Optimum Design Associates Blog

5 Things You Should Know About NRE

Offshoring to China More Expensive Than United States

SMT Temperature and Humidity Control

Avoiding Risk with a Thorough BOM Scrub

Cut Tape vs. Tape and Reel

Why You Should Always Use a Solder Sample

Fixturing vs. Paneling in SMT

Reducing the Cost of RoHS Compliance

When Do You Repair and When Do You Scrap PCBs?

Moisture Sensitivity Levels Explained

Don't Underestimate Solder Paste Inspection

Counterfeit Component Risk Management

Best Mid-Sized San Jose PCB Assembly Companies

1 Minute Guide To Supplier Management

How To Improve Quote Turnaround Time

5 BOM Obsolescence Management Tips

The 3 Keys to Customer Satisfaction

3 Most Common PCB Assembly Defects

Managing SMT Attrition

What is a Lean Office?

Do Apple and Cisco Need Should Cost Analysis?

Why Haven’t I Heard of Should Cost Analysis?

Why Price Isn't Always Everything

Several Technologies Converging to Drive PCBA Industry Demand

5 Benefits of Surface Mount Fixtures

Top 5 Lean Office Pitfalls

5 Tips for BOM Structure

ISO Certification - The 4 Basic Certifications Explained

3 Major Ways Mentor Valor MSS Assists in PCBA Assembly

Surviving Downturns With Your Contract Manufacturer

3 Excess Inventory Solutions

Security of Supply: High Probability Electronic Component Sourcing

What is Selective Soldering?

How To Use SiliconExpert to Reduce Supply Chain Risk

Through-Hole vs. Surface Mount

Contract Manufacturing Cost Control: 4 Key Software Tools

PCB Ionic Contamination Test

1 Million Reasons You Need SiliconExpert

4 Ways to Eliminate Late Deliveries

Contract Manufacturing Price Cheaper in Mexico Than China

What China’s Third Plenum Means for Offshore Manufacturing

4 Ways Contract Manufacturing Partners Should Do Cost Reduction

3 Myths Drive EMS Vendor Selection Mistakes

Conflict Minerals Quick Facts

PCOLA/SOQ Explained

What is a Complementary Test for PCBA Assembly?

Complexity Index for PCBA Assembly

What's 'World Class' for Solder Joint DPMO?

Jabil Review

TTM Technologies Review

Viasystems Review

Avnet vs. Arrow Electronics

Future Electronics Review

Benchmark Electronics Review

Plexus Corp Review

Flextronics Review

Review: Sanmina vs. Celestica

Xilinx v. Flextronics: Insight to a Gray Market

Quick and Easy Should Cost Analysis

4 Documents Required to Quote a PCB Assembly

Should I Tell My Contract Manufacturers What Others Have Quoted?

Contract Manufacturing Price Model: Cost Plus

5 Rules to Finding the Right-Size Contract Manufacturer

Why Does Price Vary Between Contract Manufacturers?

How Are Electronic Components Priced?

Why Should Cost Analysis?

How To Get Suppliers Costed BOMs

Should Cost Examples For PCB Assembly

Should Cost Analysis vs. Strategic Sourcing

How Much Should NPI PCBAs Cost?

What is Product Realization?

DPMO And How It Correlates In The Six Sigma Method

How Long Does a PCBA Quote Take?

What's the Difference Between Margin and Mark-Up?

What is Should Cost Analysis?

On Time Delivery Definition and Measurement

Embedded Microstrip Transmission Lines in RF PCB Design

Microstrip Transmission Lines in RF PCB Design

RF PCB Stackups: X and Y Axis Isolation

RF PCB Transmission Line Width

Transmission Lines in RF PCB Design

Toward A More Rational Silkscreen

PCB Surface Finishes Comparison: HASL, OSP, & ENIG

How are Electronics Components Priced? [Podcast]

4 KPIs Crucial to On-Time Delivery [Podcast]

Contract Manufacturing Price Model: Cost Plus [Podcast]

How to Place Breakaway Rails in a PCB Design

On Time Delivery [Podcast]

Solder Paste: What Should I Be Using for My Product?

Are Local Fiducials Necessary?

Schematic Symbol Properties for DxDesigner

DxDesigner Tutorial: Pin Name Abbreviations

DxDesigner Tutorial: Schematic Symbol Pins

DxDesigner Tutorial: Schematic Symbol Naming Conventions

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Renumber Pins Referenced by Parts

About Optimum's Library Management Service

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Add Dimension Data to a Cell

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Make Schematic Symbols from CSV Files

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Delete a Cell Referenced by a Part

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Display Control Settings for PCB Library

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Making PCB Library Components from Existing Parts

Common PCB Library Errors

PCB Library Management Part Five: Miscellaneous Modifiers

PCB Library Management Part Four: Pad and Padstack Naming

PCB Library Management Part Three: Symbol Naming

PCB Library Management Part Two: Footprint Naming Conventions

PCB Library Management Part One: Library Partition Naming

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Mass Re-number Pins

Mentor Expedition Library Tutorial: Parameter Placing Pins

What Should My PCB Footprints Include?

Pin Vs. Gate Swapping in PCB Design

Switching Power Supply PCB Layout Seminar

What is PCB Library Administration and What Can it Do for You?

What Is A PCB?

How to Use a Silkscreen to Identify PCB Components

PCB Layout Prices Are Hard To Compare

How Are PCB Layout Jobs Priced?

PCB Design Tips: 5 Need-to-Know Component Assembly Methods

Schematic vs. Netlist: A Guide to PCB Design Integration

How to Place a PCB Bypass Capacitor: 6 Tips

How to Bypass BGA Packages

Outsourcing PCB Design: A Primer

How to Read a PCB Fabrication Drawing

5 Drafting Standards for PCB Drawings

What is ODB++?

Lean NPI at ODA Part One: Where Are We Now?

HDI Layer Stackups for Large Dense PCBs

DDR Memory Layout Design: Rules, Factors, Considerations

Switching Power Supply PCB Layout Considerations – Towards a Better Switcher

Clearance and Creepage Rules for PCB Assembly

5 Clues You've Found the Right-Size Contract Manufacturer

4 KPIs Crucial to On-Time Delivery

What Is DPMO? [Infographic]

Case Study: Converting Debug Tools into Manufacturing Fixtures

Case Study: Bonding Failure on a Composite Structure

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