Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1470111
54 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2022 phone or email. is oen does not offer the opportunity for collaboration about the design or useful guidance about how to best meet product requirements. To compound matters, it is not always obvious who you are actually working with. According to PCBdirector y.com, there are roughly 550 listings for U.S.-based PCB manufacturers. A deeper dive into that list reveals that plenty of companies offer ing PCB manufacturing services are not actually PCB manufacturers. Some listings are bro- kers or assembly houses, and many companies have multiple listings on the directory. is makes the number of listings for actual PCB manufacturers based in the U.S. probably closer to 300. Designers can oen find themselves deal- ing with a middle person and not directly with the manufacturer. Working through a broker or assembler can cause several issues, any of which can create havoc for a product develop- ment cycle. Common issues associated with working through a broker include: • ere will be slower delivery in general because of the logistical realities of a go-between. Even longer delays can happen if the broker orders the PCB from overseas. • Brokers and assemblers don't work for free and will mark up the cost of the PCB and oen pass unexpected cost overruns on to the buyer. • Indirect communication with the manu- facturer limits the ability to perform collaborative cost/benefit analysis on the design and reduces visibility into the manufacturer's quality assurance program. If a designer does select one of the 300 or so PCB manufacturers based in the U.S., most