Product development · PCB design
PCB design services, from schematic to manufacturing files
Conceptech designs circuit boards for products: schematic, component selection, PCB layout, DFM and DFT review, and a manufacturing pack with Gerbers and BOM. New boards or redesigns, for companies in Israel and abroad.
Board design including high-speed interfaces such as USB 3 and HDMI, and FCC and UL certification support with the labs
- For
- Startups and companies that need a new board for a product, or a redesign of an existing one
- You get
- Schematics, PCB files, a full manufacturing pack and first boards brought up and tested
- First step
- Send requirements, a sketch or an existing schematic, and an engineer will call you back
What's included
What does PCB design include?
Board design is more than layout. This is everything between your requirements and a board that can be fabricated, assembled and tested, and what you get from each part.
Requirements and architecture
What the board does, how it's powered, which interfaces it talks on, which enclosure it sits in and which standards it must meet.
Output: Requirements document and block diagram
Schematic and component selection
Circuit design in a full schematic with protection, filtering and grounding, and parts chosen for performance, availability, a second source and assembly.
Output: Schematic and a joint schematic review
PCB layout
Stack-up, placement and routing, with attention to current paths, fast signals and interference, and a fit with the enclosure.
Output: PCB files and a STEP model of the board
High-speed interfaces
Design and routing for high-speed interfaces such as USB 3 and HDMI, with differential pairs, continuous return paths and placement to suit them.
Output: High-speed routing and its review
Control, actuation and user interface
Control circuits for optical assemblies, drives for DC motors, stepper motors and heating elements, and displays with buttons and indicator LEDs.
Output: Control and drive circuits in schematic and layout
Design for manufacture and test (DFM, DFT)
The fabricator's design rules, a production panel, fiducials and test points, so the board assembles cleanly and every unit can be tested.
Output: DFM review report and planned test points
Manufacturing pack
Everything the factory needs to fabricate and assemble: Gerbers, drill files, a sourced BOM, a pick-and-place file and assembly drawings.
Output: A complete manufacturing pack, ready to order
Bring-up and test
When the first boards arrive, we power them up step by step, measure rails and signals and check every interface before full firmware work.
Output: Bring-up report and a fix list for the next revision
Tools
Which tools do we work with?
Our main EDA tool is DipTrace. We also work in Altium and OrCAD when your team or your existing design already uses them, and in KiCad when the client requires it.
PCB design (EDA)
- DipTrace
- Altium
- OrCAD
- KiCad
MCUs and board interfaces
- ARM
- AVR
- STM32
- ESP32
- nRF
- Infineon
- Texas Instruments
- Microchip
- CAN bus
- FDCAN
- RS-485
- RS-232
High-speed and wireless
- USB 3
- HDMI
- BLE
- Wi-Fi
Manufacturing files
- Gerber
- BOM
- Pick and place
- STEP
DFM and assembly
Designed for fabrication and assembly
A board that works on the bench can still stall at the factory. So fabrication, assembly and test rules go into the design from the start, rather than being fixed at the end.
Before layout we agree the stack-up and design rules with the fabricator, and during design we check the board against what actually happens on the line:
- A stack-up and copper weight the fabricator actually builds, with tracks and clearances inside its rules
- Parts suited to automated assembly, with room for inspection and rework
- A production panel, fiducials and assembly rails
- Test points, a programming interface and a test procedure, so every board is tested before it goes into a product
Boards are fabricated and assembled by manufacturers we work with, including local manufacturers in Israel for urgent and sensitive work. We prepare the manufacturing pack and manage the order, and for small batches we do incoming inspection, integration and testing in our lab.
When the board is part of a complete prototype, with firmware and an enclosure: Working engineering prototypes
PCB design is one part of our product development work. All hardware product development services
EMC and compliance
Designing for certification from day one
Most of what decides whether a board passes EMC testing is set in the schematic and layout, long before the lab. Fixing it after a failed test usually means another board revision.
