PCB:NG

PCB:NG operates as a provider of software-optimized electronics manufacturing services. Founded in 2014 by Jonathan Hirschman, the company was established to address the needs of hardware development, from startups to established companies, by facilitating just-in-time production of custom hardware. The "NG" in the company name stands for "Next Generation". Hirschman, who also introduced the Pieco paste press to the market, eventually had to close down the company due to the high volume of support requests becoming unmanageable.

The firm's core business revolves around providing on-demand manufacturing of custom assembled electronics. Clients would use a web interface to upload their designs, where algorithms would then handle panel assignment and tab routing, automating the delivery of files to the manufacturing machinery. This model is designed to function with minimal direct customer service interaction, akin to online services like Moo or Shapeways. The company's business-to-business (B2B) model focused on serving clients within the electronics manufacturing industry, particularly electrical engineers. Revenue was generated through the manufacturing services provided, with pricing based on factors like board size and number of layers. For instance, pricing could be $8 per square inch for a single-sided board and $12 for a double-sided one, with a promised delivery time of 12 calendar days.

PCB:NG's service was specifically tailored for surface mount only, two or four-layer boards with specific technical limitations such as 4 mil space and trace. A key feature of their platform was the Design for Manufacturability (DFM) checks, which would flag potential issues for the user to resolve before production. The platform aimed to streamline the production of small batches, typically in quantities of 1-100, which represents a significant portion of designs in the $35 billion US assembly market. The company was eventually acquired by Altium.

Keywords: PCB manufacturing, electronics manufacturing services, custom hardware production, just-in-time manufacturing, hardware startups, on-demand electronics, Jonathan Hirschman, automated manufacturing, circuit board assembly, surface mount technology, DFM checks, small batch production, electronics prototyping, Pieco paste press, Altium acquisition, B2B electronics, hardware development tools, electronics assembly, printed circuit boards, custom electronics