Experts in today’s electronic engineering. Innovators of tomorrow’s technologies.
Your most valuable asset for Electronic Design & Engineering.
We achieve that through:
Elite Experience
In the world of electronic circuit board design and engineering solutions, no one does it better than us. Our proven methodologies and vast experience focus on quality and results. We understand today’s technology and tools, and our professional team of engineers and designers have what it takes to execute. Want proof? Just ask some of the world’s most sophisticated companies we work with, including Amazon, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Siemens, and Zoox.
True Partnership
We don’t take the word partnership lightly. Our culture and process dictate a constant cycle of communication throughout the design process. We listen, share our experience and work collaboratively with you through the sometimes changing requirements of a project. As a service-oriented company, we never miss an opportunity to do what it takes to meet your needs. Our open-door policy is one of proactive communication.
We know choosing a new engineering partner can feel like a risky undertaking. We assure you we understand what it takes to succeed. Our customers range from start-ups to multi-billion dollar giants. What they have in common is a need for high-level process sophistication that meets their design and data protection requirements, a desire for high-quality work delivered on time, and, most importantly, a high level of attention and flexibility. Our bottom line: when you succeed, we succeed.
Care & Commitment
Our dedication to our clients is simple; we care a lot. From deadlines and budgets to IP protection, attention to detail, and delivery, we are laser-focused on customer satisfaction. We are not in it for the one-off project or single PCB design; we are always striving to have a customer for life. We take pride in our workmanship. We are always 100% in.
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MARKETS WE SERVE
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A PRESENTATION
The Tools We Use Everyday
Certifications & Compliance
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Arms Regulations
National Institute of
Standards and Technology
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
5 Things You Should Know About NRE
Non-recurring engineering (NRE) is a broad term referring to a one-time cost to develop, design,…
Offshoring to China More Expensive Than United States
Offshoring to China is now more expensive than building in the United States (for the…
Avoiding Risk with a Thorough BOM Scrub
A BOM scrub is the act of scanning a Bill-of-Materials (BOM) to clean off any…
Cut Tape vs. Tape and Reel
When procuring components, it’s important to pay attention to packaging type. Most component distributors offer…
Why You Should Always Use a Solder Sample
A solder sample is non-usable board that represents a usable PCB during test processes. It…
Fixturing vs. Paneling in SMT
When a PCB is thin, small, oddly shaped, or requires SMT components near its edges,…
Reducing the Cost of RoHS Compliance
For small to medium size CMs, the cost of RoHS compliance can be high—5.2% of…
When Do You Repair and When Do You Scrap PCBs?
For mid-size EMS providers, costs of rework can add up quickly. By some estimates, rework…
Moisture Sensitivity Levels Explained
Atmospheric moisture absorbed into surface mount packages can expand when exposed to the intense heat…
Don't Underestimate Solder Paste Inspection
Over 50% of PCB assembly solder joint defects can be traced back to improper or…
Counterfeit Component Risk Management
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) estimates that counterfeit PCB components cost manufacturers more than $7.5 billion annually,…
Best Mid-Sized San Jose PCB Assembly Companies
Mid-size manufacturers hold a special and growing place in the electronics manufacturing industry. They combine…
1 Minute Guide To Supplier Management
Supplier Management starts with cultivating a relationship with your suppliers that will strengthen both businesses and…
How To Improve Quote Turnaround Time
Customer satisfaction surveys consistently point to quote turnaround time as one of the greatest frustrations…
5 BOM Obsolescence Management Tips
In today’s market, it can often feel like parts become obsolete the second after they are…
The 3 Keys to Customer Satisfaction
The Harvard Business Review recently said that, “Companies that aim for ‘zero defections’ (keeping every…
3 Most Common PCB Assembly Defects
Minimization of all solder joint defects should be the goal for any SMT manufacturer. Through…
Managing SMT Attrition
Purchasing extra components to keep surface mount technology (SMT) production lines running is the main…
What is a Lean Office?
A "lean office" is the application of the "Lean" philosophy to front end processes. In…
Do Apple and Cisco Need Should Cost Analysis?
Why do companies like Cisco and Apple use should cost analysis? On the surface, it…
Why Haven’t I Heard of Should Cost Analysis?
