For the production of an electronic product, the developer usually transfers the production data to a manufacturer, who then produces the product unchanged and in the desired quantity. However, there are situations in which it makes sense or is even necessary to also hand over the development data to the manufacturer if possible. As HEITEC is not only a manufacturing service provider but also a development service provider, a design takeover is the ideal solution for the customer to place design and manufacturing in the hands of a competent partner.
There are various reasons for a design takeover, for example if the previous manufacturing or development partner is no longer available or if production is relocated to another site. Even in cases where a supplier is to be added as a second source, where development is outsourced in whole or in part or where obsolescence or redesigns are involved, it is always advantageous to take over design data. HEITEC assumes responsibility for the design and, in close coordination and on behalf of the customer, ensures that the product works in the end.
Intellectual property remains with the customer
The customer usually comes to us with a finished product design with the aim that HEITEC will manufacture the product in the future. When the design is transferred, not only is the production data transferred to our systems and the ERP system, but the underlying development data is also transferred to the toolchain(s) and component databases.
The situation is similar if the customer previously manufactured the product themselves or had it manufactured by an external service provider, but this can no longer be realised. It may also be the case that a product was developed years ago and can no longer be manufactured or redesigned due to component discontinuations and the lack of an obsolescence elimination programme.
In all cases, the intellectual property (IP) for the product remains with the customer. Following the conclusion of a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with HEITEC, all necessary and available data is exchanged. This includes Gerber data, pick & place information, parts lists, assembly plans, assembly drawings, cable plans, technical drawings, circuit diagrams and PCB designs. By taking over the underlying development and production data, we are not only able to manufacture the product (classic EMS business), but also to make changes to the content in close consultation with the customer and, in terms of product maintenance, to continue to make updates, functional enhancements or corrections.
HEITEC offers a complete range of services
With our many years of experience, we are now both a development and manufacturing service provider. The company's expertise in the field of electronics development ranges from layout and circuit diagram creation to redesigns and complete project management. For electronics production, the spectrum includes SMT, THT, manual assembly, press-fit assembly and other common processes. HEITEC also provides comprehensive test procedures, including AOI, Flying Probe, X-Ray, etc. for regulated industries such as medicine, aerospace, mobility and energy technology, as well as the implementation of certifications such as CE/EMV. After accepting the design, we create a material price calculation based on the parts list and determine the unit prices per assembly or system within the series.
HEITEC generally works with Altium Designer for PCB design, EPLAN for electromechanical design and Creo for mechanical design tasks. However, data from other design tools and development tools can also be used. If the data, drawings or 3D models are in a format that cannot be used, for example due to different component libraries from your own EDA tools, new data can also be created that fits the HEITEC programme environment.
We offer our customers the entire portfolio for the seamless continuation of products and support with challenges such as obsolescence, second-source integration or redesign.
