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Comments on Are BOM cost optimization questions on-topic?

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Are BOM cost optimization questions on-topic?

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Are BOM/PCB assembly cost cost optimization questions on-topic here?

I can see how chasing down specific parts, prices and vendors ought to be off-topic, so I don't mean outright shopping/second source recommendations.

But I rather mean a design review of the schematic as whole, to suggest cheaper designs or removal of unnecessary components. Or replacing unique component values with others already present on the board in order to reduce pick & place rigging times. Double-sided vs single-sided SMD mounting and so on.

Obviously electronic designers will benefit by learning such tips & tricks from each other. But also from getting a design review by a professional assembly contractor, since they consider entirely different things than an EE.

Also such cost optimizations might quickly turn very technical. Take for example all the things to consider when replacing relays with MOSFET drivers, or when changing battery chemistry etc.

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Yes, some BOM optimization questions like you mentioned could be on topic. This would include the general techniques for optimizing BOM costs.

Getting into specific prices and vendors would be off topic.

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General comments (4 comments)
General comments
Lundin‭ wrote over 3 years ago · edited over 3 years ago

One reason I asked is because such a review case popped up at electronics.stackexchange and it was closed as shopping recommendation. So it would be fine for us to send them here instead? Maybe we need to cook up some general guidelines for how to ask schematic/design review questions.

Lundin‭ wrote over 3 years ago

(Somewhat related to that, Rules and guidelines for drawing good schematics was an awesome community wiki that I think we should consider importing here.)

Olin Lathrop‭ wrote over 3 years ago

@Lundin: BOM optimizations are tricky because they can easily devolve to prices and vendors. That's probably why the question on SE was closed. I think our rules here are about the same as on SE. Maybe they just closed it quickly, or maybe it really did cross the line into prices and vendors. I suppose they can try here if you think it fits.

Olin Lathrop‭ wrote over 3 years ago

@Lundin: Yes, I've been meaning to write up something about schematic drawing. I was originally going to add more to the SE post on that, but the mods turned it into community wiki and I lost control over it, so I gave up.