The evolution of our world's technology is truly astounding. In the past decades, we've made great leaps and bounds in terms of what our electronic devices are capable of accomplishing, and things are only getting better. Technological engineers and electronics designers are continuously dreaming up new ways to improve existing products, as well as completely original ideas for simplifying every day life and tasks. But how does this process occur, exactly? 

Every bit of technology - from the smallest, consumer electronic gadget to complex healthcare and aerospace units - begins with an idea. From here, plans can be made to develop a working prototype in order to test the capabilities of the device and to determine whether the idea is worth investing in, or how it can be further expounded upon in order to make it more operable, functional, and efficient. Every step in designing and assembling the prototype is essential to enabling the simple dream to become a reality. To give you a better idea of the process, this post will walk you through the life cycle of a prototype.

After countless hours of hard work, there's nothing more frustrating than discovering that your PC board design is flawed. A slight miscalculation can require you to backtrack as a result of sizing constraints. Even if all components fit, an error could cause the board to have operational deficiencies, and finding the root cause can be expensive and time-consuming. Wouldn't it be a lot easier if there were a for you to increase the odds of getting your design "just right" during your first go at it? Because we want to help you succeed, we've put together these tips and tricks for avoiding potential design iterations and expensive PCB re-spins.  

1. Begin With a Space Study  

The electronics industry is one of the most competitive out there. As the years go by, technology is playing a bigger and bigger role in all of our lives, affecting the way that we work, learn, and communicate with one another. As a result, there is a huge demand for faster and better electronic devices and gadgets to meet consumer needs. In addition to wanting more features and higher levels of efficiency, though, these end-users are also looking for products that are smaller and lighter. In order to keep up with the market demand, electronic board design processes must evolve.

The smaller that electronics become, the more dense and compact PC boards need to be. This makes electronic board design significantly more complicated. Designers and engineers are given a very limited surface area to work with, and must overcome a number of obstacles in order to create boards that can function efficiently and serve their purpose. In some cases, this process can become too challenging for smaller electronics companies without the skills or tools required to do so. Is it time for you to seek out help from a third party? Here's a look at some of the most common scenarios in which you would benefit from having a contract manufacturer assist with your electronic board design.  

In any industry, it's extremely important that you're able to keep up with (if not surpass) the competition by offering the very best products and services. This is especially true in the electronic sector. With every passing moment, further advancements are being made in our technological capabilities and processes, which results in a consumer demand for increasingly complex yet affordable and user-friendly products. Of course, behind every great electronic device is an advanced, well put-together PC board. 

It's true! Although most users will never even take a glimpse at a PCB (let alone begin to understand how it works), these units are the backbone of our technology. As such, it's absolutely crucial that a lot of care goes into the manufacture and assembly process. But what is it that sets a superior PC board apart from a mediocre or low-quality board? Unless you know, you could end up partnering with a less-than-qualified contract manufacturing company. To eliminate any future stresses or headaches on your end, let's take a look at what actually goes into the assembly of the best PCBs.

For small to mid-sized electronic companies, making the decision to outsource their assembly electronic processes is a bit of a no-brainer. The cost to work with a third-party professional is often much less than it would be to hire a full team of skilled laborers, and the burden of purchasing and maintaining expensive equipment is removed from your shoulders. When you've got an excellent outsource vendor on your team, you can remain competitive with larger-scale industries and grow your business.

It really doesn't matter what type of business you're in - money is a common stressor for all of us. Despite the fact that the economy is improving, the majority of American industries are constantly looking for ways to scale back their costs and improve profit margins without sacrificing the quality or integrity of their work. Still, this is often much easier said than done. Finding areas where you can safely and effectively reduce spending while still keeping your customers happy with excellent products and services isn't as simple as it may seem, and it can be especially problematic in the electronics sector.

In order for your electronics business to attract and satisfy customers, you need to be focusing on the very basics of product design and manufacture: PC boards. As the demands of the consumer market change, and technological processes evolve, so must your way of thinking about printed circuit boards. Although it's true that through-hole mounting was the standard for PC board construction for years, surface mount technology (SMT) is the 'new kid on the block', and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.