According to the University of Arizona, Tucson, cost analysis is also called cost/benefit analysis, cost effectiveness,…
Why Price Isn't Always Everything
There's an old saying, Price, Quality, Speed: you can have two. If you want the…
Several Technologies Converging to Drive PCBA Industry Demand
Several electronic technologies are converging to increase demand in the PCB Industry over the next…
5 Benefits of Surface Mount Fixtures
Before discussing the benefits of fixturing in Surface Mount Technology (SMT) it is worthwhile to…
Top 5 Lean Office Pitfalls
Although many contract manufacturing (CM) companies have applied “Lean” practices to their back-end manufacturing, some…
5 Tips for BOM Structure
A bill of materials (BOM) is an important component to product manufacture and design. Without…
ISO Certification - The 4 Basic Certifications Explained
Certification of ISO standards by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) have become a major expectation in modern…
3 Major Ways Mentor Valor MSS Assists in PCBA Assembly
Mentor Graphics’ Valor MSS is one of the most efficient tools available for PCB assembly, and offers…
Surviving Downturns With Your Contract Manufacturer
It's inevitable: sometimes you need to reschedule the backlog. Mitigating liability is the number one…
3 Excess Inventory Solutions
US manufacturers lose an estimated $450 billion annually to excess inventory. The best way to reduce…
Security of Supply: High Probability Electronic Component Sourcing
What does security of supply mean? The term was originally used by the military to…
What is Selective Soldering?
With the growing popularity of SMT technology, through-hole technology is taking up less real estate…
How To Use SiliconExpert to Reduce Supply Chain Risk
Optimum Design strongly encourages the use of SiliconExpert during both NPI and Production phases of…
Through-Hole vs. Surface Mount
In recent years, semiconductor packaging has evolved with an increased demand for greater functionality, smaller…
PCB Ionic Contamination Test
Reliability experts contend that roughly 30 percent of PCBA failures are due to contamination of the…
Contract Manufacturing Cost Control: 4 Key Software Tools
Everyone talks about systems, but how relevant are they to helping you actually cut cost?…
1 Million Reasons You Need SiliconExpert
Component obsolesence is a much bigger threat than most realize. Here are the little-known reasons…
4 Ways to Eliminate Late Deliveries
4 Ways to Eliminate Component Late Deliveries Late deliveries from component suppliers are one…
Contract Manufacturing Price Cheaper in Mexico Than China
A new Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study titled “The Shifting Economics of Global Manufacturing: An…
What China’s Third Plenum Means for Offshore Manufacturing
Envisioning a new era for China’s economy, in November 2013 top Chinese leaders held the 3rd Plenary…
4 Ways Contract Manufacturing Partners Should Do Cost Reduction
Here are 4 ways you should expect a contract manufacturing partner to be reducing your…
3 Myths Drive EMS Vendor Selection Mistakes
Is Bigger Always Better in Contract Manufacturing? Bigger is always better, right? So, from an…
PCOLA/SOQ Explained
PCOLA/SOQ is an approach to defining the defect spectrum for PCBA assembly manufacturing that allows…
What is a Complementary Test for PCBA Assembly?
Modern high-tech PCBAs can potentially have 20,000–30,000 solder joints, requiring sophisticated automated inspection techniques to…
Complexity Index for PCBA Assembly
The Complexity Index (Ci) is a method of scoring the manufacturing complexity of PCBA assemblies…
What's 'World Class' for Solder Joint DPMO?
As the value of statistical process control (SPC) increases in importance when selecting a quality…
Jabil Review
It goes without saying that Jabil Circuit is one of industry's most esteemed EMS providers.…
TTM Technologies Review
TTM Technologies is North America's largest printed circuit board supplier and fifth largest in the…
Viasystems Review
Viasystems is one of the country’s leading providers of complex, high-reliability PCBs — most notably…
Avnet vs. Arrow Electronics
Avnet, Inc. and Arrow Electronics have long dominated the electronics distribution market. With shared lineages in…
Future Electronics Review
Future Electronics Future Electronics is the world’s fourth largest component distributor. The privately held company…
Benchmark Electronics Review
Benchmark Electronics is a tier II EMS provider offering a full range of services to…
Plexus Corp Review
Plexus is a tier II EMS provider specializing in engineering, design, and assembly of high…
Flextronics Review
As the second-largest EMS service provider in the world, Flextronics has been lauded for its…
Review: Sanmina vs. Celestica
Celestica and Sanmina are two of the largest Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) providers by revenue.…
Xilinx v. Flextronics: Insight to a Gray Market
In December of 2013, Xilinx filed a lawsuit against Singapore-based electronics contract manufacturer Flextronics for…
Quick and Easy Should Cost Analysis
Conducting a should cost analysis can seem daunting but is actually very achievable for most…
4 Documents Required to Quote a PCB Assembly
What do you need to get a quote on a PCB assembly? This is a great…
Should I Tell My Contract Manufacturers What Others Have Quoted?
If they deserve it, yes. If you buy only on the basis of price, then…
Contract Manufacturing Price Model: Cost Plus
Ever wonder how electronic contract manufacturers come up with their prices? Simple: they estimate their…
5 Rules to Finding the Right-Size Contract Manufacturer
Here are 5 simple, real-world rules for finding the right-sized electronic contract manufacturer. 1. Be…
Why Does Price Vary Between Contract Manufacturers?
