WellPCB

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder of First Technology Solution, a manufacturing company. We manufacture printed circuit boards (PCBs) and provide complete PCB assembly services from quick-turn prototypes to production volumes for electronics and hardware companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with WellPCB?

We needed to produce high-quality PCB prototypes quickly to test our IoT sensor device design. Then, we needed to scale seamlessly to production volumes of 500+ units while maintaining consistent quality standards and meeting our tight product development timeline for commercial launch.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

WellPCB has handled complete PCB fabrication from prototype through production for our IoT sensor device. The scope has included design file review and design-for-manufacturing feedback, fabrication of 4-layer impedance-controlled PCBs with precise specifications, quick-turn prototype production of 10 boards for initial testing, and scaling to production runs of 500 units.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with an engineering team from WellPCB.

How did you come to work with WellPCB?

We found them through an online search and the Clutch website. We chose them because they had high ratings, their pricing fit our budget, they were a great culture fit, they offered good value for the cost, they were referred to me, and their company values aligned with ours.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000 and $49,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2025, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

All 10 prototype boards have functioned correctly on the first assembly with zero failures, validating our design immediately. The 5-day prototype turnaround has accelerated our development timeline by two weeks compared to alternative manufacturers. Production runs have delivered zero defects across 500 units during incoming inspection, achieving 100% quality acceptance.

We’ve conducted comprehensive incoming inspection using established quality procedures. Visual inspection has checked for physical defects, including solder mask quality, silkscreen clarity, surface finish consistency, and any visible damage or contamination. Dimensional verification has measured critical features, including board thickness, hole sizes, and trace widths, using calipers and microscopes to confirm they met our specifications within tolerance.

Moreover, we’ve performed comprehensive electrical and functional testing as part of our acceptance process. Electrical testing has included continuity checks across all circuit traces to verify proper connections, isolation testing between adjacent traces to confirm no shorts or bridges existed, and impedance testing on controlled impedance traces to ensure they met our 50m specifications within acceptable tolerances.

For functional testing, we’ve assembled components onto sample boards from each production batch and powered them up to verify actual circuit operation. We’ve tested critical functions, including power supply stability, communication interfaces, and sensor signal processing, to confirm the PCBs performed correctly in our intended application.

We’ve selected representative samples from different points in the production run to ensure consistency across the entire batch. All tested boards have passed functional requirements, demonstrating that WellPCB's manufacturing quality has translated into working products, not just boards that look correct visually.

The consistency between prototype and production boards has eliminated costly rework or redesigns during scaling. Cost efficiency has been achieved with competitive pricing that fits within our startup budget constraints. Overall, the project has stayed on schedule, enabling our commercial product launch timeline without delays related to PCB manufacturing quality or delivery issues.

How did WellPCB perform from a project management standpoint?

WellPCB's project management has been excellent, with consistent on-time delivery. Prototypes have arrived in exactly five days as promised, and production runs have met their three-week timelines reliably. Their engineering team has proactively reviewed our design files and identified potential issues before production, preventing delays.

Moreover, communication has been responsive, with technical questions answered within hours and regular order status updates provided. When we’ve needed clarification on specifications, their team has provided clear, detailed responses quickly, keeping the project moving smoothly without interruptions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

WellPCB's proactive engineering approach has been most impressive. They haven't just accepted our design files — they've thoroughly reviewed them and identified a trace spacing issue that would have caused manufacturing problems, saving us significant time and rework costs. Their deep technical expertise with impedance-controlled designs has given us confidence they understand complex PCB requirements beyond basic fabrication.

The seamless quality consistency from prototype to production has been remarkable. Many manufacturers struggle with this transition, but WellPCB has maintained identical quality standards across both phases. For a startup working with tight budgets and aggressive timelines, their combination of quick turnaround, technical support, competitive pricing, and zero-defect delivery has been exactly what we need to move from concept to commercial product efficiently.

Are there any areas they could improve?

WellPCB has performed very well overall, but a few enhancements would improve the experience. Implementing a real-time online tracking system showing current production stages would provide better visibility than waiting for email updates. A customer portal where we could view quality inspection data, download test reports, and track multiple orders simultaneously would streamline project management.

Moreover, more detailed documentation on their manufacturing processes and quality control procedures upfront would help with our internal compliance requirements. These are minor optimization suggestions rather than significant concerns. WellPCB has delivered quality prototypes and production runs on time, provided valuable technical feedback that has prevented costly errors, and supported our product development effectively from prototype through commercial production.