PCB Engineering Support Tailored to Your Needs

Different projects have different requirements for engineering services. An initial stage of conception might demand engineering decisions and components' evaluation. An already existing product might require changes to its layout, replacement of components or an independent review of its design.

The engagement of engineering in the process of PCB design might include:

  • Architecture and schematic design of electronics.
  • Specification and development of a bill of materials.
  • Multilayer board layout and routing.
  • Placement of RF, mixed-signal and power circuits.
  • Fabrication and assembly documentation.
  • Bring-up and troubleshooting prototypes.

Before starting the work, it is important to specify who will be responsible for the circuit calculations, mechanical constraints, firmware interfaces and verification.

An Independent Engineer for PCB Design Review

Professional PCB Design Review Services

Would you like to hire an engineer to review your PCB designs? Our skilled hardware engineers will review your PCB layout, schematic, components, routing, and whether or not it is ready for manufacturing.

What We Review During Our PCB Design Review

Review of Schematic Design

Verify connections of circuitry, values of components, power allocation, and interfaces.

Review of PCB Layout Design

Analyze component placement, routing, grounding, and stack-up of layers.

Signal and Power Integrity

Analyze possible problems with high-speed signal, noise, and power integrity issues.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

Analyze clearances, drilling, footprints, and manufacturing aspects.

Thermal Management

Analyze heat-generating components.

Why Hire a PCB Design Review Engineer?

Independently conducted engineering review can identify design flaws, reduce the number of prototypes, and boost product reliability. We offer PCB designing services including Altium Designer, KiCad, Cadence Allegro, and OrCAD.

Our project-based or ongoing engineering review services can be tailored to meet your specific project requirements.

Featured Case Study: PCB Engineering for an ESP32 Sports Wearable

ESP32-based sports wearable engineering case study featuring PCB design, motion sensor integration, and compact wearable electronics.
Phase 01 · Requirement

Client and Product Requirement

The client required a compact motion-sensing wearable for athletes and fitness users. Adequate Infosoft's published project describes an ESP32-based design combining an inertial measurement unit, rechargeable LiPo power and USB-C connectivity. The client retained responsibility for enclosure integration.

Phase 02 · Engineering Scope

Published Engineering Scope

The device was implemented using an ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 and a MPU-9250 motion sensor. The power structure of this device included the use of a one-cell LiPo, USB-C charger, voltage regulation for the processing and sensing electronics.

The procurement of components was part of the assignment, together with compact mounting and consideration of the antenna needs of the wireless module. The publicized schedule spanned a period of four weeks.

Phase 03 · Handover

Documented Handover

The listed deliverables included schematic files, PCB layout files, Gerber manufacturing data, a bill of materials with sourcing links and pick-and-place information.

This establishes a concrete design-and-documentation scope. The published delivery description should not be expanded into unreported claims about certified compliance, production yield or measured battery endurance.

Phase 04 · Lessons

Engineering Lessons for Similar Wearable Projects

The first thing one will have to do if he/she is purchasing and ordering the same item is the measurement process behavior that he/she will use.

The motion range, sampling rate, buffering and wireless data transfer affect the selection of sensors, processing and power consumption. All these things must be considered before signing the schematic.

Then the location becomes a trade-off between mechanical considerations, quality of measurements, possibility of charging and radio communications capability.

The motion sensor needs a right mechanical location relative to the object. The antenna needs some clearance. Neither of them can be regarded as something that one can consider at the very last minute.

The power budget should separate the continuous sensing mode, wireless activity, idle and charging modes. Battery life estimates start being really helpful once these operational modes are defined.

Phase 05 · Acceptance

Acceptance Criteria for Your Own Engagement

Similarly, the statement of work must require that the design files be separated from the prototype assembly. This requires two deliverables with their own proofs.

As far as the design approval is concerned, consider the schematic review, layout review, footprints, and manufacturing package. Regarding the acceptance criteria of the prototype, consider establishing criteria for start-up, charging, sensor communications, programming, and wireless operation.

If the client provides the enclosure, consider defining the exchange process for mechanical issues such as the outline of the board, mounting, connectors, and component heights.

The bottom line here is to get PCB engineers working within an engineering scope. A thorough handover will make it easier for the next fabrication or revision, while acceptance criteria will make it easier to measure project completion.

Project reference: esp32-iot-sports-sensor-wearable

Relevant Projects Demonstrating Our Hardware Experience

Our published case studies provide examples of hardware engineering connected to wider product development. Each project has its own scope; use these references to assess experience relevant to your device.

BlueLion GPS Tracking Device
GPS Tracking

BlueLion GPS Tracking Device

For BlueLion Lifestyle, Adequate Infosoft offers services related to PCB design, SIM-module, GPS antenna, embedded software, cloud computing, and application services.

It becomes significant for customers whose requirements of hardware integration with the connectivity solution have to be matched.

Read the BlueLion case study
Nordic nRF52840 Child Safety Wearable
Wearable

Nordic nRF52840 Child Safety Wearable

In the published work, there was a custom wearable printed circuit board, rechargeable battery, haptic feedback, panic button, and .NET MAUI application.