These are the design principles that reduce emissions and susceptibility to interference, and we check them on every board:
- A continuous ground plane and short return paths for signals
- Separation between power, analogue and digital areas
- Filtering and protection on every input and output that leaves the enclosure
- Short traces for fast signals and clocks, and careful handling of connectors and cables
Conceptech's custom I/O controller board, for example, was designed with opto-isolation, resettable fuses, reverse-polarity protection and a ground plane against interference. Development work is led by an engineer who has taken a product through FCC and UL certification in an earlier role.
Certification is issued by an accredited lab. Our job is to get you there with a board designed to pass, with pre-compliance testing done and documentation ready.
Stages
How does a PCB design project run?
Five stages, each ending with a deliverable you approve before we move on. We estimate each stage's duration after the initial evaluation.
01
Requirements and architecture
We go through the product, the interfaces, the power source, the enclosure and the certification targets together, and choose the key components.
Output: Requirements document and block diagram
Gate: You approve the requirements and the key components
02
Schematic
A full schematic, power and voltage calculations, and component selection with second sources. We review it together before layout starts.
Output: Schematic and a first BOM
Gate: Joint schematic review
03
Layout
Stack-up, placement, routing and a design-rule check for production, matched to the enclosure and the mechanical model.
Output: PCB files, a STEP model and a DFM review report
Gate: Layout review and enclosure fit check
04
Fabrication and bring-up
The manufacturing pack goes to the fabricator, the first boards are assembled, and we power up and test them interface by interface.
Output: Assembled boards and a bring-up report
Gate: The boards pass bring-up testing
05
Revision and manufacturing pack
We fix what bring-up and testing revealed and prepare the manufacturing pack for the next build.
Output: An updated revision and a complete manufacturing pack
PCB design: FAQ
What drives the cost of PCB design?
Mainly the complexity of the board, so there's no single figure. You get a written proposal after we go through the requirements together. The main cost drivers:
- The number of components, board density and layer count
- Fast signals, wireless or power circuits
- Certification targets and pre-compliance testing
- How mature the requirements, schematic or existing design are
- How many revisions are expected before the manufacturing pack
When the requirements aren't clear yet, we start with a requirements and architecture stage, with its own proposal.
How many layers does our board need?
It depends on density, signals and interference, and it isn't fixed in advance. We choose the smallest number of layers that still gives good grounding, room to route and EMC compliance.
A simple board is often fine with two layers. A processor, fast memory or high-speed interfaces usually need more, with internal ground and power planes. We agree the stack-up with the fabricator before layout, because it affects both fabrication cost and lead time.
Can you redesign an existing board?
Yes. We start by reviewing what you have: schematic, PCB files, BOM and the list of problems, and you get a findings report with a recommendation: a targeted fix, a partial redesign or a new board.
Common reasons for a redesign: a component gone end-of-life, a failed EMC test, high assembly cost, or the move from prototype to series production. If the original files are in Altium or OrCAD, we can continue in the same tool or move the design to DipTrace.
What happens when a component is out of stock or end-of-life?
We plan for it at component selection: we check distributor stock, the part's lifecycle status and whether it has a second source, and we prefer widely available parts. For critical parts we plan an alternative that fits the same footprint, and mark it in the BOM.
When a part disappears mid-project, we find a replacement, check the impact on the schematic and the firmware, and update the manufacturing pack. The manufacturers we work with can also source the components as part of the assembly order.
Who owns the design files?
Ownership of the schematics, PCB files and manufacturing pack is agreed in the contract for each project. Files are delivered as agreed, usually in the tool's native format plus open formats such as Gerber, STEP and PDF, so you can keep working with them without us.
We sign an NDA on request when the project calls for it.
Do you also fabricate and assemble the boards?
Yes, through manufacturers we work with for PCB fabrication and assembly, including local manufacturers in Israel for urgent and sensitive work. We prepare the manufacturing pack and manage the order with the manufacturer, and for small batches we do incoming inspection, integration and testing in our lab before the boards reach you. We can handle all purchasing and manufacturing on your behalf, or you can take just the manufacturing pack and order yourself.
Send us your requirements or schematic for a first direction
Tell us what the board must do, what enclosure it sits in and the expected quantities. A sketch or a partial schematic is enough to start. We also work remotely with teams abroad.
Usually a reply within 3 working hours, by email or phone