How do I start ordering custom electronics and PCB assembly from a Chinese factory?
Confidence 4/5 Established practice
A workable first order follows the same sequence in every category: fix the specification in writing including tolerance and finish; decide the quantity against the minimum above; get a physical sample approved before any mass production; agree tooling ownership and payment terms in writing; arrange inspection before the balance is paid; and confirm the HS code and the destination labelling requirements before the goods ship rather than after. For custom electronics and PCB assembly the two details that most often delay a first order are quoting from a BOM without checking component availability and lifecycle status and assuming the factory will handle FCC or CE. It usually will not; that is a separate test house process.
Sources
- PCB fabrication and assembly service terms — Published fab-house and assembly service guidance
- Printed circuit boards under HS 8534 — World Customs Organization HS nomenclature
- Section 301 tariff actions on Chinese goods — US Trade Representative
What goes wrong with custom electronics and PCB assembly
- Quoting from a BOM without checking component availability and lifecycle status.
- Assuming the factory will handle FCC or CE. It usually will not; that is a separate test house process.
- Designing in a single-source or end-of-life component.
- Skipping functional testing definition, then receiving boards nobody has verified.
- Treating the bare board and the assembly as one quote from one supplier when they are usually two.
Related questions people ask
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