Contract manufacturers use a pricing method called cost plus (for a description of cost plus…
How Are Electronic Components Priced?
A common industry myth is large EMS companies get the best component prices, a myth…
Why Should Cost Analysis?
Here are 4 reasons why virtually all best-in-class purchasers of electronic contract manufacturing services have moved…
Should Cost Examples For PCB Assembly
Here's a pocket guide to printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) prices in China, Mexico, and…
How To Get Suppliers Costed BOMs
OEM's that employ strategic sourcing techniques often find contract manufacturers are reluctant to supply costed…
Should Cost Analysis vs. Strategic Sourcing
Strategic sourcing is the process of requesting quotes and comparing prices. By competing suppliers against…
How Much Should NPI PCBAs Cost?
New product development builds are more expensive because of the small lot sizes and quick…
DPMO And How It Correlates In The Six Sigma Method
Тhе Ѕіх Ѕіgmа mеthоdоlоgу іs а sеt оf рrасtісеs dеsіgnеd tо іmрrоvе аn оrgаnіzаtіоn’s оvеrаll…
What is Product Realization?
The short answer is that product realization is a term used in ISO 9001:2008, referring to the basic…
How Long Does a PCBA Quote Take?
Customers often report that getting PCBA quotes from their contract manufacturers is too time-consuming and…
What's the Difference Between Margin and Mark-Up?
A common confusion in pricing is the difference between mark-up and margin. Here's a quick…
What is Should Cost Analysis?
Should cost analysis ("should costing") was developed by the Defense Department to assist procurement officers…
Conflict Minerals Quick Facts
What - “Conflict Minerals” refers to tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold mined in or near the…
On Time Delivery Definition and Measurement
On-time delivery (OTD) is one of contract manufacturing's most common measurements, but we rarely talk about how…
Embedded Microstrip Transmission Lines in RF PCB Design
Embedded Microstrip Strictly speaking, the application of soldermask, conformal coating or other surface treatments will…
Microstrip Transmission Lines in RF PCB Design
Microstrip is still by far the most commonly used transmission line structure in RF and…
RF PCB Stackups: X and Y Axis Isolation
Isolate In X/Y Axis Because this is a mixed signal design, we need to pay…
RF PCB Transmission Line Width
Typically, all connections in a digital circuit board are impedance controlled. This is by virtue of the…
Transmission Lines in RF PCB Design
Transmission Line Fundamentals Over the last ten to twenty years, advances in IC fabrication technology…
Toward A More Rational Silkscreen
Today’s complex PCBs are being packed with a boatload of tiny components and are designed…
PCB Surface Finishes Comparison: HASL, OSP, & ENIG
A PCB surface finish is a coating between a component and a bare board PCB.…
![How are Electronics Components Priced? [Podcast]](https://www.optimumdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/Podcast_cover-300x300.jpg)
How are Electronics Components Priced? [Podcast]
In this episode of Outsourcing Things You Should Know you'll learn about: Three types of…
4 KPIs Crucial to On-Time Delivery [Podcast]
Materials is the root cause of at least 80% of missed delivery commitments. The only…
Contract Manufacturing Price Model: Cost Plus [Podcast]
Ever wonder how electronic contract manufacturers come up with their prices? Simple: they estimate their…
How to Place Breakaway Rails in a PCB Design
Designers must be aware that the customer-supplied board outline shape isn’t always necessarily the shape…
On Time Delivery [Podcast]
The first episode of Outsourcing Things You Should Know, focusing on the oft-neglected subject of…
Solder Paste: What Should I Be Using for My Product?
Choosing the right solder paste is like buying a new car: the options can seem…
Are Local Fiducials Necessary?
As pick-and-place machines become more precise, some assembly shops are doing away with local fiducials.…
Schematic Symbol Properties for DxDesigner
As we’ve covered in other posts on schematic symbols, one of the key goals of a librarian…
DxDesigner Tutorial: Schematic Symbol Pins
While having appropriate labeling and naming for schematic symbols is the most critical aspect of…
DxDesigner Tutorial: Pin Name Abbreviations
Optimum’s symbol library makes extensive use of various abbreviations in symbol names. Our previous posts…
DxDesigner Tutorial: Schematic Symbol Naming Conventions
Much like your library of footprints or cells, proper naming conventions are critical for easy…
Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Renumber Pins Referenced by Parts
At various points in your design process it may be necessary to modify the pin…
About Optimum's Library Management Service
If you're familiar with Optimum Design's work, you probably know all about our EMS and…
Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Add Dimension Data to a Cell
Dimensioning data can be an invaluable tool to PCB designers and librarians. It helps ensure…
Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Make Schematic Symbols from CSV Files
General Process Overview Select a symbol Export pins to ms excel spreadsheet Make pin changes…
Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Display Control Settings for PCB Library
Mentor’s Display Control gives designers and librarians myriad options for influencing how a design is…
Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Making PCB Library Components from Existing Parts
For increased consistency within a PCB library, it is often best to create new library…
PCB Library Management Part Five: Miscellaneous Modifiers
Throughout this series we’ve taken a look at almost every facet of library organization, with…
Pin Vs. Gate Swapping in PCB Design
In order to have a clean route, occasionally the designer may have to swap pins…
Switching Power Supply PCB Layout Seminar
Optimum Design Associates Senior Designer Scott Nance presents a 45 minute seminar on PCB design…
How to Use a Silkscreen to Identify PCB Components
The silkscreen is a helpful tool in identifying components on the board. During PCB layout…
What Is A PCB?
