Design for Manufacturing (DFM) for PCBs: Electronic Boards That Are Easier to Build
A smaller component is not always the better choice. DFM connects PCB layout, SMT assembly, component availability and series production.
Electronics services since 1993
Custom Electronic Board Design and PCBA Manufacturing
Electra develops, manufactures and assembles custom electronic boards, giving you a single technical partner for design, SMT production, assembly, testing and ongoing support for your product.
ISO 9001
ISO 13485
100% board testing
NDA available
Traceability
100% board testing
Traceability
100% board testing
Companies we work with
YOUR PROJECT STARTS HERE
From idea to production-ready board: one technical partner.
Wherever your project stands today, we take you all the way to the finished product with flexibility, efficiency and quality.
GOT AN IDEA?
We start from the requirements
We help you clarify requirements, constraints, feasibility and system architecture before design begins.
GOT A PROTOTYPE?
We make it manufacturable
We industrialise your prototype: BOM validation, component availability, pilot runs and production documentation.
BOARD READY TO GO?
We manufacture it
SMT, THT assembly, conformal coating, 100% functional testing and full traceability on every board we build.
PRODUCT TO IMPROVE?
Redesign and continuity
We tackle component obsolescence, redesign, cost optimisation and production continuity.
FREE TECHNICAL GUIDE
Before you buy an electronic board, make sure you have all the information you need.
Download the practical checklist built for purchasing departments and engineering teams: a hands-on guide to defining every input you need before sending a request for quotation.
Reduce ambiguity in your RFQ and compare supplier quotes based on clear, verifiable specifications that match the production process.
Reduce ambiguity in your RFQ and compare supplier quotes based on clear, verifiable specifications that match the production process.
WHY ELECTRA
A technical partner, not just a supplier.
Here is what changes when you put your product in Electra's hands.
One single partner
Design, engineering and manufacturing, with no hand-offs.
Lower risk
Design choices validated before they turn into production problems.
Close to your engineers
We speak the language of R&D, quality and operations teams.
Quality and testing
Quality control, 100% functional testing, dedicated test systems, traceability.
Real flexibility
Design choices validated before they turn into production problems.
A long-term relationship
Not a one-off supplier, but a partner for your product's entire life cycle.
METHOD
From idea to production, along a clear path.
Seven stages designed to turn every project into an efficient, controlled process.
Technical analysis
Requirements, constraints, operating environment, cost targets and volumes.
Design
Schematics, hardware architecture, component selection, firmware.
DFM / DFT / BOM
Checks for manufacturability, testability, component availability and cost.
Prototype & pilot run
Working prototypes, validation and board optimisation before production starts.
Production
SMT, THT, AOI inspection, final assembly, conformal coating, packaging.
Testing
In-circuit test, 100% functional testing, dedicated test systems, burn-in.
After-sales
Obsolescence management, redesign, ongoing technical support.
SERVICES
Your product's entire life cycle
From specification to series production: one partner to develop and build your electronic board.
Electronics and PCB design
Schematics, multilayer layout, signal integrity, EMC analysis, testability by design.
PCBA manufacturing
SMT lines, AOI and traceability. Consistent quality from pilot runs to high volumes.
Contract assembly
Contract PCB assembly: SMT, THT, cable harnesses.
Production & support
Series production, obsolescence management, product evolution and improvement.
Repair and fault finding
Systematic diagnosis, repair and recommendations to prevent repeat failures.
Testing and inspection
100% functional testing, AOI, ICT, X-ray, custom test systems.
Firmware, software & HMI
Firmware development on MCUs, embedded software and HMI interfaces.
Reverse engineering & redesign
Legacy design recovery, obsolescence management, industrial retrofitting.
INDUSTRIES
Electronics for companies that build machines, plants and systems.
From the first line of the technical specification to continuous supply: one technical partner.
LESS UNCERTAINTY, MORE CONTROL
A prototype that works is not automatically a manufacturable product.
Every project follows a structured, transparent technical path: from initial analysis to design, engineering, prototyping, production, testing and support. It is a method that lets us anticipate critical issues and solve them before they surface in later stages, cutting time, cost and risk.
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
PROFESSIONALS
CASE STUDIES
Industrial electronics design case studies
A few examples of where Electra's work made the difference.
MOTION CONTROL
Brushless driver for industrial motion
PROBLEM
OEM customer with a driver facing obsolescence and supply no longer available.
SOLUTION
Complete redesign with a modern MCU, resized power stage and optimised firmware.
