Do you have an idea for an electronic device, the next must-have gadget, music or video system, saving time or greatest problem-solving device that was ever invented? Even if the electronics product design expertise, there is a number of tasks that you complete and issues to solve before you sold a design, the actual product can be manufactured, sold and must have. Once you document a specification and a marketing study, please completeshould be prepared to find the product have electronics and packaging design, so that processes are initiated, a prototype unit assembled and tested.
One of the first decisions that must be made in the electronics design, the microprocessor or microcontroller architecture is used, if your product idea will require the processing also be suitable. Most of the microprocessor or microcontroller devices come in a variety of configurations of internal memory available with several sizes, including non-volatile FlashMemory for program storage, number and types of input and output pins, package type for surface mount or thru-hole applications, speeds and interfaces with the processor without adding additional devices supported.
As soon as a microprocessor or microcontroller family is selected, additional choices must be made to use the frequency, how much processing power and memory needed for the application and how the software developmentbe supported. The choice of processor architecture, the available software development and testing tools and software design resources that the software required for your product / firmware design. Other decisions must, as the software / firmware will be loaded into the memory of the processor during the manufacturing process. Will the design allow the finished product to field initiated or user to accept software / firmware upgrades, or the product is aOne-time programmable unit?
Before the processor part of the design is complete, you must also specify what types of interfaces to external systems (will be needed serial port, parallel port, USB, Ethernet, wireless connection such as 802.11x or Bluetooth, infrared, etc.) and the minimum interface bandwidth rates required. All these factors play a role in selecting the best product processor in your design application. Some microprocessor / microcontrollerProduct samples that you research the Microchip PAL-series and the family of Atmel than these two providers offer some very powerful but cost-effective solutions processor.
Electronic components, including microprocessors and microcontrollers, the mount is usually available in both surface and thru-hole versions. Some electronic components can (only available in a format some transformers, relays, capacitors, potentiometers, connectors or plug is not asonly in leaded packages). Surface mount components are preferred for each volume production, because they buy in general, less expensive, more accessible and allow for more compact circuit board designs, how to take the components is significantly less space and can be applied to both sides of the board if necessary. With Surface Mount Technology can use the PCB design to a smaller size and / or fewer layers, reducing costs for raw Board.However, surface mount components can be difficult in-house assembly and soldering, if not render it impossible if you do not have the right equipment and know-how.
The final design includes a power supply section that the current and voltage through the design of the required components is available. Input power options you could supply into a 120 VAC wall outlet and convert the AC voltage to the corresponding regulated DC voltage internally as part of the power supplyDesign. You could also decide to an external power supply that converts a 120 VAC voltage level and then regulates these incoming voltage level to the required by the design. A third option would be to have the product run on batteries. If your product is battery powered, are in addition to the definition of battery technology and the number of ampere-hours of energy in the batteries, you should also consider whether a battery design or an end-user replaceableBattery is best for the product application and pricing.
Once the electronic design and PCB design are complete, the mechanical packaging and external enclosure designs can be completed, and the original software development can be completed. Now it is time for a prototype unit assembled and tested, and decisions need to be made in relation to the production of the first prototype units. Choose from all orders of components and assembly of thePrototype product in house if you located the assembly know-how, subcontracting the prototyping process to a domestic contract manufacturing company, Electronics or subcontracting the prototyping process to a contract electronics manufacturing company off the coast. If you do not correct the expertise or equipment to build prototype units, you should prepare a list of companies, start your prototyping and production needs and the process of identifying your best to supportOptions.
In addition to identifying who assemble the prototype units, you should also determine which option will be used for the manufacture of production units. Choose from the production of the devices themselves, which commissioned the installation of the units from the outside with a domestic client or the installation of the devices with an offshore electronics manufacturing service provider. If you wish to use an external source of production, believes that some companies specialize in lowVolume specialty units, such as prototype or initial production units, but are not able to cost-effectively to support high volume production levels through capacity limits. Other companies are at the opposite spectrum, and specialize only in high volume. The amount of units, the high numbers, in your opinion would probably not large enough to evoke interest strictly high volume manufacturer. You should also check your delivery receiptOrder as a factor in choosing an external source assembly.
consider another important factor in this process of evaluation of the electronic manufacturing service providers would consider that the design support can be generated during the process of development of the product. Services such as electronic design and PCB layout design, component selection and procurement process with the help of multi-sourcing components, case design, mechanicalPackaging design, deployment and production of prototypes to the ability of low volume to high volume may all be of great help to you. In addition, a contract electronics manufacturers also offer better suggestions to improve manufacturability, lower component costs and product reliability. Make sure an appropriate Non-Disclosure Agreement is in force with each and all parties involved in this process to protect your intellectual property.
They must alsodefine what will the manufactured product is tested and packaged. Once the product was tested as a prototype and successful, it is important to determine the quantity of units produced and run in the original production for the mass production levels. They must also know how to go to many levels of distribution of the product by (the individual levels, a cut from the edges) before it from a consumer to buy.
If you are an inventor or have a largeelectronic product idea, I will not discourage you, but you have to examine all these activities and the associated costs before you commit to requiring the thousands of dollars in spending for the design and prototyping of your product idea. For example, you should be prepared for a minimum in order to carry out themselves, or awarded for the completion of the following tasks:
– Product idea, the Research (Is there any existing products or existing patents on this idea)
-Product specification preparation of documents (to do what it will look like it is, how it will be driven and how the user interface with it)
– Marketing study (what it is called, who want to buy them, how much they would pay, as we get the customer to purchase the product)
– Schematic or electronics design process
– Creating a BOM or parts list and an approved supplier or AVL List for each component in the design, preferably with multiple sourcesidentified, with a BOM and AVL for each assembly level in the product
– PCB layout design process (single sided, double sided or multilayer board, the size of the circuit board; plate material)
– Mechanical packaging design with user interfaces (displays, buttons, switches, buttons, interconnects, power, etc.), determination, especially where the product seal assembly, internal unpainted or potting soil to protect against moisture
– Software / FirmwareDevelopment and software tools required
– Prototype component procurement, assembly and prototype set-up costs associated with testing and software / firmware
– It may also some UL and / or the FCC regulatory compliance testing is necessary, depending on your product application (such as FCC Part 15 and UL standards that may be subject to the product category)
– Revisions of the design as necessary based on initial test results may require additional rounds of prototypingnecessary
– The necessary changes from the prototype assembly and testing processes must be included before the first production. This may require changes to the schematic and PCB design, changes in the mechanical packaging, changes to the software / firmware, and cosmetic changes to the housing package.
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