Simplifying component research for efficient electronics design

Let’s delve into the challenges that electronic systems development organizations face and how an integrated part research solution, such as PartQuest Portal, can help streamline the design process, making it faster and more efficient.

Challenges in electronics development

Electronic systems development organizations are no strangers to complex challenges. Tight deadlines, resource limitations, the aspiration for first-pass success, and productivity hurdles collectively impose a significant burden on the innovation process. Let’s briefly explore these challenges:

• Time constraints: The race against the clock is a common struggle for development teams. Many organizations, constrained by limited resources and tight timelines to achieve product objectives, find that streamlining their design processes is essential.
• First-pass success: Achieving first-pass success remains an ambitious yet elusive target for development teams. Commonplace data quality errors or inconsistencies that accumulate throughout the development process, if overlooked, often carry over into manufacturing. This oversight leads to costly and time-consuming board re-spins, , impacting both project timelines and budgets.
• Frequent modifications: A significant number of companies require multiple engineering change orders, leading to delays and increased development costs, particularly for new product designs.
• Productivity challenges: An inordinate amount  of engineering resources are spent manually correcting design or part library data errors, highlighting inefficiencies in design and library data management processes.

The role of part selection

Given its critical role in the initial stages of the design process, part selection is crucial in overcoming these challenges and facilitating a smoother progression through subsequent design stages. While using known components from corporate libraries is common, innovation often requires exploring new components with advanced features, improved performance, or better supply chain options.

Integrated component research with PartQuest Portal

PartQuest Portal offers a comprehensive solution to these challenges. With a vast MPN database of over 625,000,000 parts, it centralizes component research, eliminating the need to sift through disjointed component catalogs from various distributors. Let me highlight several key features of the platform:

• Advanced search technology: PartQuest Portal offers advanced search capabilities, including MPN search, keyword search, and parametric search, enabling engineers to find components that precisely match their design requirements.
• Real-time sourcing intelligence: The portal integrates data from over 125 leading worldwide component distributors, providing real-time insights into component availability, pricing, lead times, life cycles, and more. This empowers engineers to make informed decisions for cost and supply chain reliability optimization.
• Pre-made eCAD models: PartQuest Portal provides access to hundreds of millions of high-quality pre-made ECAD models. These models can be seamlessly integrated into your design, including all relevant part properties, reducing manual data entry and the potential for errors. PartQuest Portal also offers a streamlined process for requesting or creating eCAD models for components in the catalog that don’t already include them. When you find a part without eCAD data, simply click the “Request Part” button.  The requested parts are stored in the “Request Parts” area for easy access.
• Custom library models: For users who want to create or customize their own library eCAD model for a component, PartQuest Portal integrates templates and wizards to make this process easy. The Symbol Builder and Footprint Builder are accessible from the homepage and individual component pages. You can create new symbols or footprints, even if the component already has one.
• Managing parts effectively: PartQuest Portal provides users with tools to manage their component library efficiently. You can add parts to your favorites by clicking the heart icon on the component’s row or by using the “Favorite” button in the “More” section. This feature simplifies tracking frequently used components.

Siemens Supplyframe:

PartQuest Portal is powered by Siemens Supplyframe, the leader in supply chain resilience solutions for the electronics industry. Supplyframe’s deep market data on more than 625 million unique parts from 125+ global component distributors ensures the dependability of PartQuest Portal.

More than just a tool

PartQuest Portal is more than just a tool; it’s an ecosystem that simplifies the part research and selection phase of the development process, driving efficiency, fostering innovation, and serving as an indispensable asset for engineers navigating the complexities of modern electronics design.

Learn more about part research and creation in this on demand webinar: Streamlining design with integrated part research and creation.