5 considerations when outsourcing your PCB design

Don’t just leave it to chance, here’s what you should consider when outsourcing your PCB design.

It has become common for companies throughout many industries to outsource their PCB design as the benefits are becoming more recognised. In a fast moving technology driven world demand is driven by short timescales and cost effective solutions; outsourcing can give you that. When companies outsource, they benefit from the latest technology as good outsourcing firms typically update their technology regularly to keep up with competitors.

Outsourcing your PCB design does have many benefits as we’ve mentioned above, that doesn’t mean however that you should just outsource to any company offering the service. Certain considerations should be made before hand. Concerns around the loss of project-control, intellectual property security and quality control are often highlighted as the key worries for many companies when choosing to outsource. These anxieties are valid but by considering the below 5 points we believe a company will be able to confidently outsource their PCB design.

Ask for samples

It’s perfectly acceptable to request a sample from a PCB design company. This will give you the opportunity to gauge the quality of their work and to see how creative they can be with their designs. Many of these outsourcing companies welcome visitors to their site; this is recommended should you have the necessary resources to do so.

Check reviews

Reviews really do speak for themselves. However don’t just rely on the reviews the company offers you on their own website. Dig a little deeper – check out the companies who claim to have used them and don’t be afraid to contact them to see if they’re still happy with the service they’ve received.

Be on the same page

It is not uncommon for misunderstandings to occur if you don’t relay what you want properly to the company you’re outsourcing to. If you don’t fully know what you want – how can they? If you’re unsure about your requirements then don’t be afraid to ask for their guidance – they will much prefer this than being sent over an unclear, underprepared specification.

Protect your intellectual property

It is common to ask an outsourcing company to sign a non-disclosure prior to commencing with your project. You should supply them adequate information but do not give them more information than what they need.

Communication is vital

Communication is key when it comes to getting a PCB design project right. Your initial communications with the company should give you an indication of how well they communicate. Are they getting back to you fast enough? Have you been assigned one contact instead of being passed from pillar to post? etc.

UK Electronics has over thirty-five years of PCB layout experience in a wide variety of applications from initial concept through to final product realisation. With continuous investment in high end design systems it follows that UK:E CAD has the capability to undertake even the most demanding of designs. With full consideration of your product requirements, end application and lifecycle, our approach will ensure your product will be designed suitable for cost effective and reliable assembly, manufacture and test.

You can find out more about our PCB Design service here.