Going beyond just getting a PCB made, Phil’s Lab steps through the process of getting your files ready for placing a fully-manufactured electronics production run.
Starting with the project in Altium Designer, he walks through the process of double checking the details of the product in CAD, the information needed for the parts and materials, building a BOM in the system, and collecting up the remainder of files to make sure the build is a success. Phil goes the extra step of walking through the online ordering process and outlines what data needs to be input and what needs to be uploaded where.
The video sheds light on how complex the order process really is. That complexity is mainly due to properly collecting and providing the correct information at the right time – even for a single product. If you’re working on bringing more than one product to production, managing that information for each project can become a challenge. This is why many growing companies start using a dedicated Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system, like Aligni. These systems manage the files, process and most importantly, the changes that tend to occur over the product’s entire lifecycle.
Regardless of whether you’re only building one project or managing many, Phil’s video is comprehensive and provides a level of detail we think most who watch it will come away with a few useful tips and insights.