Electronic circuit development is a process that can take months or more depending on the system complexity. Engineers move across a cycle of designing, testing, debugging, and revising until the prototype is finally ready for mass production. It is not unusual for projects to require around 3 prototype PCB orders before they get it right. Some might even need twice this number, if not more. Prototyping has advanced since the early days when engineers would simply make the items by hand using manual techniques. Now they can just send the design files to a factory and wait for the orders to arrive a few days later. Thanks to this shift, businesses can enjoy the following benefits:
High Quality Circuits for Limited Runs
Manual circuit creation is slow and prone to error. It could be fine for simple circuits but nearly impossible for complex systems with multiple layers and high component density. Ensuring that the traces are uniform when there is little tolerance is a monumental task. By using the machines of third party prototype PCB assembly specialists, engineers can get high quality circuits every single time. It’s virtually the same as production-level circuits since they use the same machines and personnel despite the limited runs. This ensures faithfulness to the designer’s intent, as well as the optimal performance of the given design.
Thorough Testing for Confident Production
The prototype PCB assembly can then be tested thoroughly to find all of the flaws of the system. Since they have been created at such a high quality, there will be no flaws attributed to bad wiring or soldering. Engineers will not have to guess whether or not it was the design or the craftsmanship that is to blame for errors. Multiple copies can be created to eliminate the possibility that a faulty component is causing the issues. They can even place the circuit inside the chassis of the device and conduct physical tests to determine if it can hold up to abuse. If the prototype passes, then they can be confident of going into full production.
Better Customer Satisfaction and Low Returns
The excellent prototypes and stringent testing ultimately leads to better products. When people buy these devices, they will have better satisfaction rates than before because they will work as intended and last much longer than usual. After all, virtually all of the bugs can be detected and fixed prior to mass production. Buyers will have less reason to return the items and ask for refunds.