What belongs in your first prototype?
Start with the core function. Separate the circuits that must work from the features that can follow after you have measured something real.
Explore prototyping01Guide
Planning
Resources & insightsPractical guidance
Practical guidance
for the next build.
Guides, comparisons and checklists written for engineers who have to make real decisions about schematics, layouts, firmware and manufacturing — plus the questions we are asked most often, answered plainly.
- Planning guides
- Design comparisons
- DFM & test checklists
GuidesPractical steps for
Practical steps for
planning a product.
Written for engineers who have to make decisions about scope, cost and risk before a single board is ordered.
02Checklist
Design for manufacture
When is a design ready to be built?
Stack-up decided, protection in place, test points accessible, BOM costed with alternates. These are the checks that prevent a costly re-spin.
Explore manufacturing support03Guide
Firmware
Decide what the hardware must do first
Firmware decisions made after layout are expensive. Agree boot, update, watchdog and storage behaviour before the board is frozen.
Explore firmware developmentReal problemsQuestions we are
Questions we are
asked at the start.
These come up in almost every discovery conversation, whichever sector the product is destined for.
“Can we use a cheaper MCU?”
Sometimes. It depends on peripherals, analog blocks, supply options, tooling and what stays available for the life of the product. We test the assumption rather than guessing.
Cost & BOM analysis“Can you finish our existing design?”
Yes. We can review an existing schematic, layout or codebase for reliability, cost and maintainability, then prioritise fixes or a phased redesign.
Electronics development“Who manufactures it once you are done?”
We hand over the production package, and can support sourcing and assembly. You are never dependent on us to build what you own.
Manufacturing supportComparisonsChoose the right
Choose the right
starting point.
Most electronics decisions come down to a handful of trade-offs. These notes set out the trade-offs honestly, including when we would not recommend a route.
Fits RTOS
Tight timing, small memory, long battery life, predictable control loops.
Pick RTOS when timing is the hard constraint
Fits Linux
Connectivity, storage, updates, many peripherals, existing application code.
Pick Linux when software flexibility dominates
Fits a module
Standard interfaces, time to market, volumes where the module is already right.
Pick a module when nothing is genuinely different
Fits custom
Unusual form factor, harsh environment, unusual current or connectivity needs.
Go custom when the fit is genuinely wrong
Use simulation
Corner cases, tolerances, thermal behaviour and anything expensive to get wrong.
Simulate the parts that would be costly to learn late
Use prototypes
Real sensors, real mechanics, real acoustics, real user interaction.
Prototype the parts a model cannot tell you about
Pre-compliance
Early EMC and safety checks while design changes are still cheap to make.
Pre-compliance first, when findings are still actionable
Full certification
Formal testing by an accredited laboratory against the applicable standard.
Certification is a separate activity with an accredited partner
ChecklistsFewer forgotten
Fewer forgotten
details before a build.
Use these as a review agenda for your own team, or as the starting point for a first conversation with us.
Bring-up checklist
Power rails, current limits, boot order, clocking, reset behaviour, test points and a defined first measurement for every board revision.
Testing & compliance guidanceDFM checklist
Stack-up and impedance, panelisation, creepage and clearance, test coverage, BOM alternates and assembly notes your partner can actually use.
Manufacturing supportCompliance preparation
Which evidence your certification partner will ask for, and which design decisions make that evidence cheap to produce later.
Safety lab equipmentComponent lifecycle
Availability, lead times, alternates and footprint-compatible second sources identified before a part reaches the schematic.
Component sourcingReferencePractical resources
Practical resources
to go deeper.
Service pages, product documentation and engineering notes — the places we send people who want the detail behind a decision.
Service pages describe scope, deliverables and approach
ReferenceEach service page sets out what is included, what we need from you and what you receive at the end — so scope discussions start from something concrete.
Product pages with integration guidance
ReferenceModule documentation, interface expectations and adaptation options for the platforms we build and support.
Blog: project notes and technology updates
ReferenceEngineering notes from live work, plus updates on the tools and components we see changing in practice.
Run your next decision with usBring a question,
Bring a question,
not a finished spec.
Most of our first conversations start with an idea, a constraint and a deadline. That is enough to tell you whether we are the right partner and what the next sensible step would be.
What to bring
- What the product does and why it matters.
- Where you are today — idea, prototype or shipped design.
- Constraints you already know: environment, volumes, timeline, interface.
- Anything that must not change.
You do not need a complete specification to start.
Frequently asked questions
About these resources.
Short answers to the questions that come up most often about guides, checklists and documentation.
Ask something else →Are the resources free to use?
Yes. Guides, checklists and comparison notes on this page are provided to help you plan a product. They are general engineering guidance, not a substitute for a design review of your specific requirements.
How should I use the checklists?
Treat them as prompts for your own reviews and as an agenda for a first conversation with us. Most teams use them during discovery to agree what must be proven before a prototype build.
Do you share design templates and documentation samples?
On request, and under NDA where the material is commercially sensitive. We share the kind of documentation we expect to hand over so you can judge it before you commit.
Where can I read more engineering content?
The Surfytech Electronics blog collects project notes and technology updates, and our service pages describe scope and deliverables in more detail for each engineering discipline.
Start your projectLet’s plan the right engineering
Let’s plan the right engineering
path together.
Have an idea, a board that needs attention or a design ready for production? Tell us what you are building and where you are today.
No complete specification needed. A short brief of your product and goals is enough to start.
What happens next?
- Share your product goal, application and current stage.
- Discuss the components, interfaces and constraints that matter.
- Agree a practical next step and the scope for a proposal.