Well that depends on how many speed bumps get in the way 8-o
Once the final PCB is approved and no more design changes need to be made the project can advance to production. Its important to get everything PERFECT before starting any of these steps otherwise it starts over.
Process:
Typically it takes about 3-4 weeks to get complete metal production parts but this can vary depending on the work load.
This includes time to setup machines, receive materials and make some last minute changes (which there usually is).
Circuit boards -
Once the final revision is ready it takes about 10 days to get production PCB's, this is just for the raw circuit boards without parts.
The PCB's then go to an assembly house which stamps the surface mount components on by machine. It’s a pretty cool machine! 12,000+ parts can be pick and placed per hour. Considering this machine is placing parts as small as a grain of salt, it’s fascinating.
But, before they can place the parts, a metal laser cut stencil has to be made. This stencil has little holes cut where each component pad is located on the boards. This allows the solder to be dropped onto the boards in the correct location where each part is going to live.
Somewhere in here there's a lot of running around, sweat, tears and 17-18 hour days.
The stencil takes 2 days and the assembler can have the boards done in about 3 days. One week from when the final PCB's have arrived.
If everything goes smooth, parts emerge and form the coolest vaporizer in the world!
The metal work is already on the machine schedule and the clock is ticking while we finalize the circuit board stuff.
Next week I'll have a better idea on if we can go to production on the PCB's or if it needs to be revised.
If we do have to make revisions there's usually a little swearing and some eye twitching before the process for that starts
