How to get started

How to get started.

In a hurry? Try our online reverse engineering estimating form for an immediate estimate.

1. In order to provide a quotation for reverse engineering, we will need to evaluate the board in question. Most of the time we can do this with pictures. Please send via email, high resolution images of the front and back close enough to read any component values. Please also include complete contact information so we know with whom we will be working. Please keep attachments under 10 Mb or your email will not be received.

Send to: attention: John Armistead.

2. Please let us know what services you require: Schematic, bill of materials (BOM) and/or Gerber files. If you require the Gerber files then the schematic and BOM are required also.

3. Upon receipt of the images, we will, in most cases, return a quotation for reverse engineering within 3-4 business days. In unusually complex boards, we may need to physically examine the board.

4. If prices for prototypes or production quantities of boards or complete assemblies are required, we make it a policy to provide pricing only after completing the schematic and BOM. That is the only way we can ensure accurate pricing, see below.

5. We do not quote software or firmware reverse engineering. If asked, as part of an order for reverse engineering, we will attempt to download firmware from a PIC or memory IC as long as the subject chip protection bit is not set. We do not usually charge for this service. Downloaded software will be provided in digital form only.

How the process works.

Say you have a printed circuit board (PCB) that has parts on two sides and is 8 inches wide by 10 inches long.

First, we take your sample board and strip all the parts off the board and make up a bill of materials (BOM).

We use existing on board parts names (designations) or make up our own if none exists. We check to see if all major parts are available. We find specifications for all parts and include these with the BOM.

Second, we use our proprietary process to extract the schematic from your (stripped) sample board.

Third, once we have the schematic and the BOM, we use the BOM to specify each part footprint and re-layout the board with our Gerber file generator software. See sample files.

If you need prototypes and/or production boards and/or complete assemblies, we will provide pricing ONLY after acquiring the BOM. We make it a policy to provide pricing ONLY after completing the BOM. That is the only way we can ensure accurate pricing.

Typical time frames:

• Schematic and BOM, 4 weeks. (BOM in first two weeks).
• Board layout and Gerber file generation, three to four weeks.
• Prototype production, 3 to 4 weeks depending on longest lead time part.
• Prototype testing, depends on client capabilities, schedule etc.
• Production after prototype approval, 2 to 3 weeks.

As you can see this is a long process usually taking up to 12-14 weeks all together.

Multiple boards are handled concurrently.

Deliverables, for each board:

• Schematic diagram in PDF format.
• BOM in spreadsheet format.
• Gerbers in their own formats, PDF printouts of layers, drill files, etc. where applicable. See sample files
• Prototype board assembly.
• Production assemblies.
• Return of original boards and parts if desired.

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