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From design to manufacture?

  • 03-01-2009 8:49pm
    #1
    nobodythere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭


    I'm an Electronic Engineering student, so I've pretty much covered design for the last 3 years. I still have no idea how you get from the design phase to manufacture, especially if you're a small company.

    If I have a design that's purely electronic (i.e. not mechanical) like a DVD player or something: Where do I go to get the PCB fabricated? Do I have to design the actual casing for it? Are there companies who can be hired to do this? Is it feasible to make small numbers of them?


Comments

  • #2
    Turbulent Bill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,638 ✭✭✭Turbulent Bill


    grasshopa wrote: »
    I'm an Electronic Engineering student, so I've pretty much covered design for the last 3 years. I still have no idea how you get from the design phase to manufacture, especially if you're a small company.

    If I have a design that's purely electronic (i.e. not mechanical) like a DVD player or something: Where do I go to get the PCB fabricated? Do I have to design the actual casing for it? Are there companies who can be hired to do this? Is it feasible to make small numbers of them?

    Firstly, not trying to be pedantic, but virtually every electronic design has a mechanical aspect (PCB layout, connectorisation, cooling etc.) that you'll have to consider. DVD players will have at least one motor, for example, and I'd imagine the design of the motor housing, tray design etc. would have a bearing on the BER.

    You can get PCBs made in short runs for prototyping - I know Spemco in Donegal do PCB manufacture, can't remember offhand who makes populated boards. You can buy off-the-shelf housings if they suit your application, or custom build if you need to.

    What are you trying to make?


  • #3
    DublinDilbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭DublinDilbert


    As the poster above says every PCB or electronic product will have a mechanical aspect.
    1. An Engineer specifies what the product should do and also what it should look like. This is basically the functional requirements.
    2. Electronic Designer Draws Schematic ( & generates a net list)
    3. Electronic Designer Generates Bill of materials (BOM) from Schematic
    4. Mechanical Designer works out what product should look like and roughly where the electronics will be packaged. They will generally get some input from Electronics Design.
    5. Mechanical Designer generated 2D DXFs of the circuit board outlines, also includes mounting hole locations & connector locations.
    6. Electronic Designer imports Board outlines & Schematic netlist into PCB layout package. Electronic Designer now lays out PCB, places components, put mounting holes ect in the correct place. The electronic designer generates gerber files, which describe the PCB.
    7. The PCB can now be purchased from a supplier, based on gerber files...
    8. The components can now be purchased, based on the BOM generated above.
    9. The PCB can now be populated with the components. This is generally done by a sub contractor, or can be done in house.
    10. The assembled PCB is now put into the mechanical housing
    11. The unit is now tested etc....


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