On day 22 we mapped what an SMD pick-and-place line is. On day 23 we compared productivity vs hand assembly. On day 24 we covered MOQ and lot changes. On day 25 we looked at yield and consistency. On day 26 we unpacked lead time and the hidden costs of moving into short series. On day 27 we covered choosing a Zheng Bang machine by volume. Today we switch sides of the counter: instead of buying a line, we look at using ElectroTAS’s own line to take your project from spec to finished board, with custom electronics development and SMD assembly under one roof.
If you have an idea, a device that is still assembled by hand, or a board nobody wants to build in small quantities, this post maps the journey: what happens at each stage, what you need to bring, what you get back, where the go/no-go calls are made, and why having the line in-house changes the way a product is designed. Anchors: custom electronics · pick-and-place · Downloads · shop · blog.
The journey in one table: four stages, eight steps
ElectroTAS publishes its custom electronics process as four stages: Planning · Design and Development · Prototype · Production. Inside each one there are concrete steps worth naming so nobody gets surprised along the way. The table lays them out; it is a working map, not a contract with deadlines:
| Stage | Step | What happens | You leave with… |
| Planning | 1. Brief / spec | You describe the idea, the real-world use, and the constraints; together with the team, the project guidelines are defined | A clear document covering every requirement to take into account |
| Planning | 2. Feasibility | Research and development checks the spec against technology, components, and expected volume to find the most efficient way to build it | A yes, a “yes, if we change this,” or a timely no |
| Design and Development | 3. Schematic and PCB design | Hardware built with state-of-the-art components, designed for the SMD line from the very first trace | A hardware design you can review against the spec |
| Design and Development | 4. Firmware / software | High- or low-level languages, choosing whichever fits the project best | Logic that meets the previously agreed requirements |
| Prototype | 5. Working prototype | First boards built and tested in a lab equipped with high-precision instruments | A device that works on the bench |
| Prototype | 6. Client validation | A demonstration for the client and, if needed, final adjustments | A fully verified working prototype |
| Production | 7. First production run | Recommended: a small initial batch that works as a pilot or first article before completing the lot | Confirmation that the design builds the same way it tested |
| Production | 8. Short series | The agreed number of units is built on the in-house SMD line, backed by semi-automatic lines for THT and testing | Units inspected and tested one by one |
How to read it: steps 1 and 2 are the cheapest and decide almost everything; steps 3 and 4 concentrate the engineering; steps 5 and 6 are where the spec meets reality; steps 7 and 8 are where having the line in-house pays off. Skipping steps does not shorten the road: it pushes the work into the most expensive stage ( day 26).
What you need to bring: a spec checklist
Planning starts with what you already know about your product. You do not need a perfect document (that is what the stage is for), but the more of this list you can answer, the more productive the first conversation will be:
Spec checklist for a custom electronics project
- 1. What problem it solves and where the device lives
- Real-world use, environment (control panel, stage, factory floor, lab, outdoors), and who operates it.
- 2. Inputs, outputs, and protocols
- What it measures, what it controls, and what it has to talk to (DMX, Ethernet, Modbus, USB, LoRa, GSM, or others).
- 3. Power
- Where the power comes from, expected ranges, whether there is a battery, and what consumption is acceptable.
- 4. Mechanics and enclosure
- Maximum size, connectors, mounting method, and whether there is an existing enclosure to respect.
- 5. Estimated volume and cadence
- 50, 100, or 200 boards? One-off or recurring? How could it grow over the next 12–24 months?
- 6. Component constraints
- Mandatory parts, banned parts, or parts you already have in stock, and how much freedom there is for substitutes.
- 7. Acceptance criteria
- Which test every unit has to pass for you to say “this works.”
- 8. What already exists
- A homemade prototype, a previous board, old firmware, schematics, or photos: everything helps, even if it cannot be reused as is.
If item 7 stays blank, everything else is argued in the abstract. The acceptance criteria are what later become the per-unit test in Production.
