Top 3 Reasons to Choose Cloud-Based PCB Assembly

Chances are that getting what’s important to you done every day involves more than a few cloud-based applications. You likely manage your money and pay your bills online. You probably do a little shopping from your PC or mobile device. The applications you use at work may very well be cloud-based. Hosting all kinds of applications in the cloud just makes sense. You can get to them from anywhere at any time.

When it comes to your hardware development and manufacturing project, the cloud makes a lot of sense as well. Choosing a PCB assembly partner that provides a platform for project management and tracking makes sense for a number of reasons. Here are the top 3.

Fast Service

You want to get your PCBs, prototypes, and finished devices into your hands as quickly as possible. A cloud-based PCB assembly platform supports that objective every step of the way.

Instant Quotes: You get your project started off on the right foot with an instant quote. There’s no need to wait around for an email. Just upload your design documents and BOM and you’ll know exactly how much you will pay for your PCBs.

Rapid Prototyping: The software platform is used by your PCB assembly service provider to get prototypes turned around quickly. They leverage sophisticated software to create the most efficient assembly schedule.

Low Costs

Lower prices is another excellent reason to look for a cloud-based PCB assembly provider.

No Minimum Orders: Because cloud PCB assemblers can combine small orders, even orders for single prototypes, with larger orders, they are able to eliminate minimum order requirements, making it so you only have to order and pay for exactly what you need.

Discount Parts: The best PCB manufacturers are able to run analytics across their entire customer base to determine which parts are the most in demand. They then negotiate with part suppliers to buy these items in large quantities for deep discounts. These discounts are passed on to you through what’s known as a House Parts program.

Transparency

If you order something from Amazon, it is easy to log in and see whether it has shipped, and if so, when you can expect it to show up. Checking the status of your PCB assembly project should be just as easy.

Online Reporting: With a cloud-based PCB management platform, you can check the status of your project at any time. If you are storing an inventory of PCBs or finished hardware devices with your service provider, you can manage and monitor your inventory as well.

Price Projections: Even if you are only at the PCB prototyping stage, it is still useful to know how much your PCBs will cost when you begin to scale and order larger quantities. Look for a provider with an application that will let you do this sort of cost estimation on the fly.

Software might not be the first thing that jumps to mind when you think about PCB assembly, but now you know how it supports the entire production cycle and delivers real advantages for PCB designers. Like many other things, PCB assembly is better in the cloud.