ADX Electronics - contract design services, PCB design

ADX Electronics Limited - Consulting Services

Note for clients of ADX Electronics Limited

OVERLOAD: ADX Electronics booked out for reminder of 2009

It's only February, but the year is already booked out, so I am unable to accept more work until further notice, which is expected to be in 2010. Any spare capacity will be used to remain available to support existing clients. Feel free to contact me, but accept that I may be unavailable to reply in a timely fashion. This comes after a very busy 2008, and 2007 which saw a "7 days a week 4am mornings" workload which had work backed up from 2006 still needing completion. It still does!

My advertised 'casual' rate increased from $80 to $100 per hour beginning 2008.

This was the first increase since late 2004 (3 years). It wasn't intended to (and didn't) affect existing projects or clients already paying a higher rate for ongoing work. It was simply a reality check for the flood of small / urgent jobs I do, often at historical rates of $40/hr or lower (too low to sustain business and project overheads). $80/hr is now the minimum, available for: on-site long-term day-job contracts, the tail end of existing projects, and in some special circumstances where I am your main PCB layout resource and work is non-urgent.

And finally, I am trying to cement my position as a "freelance worker" rather than a "contracting firm".

This hasn't actually changed, but a perception had grown that I am a "firm" ready to quote on development jobs. This is not a planned goal for ADX Electronics. My goal is to concentrate on day job type work for larger clients on larger projects, at their site, and limit the small jobs to specific functions like PCB design, design reviews (that are typically seen as short-term hourly-paid jobs). I will add more information to this website so clients have a useful reference.

While I have enjoyed helping small clients and managing many and varied development projects from the ground up, understand that I am only one person, and I have far too many of these jobs on already (plus my own developments), so further growth in this area is not viable.

Executive summary of services

PCB layout, design for manufacture
electronics hardware design
embedded software design
project management
EMC design and precompliance testing
ATE specification and design
mechanical skills

Resources and facilities

I am the main engineering resource. If we need to hire additional resource to complete your project, we will keep you in the loop, and won't gouge you on price.

We have electronics design offices and the usual equipment and software (PCs, scopes, dataloggers, tools, CAD and development software etc). For larger projects, working from your site amongst your team is often a more efficient development method.

We do prototype manufacturing and assembly. For production quantities we will refer you to one of the many excellent local contract manufacturers (there is a very good range and quality of service).

We also have in-house mechanical prototyping facilities including 3-axis CNC router, workshop etc. We can build jigs, fixtures, production automation equipment, and even do component fabrication to get the ball rolling with your project.

Specialist PCB design

My most in-demand skill is as a specialist PCB designer. PCB design is convenient to contract out because it has a clearly defined start and stop, and as a result has become a significant area of my expertise.

I specialise in applications involving high current, switchmode, precision analogue, EMC problems, lack of space, and unusual mechanical requirements. The benefit of having a highly qualified and experienced electronic designer work on your board is that it is likely to; work first time, exceed performance requirements, and go straight into production or preproduction. A secondary benefit is sanity checking of circuit design, and the ability to suggest components based on function rather than generic specs. A tertiary benefit is understanding real manufacturing processes, rather than relying on outdated industry guidelines.

I can work from solid models, photographs, and components on hand. I generally don't need physical hardware, for example I have successfully laid out boards for US-based designers.

Local, National, International

Most clients are local to Christchurch.

Beyond that, I can "telecommute" easily via the net. International clients can be treated essentially the same as national, however please be aware of the terms and conditions and differences in applicable laws.

Antony Dean.

Electronics Limited
Electronic Engineering Design

Antony Dean, 25/08/05

Electronics development services

Main skills:

Electronic design (precision analogue, power, switchmode, digital, EMC)
Embedded software (8051, PIC, AVR, ADI DSP, 80x86 assembler)
PCB layout (see below)
Design for manufacture and volume production
Full prototyping service including mechanical and procuring components
Test system development (manual, ATE)
EMC design, consultation, some precompliance testing (Anritsu spectrum analyser)
DSP algorithm design and simulation (filtering, control, multirate)
Mechanical design and prototyping (workshop with CNC router, mill, lathe)
Project management from start to finish

PCB Experience:

125 production boards between 1994 and 2005
100% success (all manufacturable, one close call)

CAD:

Protel DXP (and all earlier versions)

Technology:

Thru hole, SMT, single to multi layer, high power, design for EMC

Advantages:

Rapid development - nearly always right first time
Strong electronics design background
Ability to work with complex mechanical designs and 3D CAD data
Manufacturing details (panelisation, stencils, pick and place etc)
Component sourcing and specification
Can deal directly with suppliers
In house single and double layer prototyping incl NC route/drill (if stuck)

Qualifications:

BE Hons (Electrical and Electronic), ME (Electrical and Electronic), University of Canterbury.
11 years industry experience. Owner of export manufacturing business for 9 years.

Charge rate:

$80/hr depending on conditions and length of job. (Fixed price contracts generally unsuitable for development work.). Preference to work on customer site. All contracts strictly 7 day payment terms.

Contact details:
Antony Dean, ADX Electronics Limited
email: adean@adx.co.nz web: www.adx.co.nz
Phone +64 3 3518668, Fax +64 3 3518484, Mobile 027 4373486

Terms and conditions

I plan to expand this one day, but for now here are some "standard terms" that end up in most contracts (which are often just an emailed estimate which becomes a binding contract when accepted):

You are dealing with the company ADX Electronics Limited.
This is a flat hourly rate which applies to all hours spent productively.
Payment terms net 7 days.
All work is supplied on an as-is basis (no liability).
I will generally guarantee my work is competent and free of serious mistakes.
Ownership of and copyrights in all hourly-charged work is transferred to the client when full payment is received.
I undertake to keep your information confidential and will not divulge it to third parties.

Note these terms might not necessarily apply to your contract. New Zealand law applies.

14 February 09