RESULT
Production continuity secured, BOM cost cut by 18% and advanced diagnostics as standard.
INDUSTRIAL NETWORKING
EtherCAT gateway with PoE and CANopen
PROBLEM
A system integrator needed a multi-protocol gateway powered over PoE.
SOLUTION
Modular architecture, EtherCAT stack, galvanic isolation on CAN.
RESULT
Development time cut by 4 months compared with designing it in-house, certification passed at the first attempt.
INDUSTRIAL IoT
Cloud MQTT system for field sensors
PROBLEM
Reliably collecting data from sensors spread across remote plants.
SOLUTION
Board with Bluetooth and LTE, local buffering and MQTT publishing to the customer's cloud.
RESULT
Field uptime above 99.5%, predictive maintenance up and running.
HMI
Industrial HMI with touch display
PROBLEM
Replacing an obsolete interface with capacitive touch and smooth graphics.
SOLUTION
ARM SoM with GPU, industrial capacitive display, embedded Linux firmware.
RESULT
Better UX, faster machine cycle, fewer operator errors.
MOTION CONTROL
Redesign for component obsolescence
PROBLEM
Critical components reaching EOL, with a risk of production stopping within 12 months.
SOLUTION
Targeted redesign that keeps the mechanics and the interfaces to the customer's other products.
RESULT
Production continuity secured, BOM cost cut by 13%.
MOTION CONTROL
From prototype to series production
PROBLEM
The customer's prototype worked but could not be produced at scale, with manual testing and a critical BOM.
SOLUTION
DFM/DFT, layout redesign, a dedicated test system and improved operating procedures.
RESULT
Manufacturability secured for more than 10 years, with the option to scale production beyond 10x volumes.
QUALITY & CERTIFICATIONS
Controlled processes, rigorous testing, traceability.
Certifications and procedures are not mere formalities: they are practical tools we use to protect your products, reduce risk and guarantee consistent quality standards.
FROM THE BLOG
Insights on electronics design and manufacturing
The latest articles from our technical team on electronic board design, manufacturing and quality.
PCBA Bill of Materials: Why a Good BOM Reduces Defects, Costs and Production Problems
Two ZIF connectors can look identical without being identical. Here is why a verified BOM helps reduce defects, hidden costs and production risks.
PCBA Quality Control: AOI, X-Ray, ICT and Functional Testing
AOI, X-ray inspection, ICT and functional testing are different but complementary checks. Here is how they improve reliability, traceability and quality in PCBA manufacturing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQ: controlled processes, rigorous testing, full traceability
When components are in short supply, we can turn to independent distributors that Electra has carefully selected and qualified over time.
Component reliability is verified in two steps. First, we identify which of our distributors is best placed to meet the specific supply requirement. When the goods arrive, we run a functional test on sample boards covering at least 30% of the received batch.
Only after the quality and functional checks are passed are the components approved and released to the assembly line.
In electronics design and manufacturing, functional test systems are developed to verify that every assembled product works exactly as intended, reproducing real operating conditions as faithfully as possible.
During the test, the electronic board is connected to the same loads, components and devices found in the final product. This makes it possible to check its behaviour in the real operating context, detect any anomalies and guarantee reliable performance before it goes into service.
Electronic materials are stored and handled according to the MSL (Moisture Sensitivity Level) declared by the manufacturer of each component.
Moisture-sensitive components are kept in moisture barrier bags with desiccant and humidity indicator cards, or in dry cabinets with controlled environmental conditions. Once a package is opened, exposure time is monitored so that the floor life specified for that MSL is respected.
If the maximum exposure time is exceeded, or the humidity indicator shows non-compliant conditions, the material is dried (baked) according to the manufacturer's instructions and the applicable specifications before it is used in production.
Every component is also identified and handled on a FIFO basis, ensuring full traceability of the batch, exposure times and storage conditions.
Our internal procedure starts by acquiring the documentation supplied by the customer and matching the component part numbers to those already in Electra's warehouse. New part numbers are created for materials not yet registered, so that each one is managed uniquely and traceably.
We then draw up the GDT, a confidential internal document with a sequential number that gathers all the instructions and specifications needed to produce the electronic board or device.
The document is updated with each new version of the product, so changes and revisions remain traceable over time.
Written around the customer's documentation and requirements, the GDT is our internal operating reference for precise, consistent and controlled production.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Do you have an electronics project
to define, manufacture or improve?
Talk to an Electra engineer to analyse your requirements and identify the safest, most effective route to the best result.
