While innovations in design and manufacturing have helped lower the cost
of producing printed circuit boards, the price of creating a PCBA can be
driven even lower through cross-functional collaboration.
In this article, we’ll look at some effective cross-functional
collaboration tactics.
- Specifications are not aligned with processes
It’s important to have your manufacturing and design teams communicate
early in the development process. If your printed circuit board design
specifications don’t match with your manufacturing process, you may end up
facing manufacturing delays, increased costs, or a PCBA that can’t be
produced. - Not enough “cooks”
The old saying tells us that “too many cooks spoil the broth.” But in the
world of printed circuit board design, sometimes you may need a second or
third cook, so to speak.
PCBA production deadlines can be tight, which can lead to missed errors
and design flaws that go unnoticed. Peer reviews, having another engineer
or technician evaluate the design, can help avoid mistakes that would
otherwise stay hidden until later in the process. With PCBA, as with many
technical efforts, mistakes become costlier the later they are discovered.
- Testing
This connects back to point two. During the prototype phase, it’s
important to subject your printed circuit board design to thorough testing
to avoid problems. Tests should verify if the design meets functional
requirements and proper performance under different environmental
circumstances. - Layout techniques
Modern devices – such as thinner televisions, tablets, and smartphones —
have given rise to a smaller footprint for PCBAs. For designers, this
means finding a way to lay out components more closely and efficiently.
Proper use of the many design tools available today, starting at the PCB
layout stage is crucial. - Thinking about cost
Target cost is as important a design criterion as any other. Your
printed circuit board design may work beautifully on paper, but it’s not
going to be of much use if it can’t be manufactured within your budget.
Design teams should remember that it is important to work closely with
suppliers and manufacturers to achieve the cost target. Their input may
lead to design or alternate component suggestions to achieve or better the
target cost.
Many of the issues we’ve described here can be avoided through
communication and collaboration. If you’re looking for a contract
manufacturer with expertise in printed circuit board design who will also
communicate with your team, Mars International can help.
We offer both short run and high production assembly with an engineering
team that can design the circuits, layout the boards and guide you through
final product specifications.
Contact us today. We look forward to helping you with your PCBA
requirements.
