PCB Prototypes: Why They Are Needed

The electronics industry is on a path of continuous evolution. In the past decade, especially, various new kinds of gadgetry and savvy electronic items have come into the market. Innovation and invention at this level and scale is possible only through repeated cycles of trial and error. It is because of trials and errors that we have been able to progress so far. With so much experimentation involved, how is the electronics industry sustaining all these expenses? Trial and error requires material, resources and manpower – and none of it comes for free. How, then, is it possible to keep doing this without facing a dip in profits? The answer is prototype PCBs.

Prototypes are imitations of the actual thing – just much less costly (sometimes even cheap), whose primary purpose is for testing the design. In the electronics industry, PCB prototypes allow testing of complex circuits before large-scale manufacturing begins. This helps to rectify the mistakes inherent in the original design. In the case of complex designs, it is extremely important to test the working of the printed circuit board first. The operation of a prototype reveals all the errors in the design (and design revisions) before any money is spent on marketing and production of that particular item.

There is another very important function that prototype PCBs perform. They allow the PCB assembly service providers to save significantly on the costs incurred during experimentation. Normally, experimentation involves costs incurred on soldering, getting fresh circuit boards, components, etc. Instead of using actual materials for testing, it is better to use test materials – like perfboards and kynar wires – to do all the experimentation and innovation in design.

There are various ways to go about the task of prototyping. The most convenient method is to outsource this work to the professionals of the field. There are various circuit card assembly services out there who also provide prototyping services. All you need to do is perform a search online to find such agencies. They provide quotations based on the complexity of your design, materials required, thickness of the board required, number of layers and such details. Their quotes are realistic and justifiable.

The second way is to try prototyping yourself. There are many do-it-yourself guides plastered all over the Internet which provide step-by-step instructions on how to do it. However, if the dexterity of your hands in handling circuits is doubtful, it is recommended to leave this job to the professionals. Improper connections, wrong connections or loose connections can make or break your design. In addition, it takes a lot of time to gather the right materials you need for prototyping. Those that are in this business already have access to these materials.

PCB assembly service providers ensure that your circuit board needs are fulfilled from A to Z. They provide you with design services, testing, production and packaging – all under one roof (or website). Get yours today!

For more information on PCB assembly, visit Bestproto.com.

About The Company

BESTProto is a group of professional soldering technicians, SMT (surface mount technology) process engineers and business people who are committed to rapidly building electromechanical and PCB prototypes while providing small highly specialized businesses, start-ups and incubator companies with small production or specialty build capabilities.