Deliverables and decision gates by stage
Each stage has something ElectroTAS’s published process confirms comes out of it, plus a question worth closing before moving on. Anything not published is marked “to agree”: these are points to put in writing, not generic promises.
| Stage | Confirmed deliverable | To agree in writing | Gate: go or stop? |
| Planning | A clear document covering every requirement to take into account | Scope, acceptance criteria, target volume, and what is out of scope | Is the spec closed and accepted by both sides? |
| Design and Development | Software and hardware developed to meet the agreed requirements | Design review points and how spec changes are handled | Does the design meet the spec without hidden scope changes? |
| Prototype | A working prototype, a client demonstration, and final adjustments if needed | What counts as an “adjustment” and what counts as a “spec change” | Is the prototype fully verified and approved? |
| Production | The agreed number of units; every unit inspected and tested | Lot size, packaging, partial deliveries, and reorders | Did the first run pass the acceptance criteria? |
The most underestimated gate is the Prototype one. If you accept a prototype that “almost works” to save time, the cost comes back multiplied in the series (see day 25 and day 26). Stopping there is cheap; stopping with 200 assembled boards is not.
DFM from day one: what changes with the line in-house
DFM (design for manufacturing) is often a review that arrives too late: one party designs, another builds, and in between you discover footprints that do not solder well, hard-to-source parts, or a panel the line will not accept. When development and the SMD production line live in the same company, that conversation happens internally, starting at the first schematic:
- Footprints and parts chosen for SMD assembly: the PCB design is done knowing how it will be placed and soldered, not “let’s see if someone can build this.”
- A BOM built for series production: parts that can be sustained across 50, 100, or 200 boards, not just whatever was in the drawer for the prototype.
- SMD and THT in the same plan: alongside its SMD line, ElectroTAS has semi-automatic lines for THT components and printed circuit board testing, so the design can split technologies with that in mind.
- Testing by design, not improvisation: if every unit will be inspected and tested, the board should carry the test points and access it needs from the design stage.
- A prototype that already looks like the series: the closer the prototype is to how it will be manufactured, the fewer surprises between the Prototype gate and Production.
None of this replaces the line anatomy from day 22 or the machine choice from day 27: it is the practical result of having the line next to the lab. Electronic design and PCB assembly stop being two suppliers throwing files over a wall.
From prototype to short series: first run and per-unit testing
A prototype that works in the lab does not guarantee the series will come out the same. The bridge between Prototype and Production rests on three things:
- A fully verified prototype: under the published process, production only starts once there is a fully verified working prototype.
- A small first run: it pays to treat the first batch on the line as a pilot or first article, confirming program, soldering, and testing before completing the lot (the yield details are in day 25).
- Every unit inspected and tested: ElectroTAS states this for its Production stage; the acceptance criteria from your checklist are the basis for that test.
The lead time of this stretch, with its waits for components, stencils, and late changes, was already broken down on day 26. What matters here is the order: verify, pilot, produce. Never the other way around.
When it fits (MOQ 50/100/200) and when it does not
ElectroTAS’s development + production service is built around short series: 50, 100, or 200 boards as the typical order of magnitude (the reasoning behind MOQ is on day 24). That makes it clear where the service shines and where it does not:
| Good fit | Not the best fit |
| You need your own custom device and nothing off the shelf solves it | A standard product already does the same job (check the shop first) |
| Series of 50 / 100 / 200 boards, one-off or recurring | A single handcrafted unit with no plan to repeat it |
| Your product lives in LED lighting, industrial control, communication protocols, data acquisition, IoT, LoRa, GSM, or Ethernet | The project sits far from those areas of experience and cannot be brought closer |
| You are willing to close a spec and respect the gates | The spec changes every week and nobody can sign off on it |
| You want to validate the market with short series before thinking about in-house capacity | You already have the volume and mix to justify your own line (then look at the pick-and-place hub and day 27) |
Not a fit today does not mean never: a one-unit project can turn into a series once demand shows up, and then the journey starts again at step 1. If in doubt, write to desarrollos@electrotas.com.
