1. Many of us likely remember when circuit boards were central to the product design process.
2. This PCB product-centric design approach involves the PCB, machinery, and supply chain teams working independently, integrating their results only during the prototyping stage. If issues arise or cost requirements aren’t met, rework can become extremely costly.
3. This approach has been effective for many years; however, product structures are evolving. In 2014, there was a significant shift towards a product-centric design method, with expectations for increased adoption in 2015.
4. Let’s examine the system-on-chip (SoC) ecosystem and product packaging. SoC has significantly influenced the hardware design process.
5. By integrating numerous functions into a single SoC chip, tailored for specific applications, engineers can leverage reference designs for their development work. Many current products utilize these SoC reference designs, along with unique designs based on them.
1. Conversely, product packaging and aesthetic design have emerged as crucial competitive factors, leading to increasingly intricate shapes and angles.
2. Consumers desire products that are smaller yet visually appealing, necessitating the integration of compact PCBs into tighter enclosures, while also reducing the likelihood of failure.
3. While SoC-based reference designs simplify the hardware design process, they still must conform to a highly creative shell, demanding closer coordination among various design criteria.
4. For instance, certain enclosures may require two PCBs rather than a single-board design, making PCB planning a central aspect of product-centric design.
5. This presents a significant challenge for current 2D PCB design tools, which are limited by a lack of product-level visualization, insufficient multi-board support, minimal MCAD collaboration, and inadequate capabilities for parallel design or cost and weight analysis.
6. The multi-design principle and collaborative product-centric design process represent a fundamentally different approach. Constantly evolving competitive factors and a PCB-centric focus are unable to match the pace of this new methodology, necessitating a more collaborative and agile design process.
7. A defining characteristic of product-centric design is its architectural verification, enabling companies to respond more swiftly to evolving and complex product demands. Architecture serves as the bridge between product requirements and detailed design, offering a competitive advantage when well-executed.
8. Before advancing to detailed design, it is essential to assess whether the proposed product architecture meets multiple design criteria.
9. Key factors for review include size, weight, cost, shape, and functionality of the new product, alongside the number of PCBs required and their compatibility with the designed enclosure.
10. Additional reasons why PCB manufacturers can achieve cost and time efficiencies by adopting a product-centric design approach include:
11. Concurrent 2D/3D multi-board design planning and execution;
12. Importing/exporting STEP models that have been validated for redundancy and compatibility;
13. Modular design for reusability;
14. Enhanced communication and interaction within supply chains.
15. These capabilities support the company’s product-level considerations, maximizing their competitive edge.
2. This PCB product-centric design approach involves the PCB, machinery, and supply chain teams working independently, integrating their results only during the prototyping stage. If issues arise or cost requirements aren’t met, rework can become extremely costly.
3. This approach has been effective for many years; however, product structures are evolving. In 2014, there was a significant shift towards a product-centric design method, with expectations for increased adoption in 2015.
4. Let’s examine the system-on-chip (SoC) ecosystem and product packaging. SoC has significantly influenced the hardware design process.
5. By integrating numerous functions into a single SoC chip, tailored for specific applications, engineers can leverage reference designs for their development work. Many current products utilize these SoC reference designs, along with unique designs based on them.
1. Conversely, product packaging and aesthetic design have emerged as crucial competitive factors, leading to increasingly intricate shapes and angles.
2. Consumers desire products that are smaller yet visually appealing, necessitating the integration of compact PCBs into tighter enclosures, while also reducing the likelihood of failure.
3. While SoC-based reference designs simplify the hardware design process, they still must conform to a highly creative shell, demanding closer coordination among various design criteria.
4. For instance, certain enclosures may require two PCBs rather than a single-board design, making PCB planning a central aspect of product-centric design.
5. This presents a significant challenge for current 2D PCB design tools, which are limited by a lack of product-level visualization, insufficient multi-board support, minimal MCAD collaboration, and inadequate capabilities for parallel design or cost and weight analysis.
6. The multi-design principle and collaborative product-centric design process represent a fundamentally different approach. Constantly evolving competitive factors and a PCB-centric focus are unable to match the pace of this new methodology, necessitating a more collaborative and agile design process.
7. A defining characteristic of product-centric design is its architectural verification, enabling companies to respond more swiftly to evolving and complex product demands. Architecture serves as the bridge between product requirements and detailed design, offering a competitive advantage when well-executed.
8. Before advancing to detailed design, it is essential to assess whether the proposed product architecture meets multiple design criteria.
9. Key factors for review include size, weight, cost, shape, and functionality of the new product, alongside the number of PCBs required and their compatibility with the designed enclosure.
10. Additional reasons why PCB manufacturers can achieve cost and time efficiencies by adopting a product-centric design approach include:
11. Concurrent 2D/3D multi-board design planning and execution;
12. Importing/exporting STEP models that have been validated for redundancy and compatibility;
13. Modular design for reusability;
14. Enhanced communication and interaction within supply chains.
15. These capabilities support the company’s product-level considerations, maximizing their competitive edge.
