How it works
Four steps from a sentence to five tested boards.
Describe your board. We draft it, an engineer reviews it, and the factory builds and tests five boards. The $149 Proto Kit covers eligible low-voltage DC, 2-layer boards up to 100 × 100 mm within the kit specifications. Shipping and import duties are extra, quoted before payment.
Describe it
Usually seconds to write
Write what the board should do, which parts you want, and any size or connector limits. Plain English is fine.
- •Describe function, inputs, outputs
- •Mention specific parts if you have them
- •State size, mounting, connector constraints
Check the draft
One free online design preview per account
Preview the schematic, PCB layout, 3D model and BOM online when the design is ready. Each account gets one free board design preview. Downloadable files are released after payment confirmation and order release; a completed draft is not engineer approval or a physical test.
- •Review schematic and layout
- •Rotate, pan, zoom 3D model
- •Request changes (move a part, change a value, add a pin)
- •Download design and manufacturing files after payment confirmation and order release
An engineer reviews it
Review timing confirmed before payment
After you order, a factory engineer checks manufacturability and electrical issues and provides a written report, with up to 2 review rounds. We confirm the test scope, acceptance criteria and who supplies the test firmware before payment.
- •Engineer marks up anything that needs fixing
- •If a design can't be built, you get a full refund
- •Substitutes suggested if parts are out of stock
Built, tested, shipped
Ships 10–15 working days after engineer approval. Courier transit is additional.
The factory builds five assembled 2-layer boards within the kit specifications, tests each against the written plan and ships them with a test report for each board. Design checks do not replace physical testing.
- •2-layer FR-4, 1.6 mm, green solder mask; single-sided SMT, up to 5 through-hole parts and up to $10 in components per board
- •Each board: power-on, rail voltages and functional checks using test firmware against a written test plan, with a test report.
- •Test report (PDF) included per board
- •Tracked courier shipment; transit time is additional and the current estimate is confirmed before payment
What the engineer checks
AI drafts are fast, and sometimes wrong. An engineer at our partner factory in the Pearl River Delta reviews your design and marks up anything that needs to change.
| Check | Why it matters | Example finding |
|---|---|---|
| Footprints match parts | Wrong footprint means parts won't fit | QFN-20 instead of QFN-24 |
| Power path & regulators | Prevents damage, thermal runaway | LDO needs >1V dropout; add cap |
| Decoupling & placement | Stability, noise immunity | 100nF cap should be <5mm from IC |
| Trace widths & clearances | Must meet fab capabilities | 0.1mm trace too narrow for 2-layer |
| Parts in stock | Avoid long lead times | Suggested AP2112 instead of LP2985 |
| Test points & programming | Can't test or program without access | Add SWDIO/SWCLK pads for debugging |
If a design can't be built as described, we tell you what to change. If it can't be fixed, you get a full refund before anything is made.
How boards are tested
Each board is tested before shipping and receives a test report. Test scope, acceptance criteria and who supplies the test firmware are confirmed before payment. Results are assessed against the written test plan for that design.
| Test | Method | Pass condition |
|---|---|---|
| Power-on | Power-on checks in the written test plan | Meets the agreed power-on criteria |
| Rail voltages | Multimeter on each supply | Within the limits agreed for each rail |
| Firmware flash | Load the agreed test firmware via the board’s programming interface | Meets the programming checks in the test plan |
| Functional check | Run test firmware, verify outputs | Outputs meet the agreed functional criteria |
What we build
- Low-voltage DC (up to 24V)
- 2 layers in the $149 kit; 4 and 6 layers require engineer review and a separate quote
- Up to 100 × 100 mm
- Microcontroller and sensor boards
- LED drivers and displays
- USB interfaces and serial adapters
- Motor drivers (small DC, stepper)
- Battery charging and power boards
What we don't build
- Mains-powered (AC) circuits
- Medical, automotive, aerospace
- RF design (use pre-certified modules)
- High-speed signals (USB 3.0+, PCIe, HDMI)
- Rigid-flex or metal-core PCBs
- More than 6 layers
- Board area over 100 × 100 mm
- BGA packages (QFN and QFP are OK)
Frequently asked questions
- Can I trust a design the AI made?
- Not on its own. An AI draft is a starting point; a factory engineer reviews manufacturability and electrical issues before fabrication. Each physical board then receives power-on, rail-voltage and functional checks using test firmware against a written test plan, with a test report. We confirm the test scope, acceptance criteria and who supplies the test firmware before payment. Design checks do not replace physical testing.
- What does the engineer actually check?
- Footprints, power path, decoupling, placement, trace widths and clearances, part availability, and test access. You get a written report with marked-up changes.
- How long does it take to get boards?
- Ships 10–15 working days after engineer approval. This is time to shipment, not delivery; courier transit is additional. We confirm the current estimate before payment.
- What if the design can't be built?
- If the engineer finds that the design can't be built within our service scope and no fix is agreed, you get a full refund before fabrication starts.
Ready to start?
Start with one free online board design preview per account. Order the $149 Proto Kit for engineer review and five assembled, tested 2-layer prototypes within the kit scope. Files are released after payment confirmation and order release.