Guides · 6 guides
Electronic component sourcing guides
01Working in China · 12 minHuaqiangbei for hardware makers
A first-timer's guide to Shenzhen's famous electronics market district. What it is, what it's good for, how to get there, how to buy, and what to watch out for.
02Basics · 10 minWhat is PCBA? PCB vs PCBA explained
The difference between a bare circuit board (PCB) and an assembled one (PCBA), how boards are made and assembled in Shenzhen, and what first-timers need to know before ordering.
03Cost · 7 minHow much does PCB assembly cost?
What makes up a PCBA quote (setup, boards, components, assembly and testing), why prototypes cost more per board, and how to bring the price down.
04Basics · 10 minPrototype to production: what changes when you scale from 10 units to 1,000
Why a product that works as 10 prototypes can fail at 1,000 units, what changes in parts, people, testing, documents and cash as you scale, and the steps between a working prototype and your first production run in Shenzhen.
05Choosing · 6 minTurnkey vs consigned PCBA
Should the factory buy your components, or should you? The pros and cons of turnkey, consigned and partial-turnkey PCB assembly for first-time hardware teams.
06Design · 9 minWhat is a bill of materials (BOM)? How to write one
What a BOM is, why factories in China build and quote from it, the columns a good BOM needs, how to structure one for a hardware product, and the mistakes that cause wrong parts and delays.