48–72 hours
Standard prototype boards
Up to 8 layers, fabricated and assembled through partner PCB fabs, counted from a released, DFM-checked design with components in stock.
Industries
Rapid Electronics Prototyping: 48–72 Hours for Standard Boards up to 8 Layers
We turn released designs into working electronics prototypes: 48–72 hour turnaround for standard prototype boards up to 8 layers, fabricated and assembled through our partner PCB fabs; complex multilayer, HDI or RF boards typically take 5–7 business days. Design time, firmware bring-up and testing are scheduled separately, and we add enclosure prototypes and DFM review so the prototype carries into production.
- 48–72 h: standard boards up to 8 layers
- 5–7 business days: HDI, RF, complex multilayer
- Partner PCB fabs
- Firmware bring-up
- DFM
What we build
What a prototype build includes
Quick-turn prototype builds
48–72 hours for standard prototype boards up to 8 layers, fabricated and assembled through our partner PCB fabs; complex multilayer, HDI or RF boards typically take 5–7 business days.
Partner PCB fabrication and assembly
We manage the build end to end with our partner PCB fabs: fabrication, automated SMT assembly with AOI, and hand assembly for low-volume or rework boards.
Firmware bring-up
Board bring-up and firmware for each peripheral and interface, so the prototype can be tested as a working system rather than a bare board.
Functional and pre-compliance testing
Functional tests against the agreed test plan and power profiling at our bench; thermal-chamber and EMC pre-compliance testing through partner labs.
Enclosures and fixtures
SLA (Formlabs Form 3) and FDM printing for enclosure and fixture prototypes; CNC-machined parts through partner machine shops.
DFM review
Design-for-manufacturing review during prototyping, so the design carries into volume production with fewer changes.
1 more capability
Build documentation
Design files, test reports, the BOM, assembly instructions and the defects and fixes recorded for the next revision.
Build limits
Turnaround and build limits
Turnaround is counted from a released design with stocked components; shipping is added on top.
5–7 business days
Complex multilayer, HDI or RF boards
Boards above 8 layers, with laser-drilled microvias, rigid-flex or RF laminates, built through the same partner fabs on a longer schedule.
8 layers
Quick-turn build limit
The 48–72 hour limit applies to prototype builds only. Our PCB design capability is higher: we design boards up to 24 layers, including HDI and rigid-flex.
4 mil / 4 mil
Minimum trace / space (partner fab)
Fine-pitch assembly on partner lines, including BGA, QFN and 0201 parts, with lead-free or leaded soldering.
How we work
How a prototype build runs
Requirements
Prototype objectives, the features to validate, success criteria and the test plan.
Design and DFM check
The design is checked for manufacturability and component availability before release to the fab.
Prototype build
PCB fabrication and SMT assembly through partner PCB fabs: 48–72 hours for standard boards up to 8 layers; complex multilayer, HDI or RF boards typically 5–7 business days.
Bring-up and testing
Power-on, firmware bring-up and functional tests, with results and engineering recommendations recorded.
Next revision
Fixes from testing are carried into the next build, or into the manufacturing release.
FAQ
Prototyping FAQs
Fabrication and assembly of standard prototype boards up to 8 layers through our partner PCB fabs, counted from a released, DFM-checked design with components in stock. Complex multilayer, HDI or RF boards typically take 5–7 business days. Schematic and layout design, sourcing of parts that are not in stock, firmware bring-up, testing and shipping are scheduled separately.
The 48–72 hour turnaround applies to standard boards up to 8 layers. Boards with more layers, laser-drilled microvias, rigid-flex or RF laminates go through the same partner fabs and typically take 5–7 business days. The 8-layer limit is for quick-turn builds only; our PCB design capability is higher, up to 24 layers including HDI and rigid-flex.
Power-on checks, rail voltage and current measurements, programming, firmware bring-up of each peripheral and interface, and a functional test against the agreed test plan. Defects and fixes are recorded for the next revision.
Yes. We release the fabrication and assembly data (Gerber or ODB++, drill files, pick-and-place, the BOM and assembly drawings) to the fab or contract manufacturer you choose. The 48–72 hour turnaround applies only to builds through our partner PCB fabs.
Working with Rapid Circuitry
How much does a project cost, and how is pricing structured?
Each project is quoted as a fixed-scope proposal: a statement of work with milestones, deliverables and pricing, sent within 3–5 business days of the discovery call. The price depends on the requirements, how mature the design is, technical complexity, the number of prototype iterations and the validation scope. Longer engagements can also run as a retainer or a hybrid of both. For budgeting before you contact us, our hardware development cost benchmarks and the PCB design, firmware and IoT cost guides give indicative ranges with their assumptions stated. They are planning ranges, not quotes.
How long does a project take?
It depends on the scope and on what already exists when we start. As planning ranges from our cost benchmarks: a single PCB layout takes 2–6 weeks per board and embedded firmware 4–16 weeks. A connected (IoT) product takes 3–12 months from concept to a production-ready design, and a regulated medical device 12–24 months to a 510(k) submission-ready package; from idea to mass production, a typical connected product takes 9–18 months. The proposal sets out a dated milestone plan, and you receive weekly progress updates during the project.
Who owns the intellectual property?
You do. Our contracts assign the intellectual property in the project work product (schematics, PCB design files, firmware source code and documentation) to you on payment, and we hand over the source files, not only fabrication outputs or compiled binaries. The exact terms are set out in the signed agreement for each engagement.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes. We sign a mutual NDA before any technical discussion of your project. Send your standard NDA or use ours; we return it signed within one business day.
Can you work with clients in the US, Europe and Japan?
Yes. We are based in Hyderabad, India, and work with product teams in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, the Middle East and other markets. Our office hours are 10:30–19:00 India Standard Time (UTC+5:30), Monday to Saturday, and we schedule design reviews across time zones, typically from US Pacific to Central European time. Japan is 3.5 hours ahead of India, so our first four hours overlap the Japanese afternoon. Prototypes and documentation ship by international courier such as DHL or FedEx. Our hardware outsourcing guide covers what to agree before an international project starts.
Do you hand off to manufacturing, and which contract manufacturers do you work with?
Yes. We prepare the manufacturing release package — fabrication and assembly drawings, the BOM with approved manufacturers, programming files and test specifications — and hand it over to the contract manufacturer (EMS) you choose. If you have not chosen one, we help you evaluate candidates through technical capability assessments and a pilot build. See manufacturing support.
Are you ISO 9001 or ISO 13485 certified?
No. Rapid Circuitry does not hold ISO 9001, ISO 13485 or other certificates. Our processes are aligned with ISO 9001:2015, and we design products to the requirements of the standards that apply to them — for example IEC 60601-1 and IEC 62304 for medical devices (with design documentation structured so your ISO 13485 quality system can absorb it) and IEC 61000 for EMC — and we specify IPC-A-610 workmanship classes for assembly. We prepare the product and its documentation for certification testing at accredited laboratories; the certificate or approval is issued for your product by the laboratory, notified body or regulator.
What do you need from me to start?
A short, non-confidential description of the product and what it must do (sensors, connectivity, on-device processing), the target production volume and unit cost, the markets and regulations it must meet (for example FDA, CE or FCC), your timeline, and what already exists: a concept, a proof of concept, schematics, PCB files or firmware. After the NDA, the next step is a 30-minute discovery call with the engineers who would work on the project, followed by the fixed-scope proposal. Send a project brief to begin.
Explore