Unless you are in an industry in which Printed Circuit Boards (PCB's) are used on a…
PCB Layout Prices Are Hard To Compare
Engineering managers tasked with outourcing PCB layout face a daunting challenge: comparing the total cost…
How Are PCB Layout Jobs Priced?
Determining a price for PCB layout services is conceptually simple: Estimated number of hours times…
PCB Design Tips: 5 Need-to-Know Component Assembly Methods
Part of a designer's professional developments should be to learn as much as possible about…
Schematic vs. Netlist: A Guide to PCB Design Integration
Integration is the process of adding intelligence to the PCB database by means of a…
How to Place a PCB Bypass Capacitor: 6 Tips
The placement of bypass capacitors is one of the most critical phases of the design…
How to Bypass BGA Packages
Knowing how to place a bypass capacitor is a crucial step in PCB design. In…
Outsourcing PCB Design: A Primer
Deciding to outsource a PCB design can be a daunting task. Between choosing a design…
How to Read a PCB Fabrication Drawing
A fabrication drawing specifies how the PCB is to be manufactured. There are four major sections…
5 Drafting Standards for PCB Drawings
All drawings must follow industry-accepted standards of drafting. They should communicate the essential information quickly…
What is ODB++?
Originally developed by Valor, ODB++ is an electronic database for printed circuit board manufacturing. Created…
Lean NPI at ODA Part One: Where Are We Now?
For more than twenty years, Optimum Design Associates (Optimum) has offered their customers PCB design…
HDI Layer Stackups for Large Dense PCBs
A few days into a recent project for one of our customers, the lead engineer…
DDR Memory Layout Design: Rules, Factors, Considerations
Jump rope is a popular childhood activity involving two people swinging the ends of a…
Switching Power Supply PCB Layout Considerations – Towards a Better Switcher
Have you ever started a switching power supply layout, only to realize that it is…
Clearance and Creepage Rules for PCB Assembly
Electrical spacing rules become significant from a product safety perspective when the normal operating voltage…
5 Clues You've Found the Right-Size Contract Manufacturer
If you've followed our 5 rules for finding the right-size CM you should be with the right-size…
4 KPIs Crucial to On-Time Delivery
Materials is the root cause of at least 80% of missed delivery commitments. The only…
Case Study: Converting Debug Tools into Manufacturing Fixtures
Optimum Design Associates manufactures high-density circuit boards, some of which are installed into higher-level assemblies.…
Case Study: Bonding Failure on a Composite Structure
A supply chain is an organism. For an organism to thrive, each part—cells, organelles, atoms—must…
Elite Experience
In the world of electronic circuit board design and engineering solutions, no one does it better than us. Our proven methodologies and vast experience focus on quality and results. We understand today’s technology and tools, and our professional team of engineers and designers have what it takes to execute. Want proof? Just ask some of the world’s most sophisticated companies we work with, including Amazon, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Siemens, and Zoox.
Care & Commitment
Our dedication to our clients is simple; we care a lot. From deadlines and budgets to IP protection, attention to detail, and delivery, we are laser-focused on customer satisfaction. We are not in it for the one-off project or single PCB design; we are always striving to have a customer for life. We take pride in our workmanship. We are always 100% in.
True Partnership
We don’t take the word partnership lightly. Our culture and process dictate a constant cycle of communication throughout the design process. We listen, share our experience and work collaboratively with you through the sometimes changing requirements of a project. As a service-oriented company, we never miss an opportunity to do what it takes to meet your needs. Our open-door policy is one of proactive communication.
We know choosing a new engineering partner can feel like a risky undertaking. We assure you we understand what it takes to succeed. Our customers range from start-ups to multi-billion dollar giants. What they have in common is a need for high-level process sophistication that meets their design and data protection requirements, a desire for high-quality work delivered on time, and, most importantly, a high level of attention and flexibility. Our bottom line: when you succeed, we succeed.
The Tools We Use Everyday