How to get started in creating your PCB.
Introduction
Making a PCB can be overwhelming if you've never done it before. There's just something in the whole process that seems cloudy and you don't know the first place to start. Let me assure you, it's like riding bike. It only seems difficult because you've never done it before. Let us walk you through some basics.
Schematic Entry
If you have a schematic, or even just an idea of something you want to build, you're already on your way to creating a professionally designed PCB or product. For example, If you were to send us your idea or schematic in an email, we'll take it and on our end, depending on what you send, well create a schematic from it, build a database around to include all the parts needed to build your project, and design a PCB around it (along with the database, component libraries and associated footprints). Don't let this part concern you because all this is completely our department. Your job is to relax and sip tea and approve of the work that's being done along the way.
PCB Design
After we've converted your idea or schematic into an electronic database, we'll then take this information and enter it into another software tool that lets us design a 'virtual' PCB directly on our monitor. We take great care in all of our designs. So if the design has any special requirements, we will be sure to find it (we often find things that the clients missed).
If at any time during our work, we need some addition information, we will contact you and gather the information we need. This information might be something simple like "Is your device intended to be water-proof", or "How small do you want the PCB to be"... fairly easy questions. At one point, we even had to ask a client, "Do you think you might accidentally drop this into the sink"? And for anyone that has ever dropped a cell phone into water, you know that it's immediately dead.
Fabrication and Assembly
Once we finish designing your PCB, we'll send you photos of it and any descriptions as to what we did and how we did it. And if everything is acceptable on your end, we'll have the PCB fabricated for you. This means we will handle any technical aspects of making your PCB into a physical board. And of course at that point, we can send the PCB directly to you, or we can assembly your product for you as well (component stuffing).
Full Turn Key solution
All of us here at PCB Experts wants to make sure your visit and experience with us is a pleasure. We don't want you to feel overwhelmed, so we will take care of anything that you consider difficult during your project. We've helped tear 1 company's and even a rancher that didn't know the slightest thing about electronics. We are also here to help you.
Contact us
For information on how to get the ball rolling on creating your PCB, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, however simple you think they may be. We always enjoy learning of things people have ideas for. We might even be able to give you some pointers, even if you don't use our services.
If you already have a schematic or even just a "pencil drawing", send it to us and we'll be glad to look at it at absolutely no charge what-so-ever with our Free schematic review.