Myths about custom electronics development
| Myth | Operational reality |
| “I will design it first and find someone to build it later” | Without DFM from day one, the board gets redesigned once the manufacturer shows up; with the line in-house, that review happens at the schematic |
| “If the prototype works, the series will work” | A verified prototype is necessary, but the first production run and per-unit testing are what confirm the series |
| “A spec is a huge technical document” | It is a clear document with what matters: use, inputs and outputs, power, mechanics, volume, and acceptance criteria |
| “Custom means expensive and never-ending” | Cost and schedule are defined during Planning with your real spec, not in the abstract; that is why we publish no generic numbers |
| “Nobody builds just a few boards” | The service is designed precisely for short series of 50 / 100 / 200 boards |
| “Prototype adjustments are endless” | The Prototype stage includes final adjustments; anything that changes the spec is a separate conversation and should be agreed in writing |
Signals your project is not ready to start yet
- You cannot explain in two sentences what problem the device solves or who uses it.
- You do not know whether you will need 10, 100, or 1,000 units, or whether it is one-off or recurring.
- There are no acceptance criteria: “it has to work” is not a test.
- You want to start with the PCB before closing inputs, outputs, and protocols.
- You expect the prototype to settle product decisions nobody has made.
- A standard product already does the job and you have not compared it yet.
None of these signals is a “no”: they are tasks for the Planning stage. Better to solve them there than to discover them with the board in your hand.
What this post is NOT
- It does not rewrite the anatomy of day 22, the productivity of day 23, the MOQ of day 24, the yield of day 25, the lead time of day 26 , or the Zheng Bang choice of day 27 — it only cross-links them.
- It is not the deep dive on firmware + PCB + assembly from a single supplier (day 29), nor the SEO hub / buying guide (day 30).
- It invents no prices, day-count lead times, specs, or client names.
FAQ
1. What is custom electronics development at ElectroTAS?
It means taking a specific need all the way to a finished device in four stages: Planning, Design and Development (hardware and software), Prototype, and Production. It is handled by a specialized team with research and development, a lab equipped with high-precision instruments, and an in-house SMD production line. More on custom electronics.
2. What should I bring to the first conversation?
Whatever you have from the checklist: the problem it solves, inputs/outputs and protocols, power, mechanics, estimated volume, component constraints, acceptance criteria, and any earlier prototype or schematic. It does not need to be complete: Planning exists to close the gaps.
3. Is the PCB design done in Argentina?
Yes: the hardware is developed during the Design and Development stage in Martínez, San Isidro, designed from the start for SMD assembly on the in-house line.
4. What board quantities do you work with?
The typical service mindset is short series of 50, 100, or 200 boards as an order of magnitude. If your case is different, ask: volume is defined during Planning.
5. What does DFM from day one mean?
Design for manufacturing: footprints, parts, BOM, and testing are planned for the line that will actually build the board. With development and assembly under one roof, that review happens at the schematic, not after the board is already locked.
6. How do I know every board works?
In the Production stage every unit is inspected and tested to confirm it works properly. The acceptance criteria you define in the spec are the basis for that test.
7. How much does it cost and how long does it take?
It depends on your spec, its complexity, and the volume, which is why we do not publish generic numbers. It is defined during Planning with real data. Ask for a quote at desarrollos@electrotas.com or call +54 (011) 3221-4474.
8. What comes on day 29?
Firmware + PCB + assembly from a single supplier — no URL yet. Today we close the spec-to-board journey on ElectroTAS’s line.
From idea to tested board, with the line next door
Custom development works when every stage has a deliverable and a gate: a closed spec, a design that complies, a verified prototype, a confirmed first run, a tested series. Having the SMD assembly line next to the lab turns DFM from a last-minute formality into a way of designing. If you have an idea, a hand-built device, or a board without a manufacturer, start with custom electronics or write to desarrollos@electrotas.com.
Next in the series (day 29): firmware + PCB + assembly from a single supplier — no link yet. Meanwhile, the line map of day 22, productivity of day 23, MOQ of day 24, yield of day 25, lead time of day 26, and machine choice of day 27 give you the context for why an in-house line changes development.
ElectroTAS · Martínez, San Isidro · info@electrotas.com · desarrollos@electrotas.com · +54 (011) 3221-4474 · WhatsApp +54 9 11 2245-2000 · shop · blog.