Originally published at: https://www.protoexpress.com/blog/pcb-procurement-checklist-for-hardward-engineers/
When procuring PCBs, engineering and sourcing teams should follow a structured checklist that validates BOM accuracy and assesses fabricator capabilities. As a hardware engineer, NPI lead, or procurement manager, you must verify component lifecycle status, define attrition buffers, and evaluate cost impact before issuing purchase orders (PO). In this article, we provide a detailed circuit board (with assembly) procurement checklist to help you prevent delays, avoid sourcing risks, and maintain product launch schedules. Highlights: Component sourcing represents 60 – 80% of total printed board cost and is the leading cause of procurement-related delays. Defining attrition buffers prevents kit shortages, partial…