It presents an example of a project scope that requires small electronic components and BLE application integration.

Read the nRF52840 wearable case study
nRF52 Smartwatch for Healthcare and Fitness
Healthcare

nRF52 Smartwatch for a US Healthcare and Fitness Company

Smartwatch Case Study is about hardware design, power-saving firmware, Bluetooth connectivity, sensor processing algorithms, and integration with smartphones employing Nordic nRF52 devices.

This case is an appropriate reference for companies that develop connected wearables which have similar hardware and firmware requirements.

Read the nRF52 smartwatch case study

Engineering the Details That Determine Board Performance

Controlled-Impedance Routing and PCB Stack-Up Planning

Controlled impedance starts with the proposed board construction. Dielectric thickness, copper thickness, material properties and reference-plane spacing affect the trace geometry required for a particular interface.

The designer should agree on a manufacturable stack-up with the fabricator before critical routing begins. Differential pairs also need suitable spacing, return paths and transition planning. Length matching alone does not establish signal integrity.

RF Antenna Placement and Matching

Wireless functionality also depends on the environment in which the antenna is used as well as on the antenna itself. Batteries, screens, metal housing and copper in the vicinity can affect antenna operation.

RF design needs to comply with reference guidelines for the selected component, leave space for antennas and include matching network footprints where needed. Test the assembled unit in its intended housing, a bare PCB does not reflect all operating conditions that the unit will face.

Signal Integrity, Power Integrity and EMI/EMC

High-speed signal edges and varying currents could cause any problems in what is otherwise a good design to become evident. Analyze continuity in the reference plane, placement of decoupling components, current loops through regulators, and connector interfaces.

In preparing for EMI/EMC issues, you have to consider the source, the path of coupling, and the affected circuits. Filters, protection, and shielding must have a specific objective. Compliance testing against the standards will be required eventually.

Thermal Management

Thermal design must take into account the modes of operation, environmental temperature, and enclosure constraints. Some regulators, chargers, processors, and power control switches may require copper spreading, thermal vias, or a mechanical path for heat transfer.

Only the ratings of the component temperatures cannot ensure that the board is reliable. Tests done on a prototype must validate the assumptions made during the design process.

Design for Assembly, Testing and Production Yield

Manufacturing issues are more difficult to address once the layout has been finalized. The design for manufacture (DFM) considerations should be taken into account right from the start – layout, spacing of components, solder mask clearance, and assembly access.

DFT should also be given equal consideration. Ensure that there are appropriate test points for critical power supplies, grounds, reset, programming, and diagnostics connections, sized and spaced appropriately for the suggested fixture.

There should also be some factory programming defined: the method of firmware upload, identification, configuration, and verification. If there are any security credentials involved, the provisioning requirements should be set in place before the production tooling is finalized.

Yield is a tangible result. Define criteria for pass and fail; define failure classifications and use the information from pilot build failures to identify recurring faults. Layout analysis facilitates this, but cannot guarantee any yield percentage.

Component Availability and Complete Design-File Ownership

Component choice must consider lifecycle position, distributor availability, packaging appropriateness, and alternatives. A substitute component is one that requires engineer approval since a matching description does not imply electrical or mechanical interchangeability.

Ownership of the file must also be as clear. Prior to engaging the PCB design company, ensure:

  • Editable native schematics and PCB designs.
  • Customized symbols, footprints and libraries.
  • BOM with manufacturer part numbers.
  • Gerbers or other manufacturing files and drill files.
  • Fabrication drawings, assembly drawings and placement files.
  • Stack-up, impedance details and revision history.
  • Test documents and firmware source code, if included.

IP ownership of the project and third party licensing issues should be specified in the contract. Manufacturing files are inadequate for simple modifications in the future design.

Discuss Your PCB Engineering Requirements

Share your current design and the problems you need to solve. Adequate Infosoft can discuss a PCB engineering scope covering design, prototyping and manufacturing preparation, with responsibilities and file handover defined before work begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you engage a PCB layout designer for a schematic already designed?

Yes. Start with the review of the schematic, footprint and requirements for identifying potential problems before starting routing.

What influences the cost and schedule of PCB design?

The number of board interfaces, layers, mechanical limitations, documentation and validation effort are some factors influencing the cost estimation. Discuss revision cycles and acceptance criteria.

Can PCB design eliminate every potential EMC problem?

Not always. Proper engineering design eliminates unnecessary risk factors, whereas testing is performed to evaluate the final product along with enclosure, cables and modes of operation.

What should be presented at the beginning?

Provide your schematic or description of the product, board size, interfaces, power needs, quantities and target markets.

Omkar Prayag
Omkar Prayag
IPC CID+ Certified Hardware Designer
High-Speed PCB Layout Design | Signal Integrity (SI) & Power Integrity (PI) Analysis | Fault-Tolerant System Design | Multi-Layer PCB Development | Hardware Architecture & Circuit Design | Prototype to Production Engineering
LinkedIn IPC CID+ Certification IPC CID Certificate