The case for outsourcing your next reverse engineering project

by Armistead Technologies, LLC.

Many an engineering manager, faced with the task of reverse engineering a PCB, has to wonder: is this the best use of company resources?

Consider that you’d have to pull one of your engineers away from other assignments – projects that could include advancing the development of new products and new sources of revenue.

Then, consider outsourcing that task to a engineering firm that specializes in reverse engineering PCBs: Armistead Technologies.

Because we’re reverse engineering specialists, we’re accurate and fast. In fact, our expertise can shave days or even weeks off a project timeline.

At the same time, we can update your circuit board design, using modern parts and processes. We can even add functionalities, to extend your product’s lifecycle.

Beyond the time factor, there also may be significant cost savings associated with outsourcing the job of reverse engineering that PCB.

Example PCB Reversing Project

Project specifications: Asymmetric 4-layer printed wiring board, 5x7”, with a round cutout, mounting holes, off center edge connector, and components on both side of the board. Standard FR4 material with 1,300 nodes (electrical connections).

Outsource cost: Our instant online estimator puts the cost at $14,007 to $16,702, with completion in six weeks and guaranteed 100% compatibility and functionality.

In-house cost: An in-house graduate electrical engineer, lacking the resources and technical expertise of a reverse engineering specialist, would need about 8 weeks to do the same job. If that engineer makes $81,000.1 a year, plus 35% for benefits, that’s $109,350. per 50-week year. Or, for this eight-week project, about $17,496. – with no guarantees.

Meanwhile, for those weeks, that valuable in-house resource is kept from working on higher-priority projects, delaying product development and adversely affecting timelines and profitability.

Conclusion

By outsourcing that reverse engineering project, you:
What’s included?
When we reverse engineer a PCB, you get a first-generation set of new manufacturing files including schematics, bill of materials and Gerber files.
Click here for more details.

If you need to reverse engineer a printed circuit board, outsource the project to Armistead Technologies. Call us at (410) 627-2408, or Email us at .

FOOTNOTES:
1 Salary Survey Report for Job: Electrical Engineer

See also PCB Reverse Engineering Article.

© 2008, Armistead Technologies, LLC.

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