technical machine's hardware playbook
DESCRIPTION
Technical Machine's approach to manufacturing. Learn more at http://tessel.io Video of the talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZArxLeflegTRANSCRIPT
Technical Machine’s
Hardware Playbook
@jia | Jia Huang | co-founder & developer
Tessel is a WiFi-enabled microcontroller that runs JavaScript.
15 electrical designs, $250k preorders
2 manufacturers2 manufacturing locations
MA, USA● makes Tessel● we manage most of the
supply chain
ShenZhen, China● 14 modules● higher overall volume
Tessel Timeline
June July September December2013 2014
Work on Tessel starts
Work on 14 modules start
Tessel is “minimally functional”. Launched Crowdfunding campaign.
Majority of products are pushed into production. A few are held back pending firmware changes.
Tessel Timeline
June July September December2013 2014
Work on Tessel starts
Work on 14 modules start
Tessel is “minimally functional”. Launched Crowdfunding campaign.
Majority of products are pushed into production. A few are held back pending firmware changes.}
6 months
Tessel Timeline
June July September December2013 2014
Work on Tessel starts
Work on 14 modules start
Tessel is “minimally functional”. Launched Crowdfunding campaign.
Majority of products are pushed into production. A few are held back pending firmware changes.}
6 months15 designs
Tessel Timeline
June July September December2013 2014
Work on Tessel starts
Work on 14 modules start
Tessel is “minimally functional”. Launched Crowdfunding campaign.
Majority of products are pushed into production. A few are held back pending firmware changes.}
6 months15 designs
1.5 Hardware Engineers( )
Tessel Timeline
June July September December2013 2014
Work on Tessel starts
Work on 14 modules start
Tessel is “minimally functional”. Launched Crowdfunding campaign.
Majority of products are pushed into production. A few are held back pending firmware changes.}
2.5 designs/month
This is how we do it.
Production TimelineProduction Timeline
Engineering
Design TestPrototype Test Rig Test Plan
Supply Chain
Sourcing Check volumes Place order Re-source
Look into manufacturers Selection Pre-production ProductionDFM
Manufacturing
Engineering
Design / Prototype / Test
First pass (~10 days)
1-3 days design 3 days PCB turn1 day build 2-3 days test
design review
Design / Prototype / Test
First pass (~10 days)
1-3 days design 3 days PCB turn1 day build 2-3 days test
design review
7 days write test code
Design / Prototype / Test
First pass (~10 days)
1-3 days design 3 days PCB turn1 day build 2-3 days test
design review
7 days write test code
Subsequent passes (~5 days)
1 day redesign 3 days PCB turn 1 day build/testdesign review
Prototype Manufacturers
AP Circuits
Alberta, Canada3 day turns$10/sq inch
KL, Malaysia1.5 week turns~$70+
ShenZhen, China2.5 week turns$10/ 40 sq inches
KL, MalaysiaPCBA 3 week turns ~$300+ setup, $8/sq inch
Test RigsTessel tests Tessel Tessel tests modules
Test Plans
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates● contact info
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates● contact info● Don’t assume English
proficiency
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates● contact info● Don’t assume English
proficiency● Have redundancy
among test rigs
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates● contact info● Don’t assume English
proficiency● Have redundancy
among test rigs● images
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates● contact info● Don’t assume English
proficiency● Have redundancy
among test rigs● images● setup info
Test Plans
● Revision #s and dates● contact info● Don’t assume English
proficiency● Have redundancy
among test rigs● images● setup info● clear indicator of
pass/fail
Supply Chain
Sourcing
Sourcing
Sourcing
Online prices are fake. Find an inside sales guy.
Part Swaps
Manufacturer should recommend swaps.
Part Swaps
● Things that are stupidly expensive but shouldn’t be○ connectors○ crystal oscillators○ buttons○ anything that is a passive component
Manufacturer should recommend swaps.
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
1. Cry
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
1. Cry2. Find a drop in replacement
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
1. Cry2. Find a drop in replacement3. There are none?
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
1. Cry2. Find a drop in replacement3. There are none?4. Do a redesign through the tears.
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
1. Cry2. Find a drop in replacement3. There are none?4. Do a redesign through the tears.
Check errata documents
● Manufacturer only tests 1 axis of an accelerometer during production?
Double checking
Make sure there is enough supply
10k supply, 26 week lead time and someone else buys them out 1 month before production starts?
1. Cry2. Find a drop in replacement3. There are none?4. Do a redesign through the tears.
Check errata documents
● Manufacturer only tests 1 axis of an accelerometer during production?
● Parameters said 2 USB ports on MCU but only 1 is functional.
Manufacturing
Getting a manufacturer
1. What kind of volumes? ○ <1k○ <10k
(Both China and America support these volumes)
Getting a manufacturer
1. What kind of volumes? ○ <1k○ <10k
2. Send in Gerbers & Bom for quotation. ○ Get a price breakdown
(Both China and America support these volumes)
Getting a manufacturer
1. What kind of volumes? ○ <1k○ <10k
2. Send in Gerbers & Bom for quotation. ○ Get a price breakdown
3. Questions to ask○ What’s their typical client volume?
(Both China and America support these volumes)
Getting a manufacturer
1. What kind of volumes? ○ <1k○ <10k
2. Send in Gerbers & Bom for quotation. ○ Get a price breakdown
3. Questions to ask○ What’s their typical client volume?○ Do you need special testing? FCC?
(Both China and America support these volumes)
Getting a manufacturer
1. What kind of volumes? ○ <1k○ <10k
2. Send in Gerbers & Bom for quotation. ○ Get a price breakdown
3. Questions to ask○ What’s their typical client volume?○ Do you need special testing? FCC?○ Do they use 3rd parties?
(Both China and America support these volumes)
Getting a manufacturer
1. What kind of volumes? ○ <1k○ <10k
2. Send in Gerbers & Bom for quotation. ○ Get a price breakdown
3. Questions to ask○ What’s their typical client volume?○ Do you need special testing? FCC?○ Do they use 3rd parties?○ If something goes wrong, who are you going to be
interfacing with?
(Both China and America support these volumes)
China vs AmericaCosts (sample size ~10 manufacturers)
China Chinese with American office
American American with Chinese office
China vs AmericaCosts (sample size ~10 manufacturers)
China Chinese with American office
American American with Chinese office
China● Really good at part
swaps / DFM
America● Really good at English
Pre-production
● Quality● Communication● Test Process
Do a pre-production run. (10+ units)
Production
Put out fires.
Production
Put out fires.Pray.
YMMV. https://[email protected]@technicalhumans