PCB prototype assembly in Finland, built like the series
Prototype boards assembled in Vaasa from one piece upward, reviewed for manufacturability before the first board is built.
In short: Comtec Labs assembles PCB prototypes in Vaasa, Finland, on the same SMT line that builds series production, so the prototype run also qualifies the process. Every prototype gets a design-for-manufacturing review before the first board is built, a complete file set is quoted usually the same working day and at most within 1 working day, and you can order a single board. Every board is inspected with AOI, and area-array packages are checked with X-ray.
Who prototype assembly is for
Prototype assembly suits teams that need working hardware quickly, but do not want to rebuild the process when the product moves to series. Typical customers are:
- product development teams building their first or second hardware revision for testing and firmware work
- industrial, energy and marine companies that need field-trial units or certification samples
- medical and IoT developers who want the prototype built on the process that will make the product
- Nordic customers who want to work in Swedish, Finnish or English with one named engineering contact
How a prototype order runs
- Files. Send Gerber or ODB++, the BOM with manufacturer part numbers, the pick-and-place file, an assembly drawing with polarity marks and the number of boards.
- DFM review. Every prototype is reviewed for manufacturability before the first board is built. Footprint, polarity, panel and test-access findings come back to you while they are still cheap to fix.
- Quote. A prototype quote usually arrives the same working day, at most within 1 working day, with the prototype price, an indicative series price and the one-off costs (NRE) on separate lines.
- Materials. Bare boards are ordered to your fabrication data, and components are bought through franchised distribution. Alternates for hard-to-find parts are proposed for your approval, never substituted silently.
- Assembly. SMT paste printing, placement and reflow, then through-hole parts by wave soldering or selective hand soldering, on the same line used for series.
- Inspection, test and feedback. AOI on every board, X-ray on area-array packages and the electrical or functional test agreed with you. Anything we learned goes back to you as concrete design feedback for the next revision.
Prototype capabilities
| Area | What we offer |
|---|---|
| Quantities | From one board; runs of 1–10 pieces are routine, and pilot runs continue on the same line |
| Technologies | SMT, THT and mixed-technology boards; wave and selective hand soldering |
| Smallest parts | 0201 passives, 01005 on request; 0.4 mm fine pitch; BGA to 0.5 mm pitch |
| Workmanship standard | IPC-A-610 class 2 as standard, class 3 on request |
| Inspection | AOI on 100 % of boards, X-ray on BGA, QFN and other area-array packages |
| Test and programming | Functional test with your firmware, device programming, fixtures built in-house when needed |
| Design support | PCB design, firmware and EMC pre-compliance testing under the same roof |
Bare boards are made by vetted partner fabricators in Europe and Asia, up to 12 layers with HDI and controlled impedance when the design needs them.
Lead times for prototypes
Once the bare boards and all components are in house, a Comtec Labs prototype is assembled in 3–5 working days, and express builds in 48 h are available on request. The whole schedule looks like this:
| Phase | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Quote and DFM review | usually the same working day, at most 1 working day |
| Bare boards from partner fabs | industry-typical 5–8 working days, 2–3 when quick-turned |
| Component sourcing | typically 1–2 weeks for stock parts, in parallel with the boards |
| Assembly, inspection and test | 3–5 working days; express 48 h on request |
| Conformal coating, if needed | plus 1 working day |
Component availability, not assembly capacity, is the usual reason a date slips, so we confirm the delivery date for each order.
Production environment and equipment
Prototypes are not built on a separate hand-assembly bench. They run in the same ESD-protected production environment and on the same SMT line as series boards: a Yamaha YCP10 stencil printer, a Yamaha YSM10 placement machine, convection reflow, wave soldering, AOI and X-ray. What works on the prototype is therefore what the series will be built with.
See the full equipment list, capabilities and lead times
Quality and standards
- Prototypes are built to IPC-A-610 class 2 as standard, or class 3 on request, and inspected by IPC-trained inspectors.
- Every reel is registered at incoming inspection, and AOI and test results are stored per board, even for a single prototype.
- Any rework is done to IPC-7711/7721 and logged, so you know exactly which boards were touched.
- New products and revisions receive a first-article inspection report.
Prototypes are assembled lead-free and RoHS-compliant as standard, leaded on request.
How to get more out of a prototype run
A prototype is for learning, not for unit cost. A few habits make the run faster and the lessons more useful:
- build 3–10 boards rather than one, so a single failure does not stop firmware and test work
- list alternates in the BOM and avoid long-lead parts where you can; one allocated part delays the whole board
- add test points and a programming connector now, because the same board will be tested in series
- agree the test procedure during the DFM review, so the last day of the build is a day and not a week
Frequently asked questions
Can I order just one prototype board?
Yes. There is no minimum order, and runs of 1–10 boards are routine. For a first revision we usually suggest 3–10 boards so that one faulty board does not stop your testing.
How quickly do I get a prototype quote?
A prototype quote usually arrives the same working day, and at most within 1 working day, of a complete file set, together with the findings of the DFM review.
Why does it matter that prototypes run on the series line?
Because the prototype then qualifies the real process. Footprints, stencil apertures and soldering profiles are proven on the prototype, and moving to series does not require a new qualification.
Can you also design the board or write the firmware?
Yes. PCB design, embedded firmware and EMC pre-compliance testing are done in Vaasa, so the same team can take a product from schematic to tested prototype.
What usually delays a prototype?
Component availability and incomplete files. A BOM with approved alternates and an assembly drawing with clear polarity marks remove most of the question cycles that cost days.
Related reading
- How Long Does PCB Prototype Assembly Take in Europe? Realistic Lead Times
- How to Manufacture a PCB Prototype: A Practical Guide for European Hardware Companies
- PCB Prototype Cost in Europe: What Influences Price and How to Optimize It
- How to Design an Electronics Device That Scales From Prototype to Mass Production
Related services
- PCB assembly
- PCB design services
- PCB series and low-volume production
- PCB functional testing
- Electronic component sourcing
Request a quote for PCB prototypes
Send your Gerber or ODB++ files, BOM, pick-and-place file and the number of boards. You get the prototype price, an indicative series price and our DFM findings, usually the same working day and at most within 1 working day.
