The process of developing an idea and a design for a printed circuit board (PCB) and then going through the PCB assembly process can seem long and challenging for those who have never had to go through the process before. There often seem to be a lot of moving parts that need to come together to make everything work properly. However, it can be broken down into a much easier to understand set of basic steps. When you understand those steps and follow the basic process, everything will flow more smoothly.
Develop a Strong Idea
Perhaps you have a great idea for a printed circuit board that you want to create for a large project you are developing. Maybe you need to make improvements to the boards you are currently using. Regardless of the reason, a circuit board always starts with a need and an idea. This is a very important phase, as it will be when you are making choices and decisions that can affect the rest of the design process.
Create a strong idea and have an understanding of how to make it work, but do not become so married to the idea that you are not willing to make changes that will make the end result that much better.
Turn the Idea into a Design
Once you have a strong idea, it is time to turn it into a design. Creating the design of the PCB itself is easier than ever today thanks to various types of software that are available. If you are looking for quality software, consider PCB Artist from Advanced Circuits. It has the largest component library of software in its category and it is easy to use. There are also tutorials on how to use the software right on our site. PCB Artist has more features and options than expensive software options that sell for thousands. One of the best things about our option is the price. It is entirely free.
You can take your time to learn how to use the software properly and to create your design. You might even find some ideas that you hadn’t thought of before.
Make Sure the Design Works
Once you have built your design, it is important to make sure that it works. The file check software we offer, FreeDFM, will help with this. You can run the checks and make changes to the design to make sure it works properly. That will then provide you with a printout of the design. It makes it easy to see if there are any issues that will need to be fixed. If there are, that is the time to make those changes. You want to be sure that you have a high-quality file that will actually work.
One of the benefits of working with Advanced Circuits is that there is around-the-clock support. This means that you can always reach someone in person at the company. You can be in contact with a CAM engineer at any time of day if you have questions or concerns about your design that you want us to manufacture. The files will even be checked by an engineer before moving forward.
This is a huge benefit that is not available everywhere. There are some companies that will take the files, move forward to the PCB assembly, and provide circuit boards that do not even work properly. Knowing that everything is working properly gives you confidence going forward.
Get a Quote
You will be able to get an instant quote, so you have a good idea of how much you will have to pay for the services that you have chosen. Keep in mind that our company is able to provide both large and small orders. In fact, you can even get a prototype if you would like. If you only need to have a prototype right now for your project, you can get one. It will then be possible to come back and order more of the PCBs as needed. Having a prototype that you can test out with the other components in your design is a huge benefit. It will give you more confidence in going forward with the design.
Move Forward with Manufacturing and PCB Assembly
After you are certain that the design works properly, you can then move ahead through the manufacturing and PCB assembly process. While there may be other companies offering these types of services, there are a number of benefits to choosing to work with Advanced Circuits. We do all of our work in-house since we have a large facility and the capabilities. This means that we aren’t a broker and you never have to worry about your items being made by a company that has been outsourced to.
There are many features and options available through the company that can help to make us the ideal choice for your PCBs from the initial stages all the way through PCB assembly. One of the other benefits is the speed of shipping that we can offer. In some cases, it is possible to have the items shipped on the same day. Even if you do not have same-day shipping, you will find that it takes just a short time for the PCBs to be made and then sent to you. This means less wasted time before you can start using those boards in your company’s projects, whatever they might be.
Get Started
It takes time to develop a circuit board design, and it takes time to make sure that the design is right. You will find that by working with the right software, such as PCB Artist mentioned above, and by working with Advanced Circuits, many of the more difficult elements can be made quite a bit easier. Take some time to look at all of the services and options that are offered through Advanced Circuits and get started. It’s time that you moved ahead with your design. It might surprise you just how easy it is.
