours of operation.
- Ideally, they will also have a contact form that you can use to send a message or ask questions.
If you find that the company you are considering doesn’t have at least these basics, you might want to look elsewhere. If you try to get in touch and they are unresponsive or rude, it may be a sign to move on.
Look for Potential Red Flags
In addition to poor customer service, you should look for other types of red flags when considering companies like these.
For example, it’s a problem if they seem inflexible and aren’t willing to work with you to find a solution that will work well for your needs. They don’t have your best interests in mind. You have unique needs, and you want to work with someone who can accommodate any reasonable requests you might have. Reasonable is the keyword here. Please don’t ask for the moon and expect to receive it.
Something else to be aware of is a long timeline to complete a project. Depending on the project in question, the timeline will inevitably vary. However, if the company takes a long time to finish tasks without giving you a reason, you’ll want to rethink working with them.
Take Your Time
You want to ensure you aren’t rushing when deciding on the company making your printed circuit board. Whether you are just hiring a company to create a prototype or having boards printed in high quantities, you must be sure you are working with professionals. Therefore, you don’t want to rush into a relationship with these companies.
Spend time learning as much about the company as possible using the tips above before making your choice. Understand what service businesses look for in the manufacturing space and their expectations. This will help you determine whether the company is suitable for your PCB needs. Never rush into a situation with a company that you feel may not be the best choice for your needs.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you never have to make a decision. Keep your timeline in mind when prototyping and printing the PCBs, as mentioned above. The sooner you start looking for a company to help, the better off you will be.
You should now have a better understanding of what you should be looking for when choosing a PCB prototype and manufacturing company. Whether you are still in the planning stages or you are on the verge of needing your prototype now, start searching for the right designer that can accommodate your needs.
