Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Design and Layout Services

Preparing a project specification is an important part of a custom PCB design service. It may include technical requirements, block diagrams, deliverables, assumptions, a preliminary bill of materials (BOM) and BOM costs, tools and technologies specified for the project development. The specification allows our designers to stay on the same page with our customers and meet their expectations.

The process of PCB board design always starts with schematics. A schematic or a circuit diagram conveys the electrical connection between different electrical components like integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete components. To deliver this PCB design service, we use professional CAD software, such as Altium Designer, to define modules and design the connectivity between different components.

Once the schematic is imported to the PCB layout, we manually place components on the board and route the traces. We take into consideration the number of required layers and the dimensions of components that may be limited by the size of the housing. Within our PCB layout services, we analyze signal integrity and evaluate electrical limitations to ensure the safety of the board level architecture. For a complex layout, we include various simulations into our custom circuit board design services. Our specialists arrange proper conductor routing, which is the primary factor affecting the price of PCB manufacturing. We run DFM/DFA analysis to minimize PCB design revisions, cut development costs, and reduce time to market.

Once our PCB design layout is approved for production, we export it into the format the manufacturer supports. We prepare a bill of materials (BOM) and Gerber files that describe design requirements for each image of a circuit board. Manufacturers use this documentation as a reference for board fabrication and PCB assembly. For certain projects, we also create a 3D model of a PCB to make sure it fits the housing. Testing is essential for both our PCB layout design services and the fabrication stage. We provide the manufacturer with the data and software necessary to perform an electrical and impedance test. After the prototypes are manufactured, we test them in-house.

After the prototype validation, we prepare the files for mass production and assist the customer throughout the manufacturing process. We arrange special software, hardware, and testing procedures. Using them, the manufacturer can test each PCB at the factory.

Upon completion of the project, we create a full document package that comprises BOM and Gerber files, 3D models, and technical manuals. In addition, we set a warranty period for our PCB design services. During this period, we fix bugs and provide other technical support covered by the warranty. After the warranty period ends, we stay in touch with our customers and can consult them when needed.