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VALUE ENGINEERING

Value Engineering &
Product Review

Transform your prototype into a production-grade product — technically perfect,
supply-chain resilient, and cost-optimized for mass manufacturing.

15–40%
BOM Cost Reduction
>95%
First-Pass Yield Target
5 Phases
End-to-End Review
10x
ROI per Rupee Invested
THE CHALLENGE

Why Most Products Fail at Scale

70–80% of a product's lifecycle cost is locked in during the design phase. Skipping value engineering before production is one of the most expensive mistakes a hardware company can make.

Prototype Works
→
Send to Production
→
Low Yield, High Cost
→
Expensive Re-spins
Prototype Works
→
Value Engineering
→
Production-Ready
→
Scale with Confidence
OUR APPROACH

5-Phase Product Optimization

Click each phase to see the detailed review checklist and deliverables.

1
Phase 1
Schematic Review & Optimization
Line-by-line electrical correctness, safety compliance, and circuit optimization

Power Supply Architecture

✓Regulator selection with 20–30% current headroom and thermal derating
✓Power sequencing, soft-start, and PGOOD signal validation
✓Protection circuits — UVLO, OVP, OCP implementation
✓Decoupling strategy audit (bulk + local capacitor values)
✓Feedback network calculations verified

Signal Integrity & Interfaces

✓Impedance matching for CAN, SPI, I2C, UART interfaces
✓Differential pair routing and termination verification
✓Clock distribution — trace length, noise isolation, jitter analysis
✓CAN bus 120Ω termination placement
✓JTAG/SWD debug interface accessibility

Safety & Protection

✓ESD protection on all external connectors
✓Reverse polarity protection circuit
✓Over-current protection — fuse/PTC selection and rating
✓Creepage and clearance per IEC/UL standards
✓Isolation barrier integrity for high-voltage paths

General Electrical

✓No floating pins — all unused IOs properly tied
✓Component temperature ratings vs. operating range
✓Capacitor voltage derating >1.5× operating voltage
✓Net naming consistency and annotation
✓ERC clean — no unresolved warnings
Deliverable: Schematic Review Report

Annotated schematic with every issue classified as Critical / High / Medium / Low, recommended fixes, and verification checklist.

2
Phase 2
Component & BOM Optimization
Cost reduction, supply-chain de-risking, and component rationalization

Cost Analysis & Reduction

✓Pareto analysis — top 20% components driving 80% of BOM cost
✓Volume pricing tiers evaluated (100, 1K, 10K, 100K units)
✓Passive value consolidation — reduce unique part numbers
✓Package size optimization (0402 vs. 0603 vs. 0805)
✓Cost-equivalent functional alternates identified

Supply-Chain De-Risking

✓Single-source components flagged with alternates
✓Lifecycle check — Active / NRND / EOL status
✓Lead time analysis vs. production ramp schedule
✓Multi-distributor availability (Digi-Key, Mouser, LCSC, local)
✓Geopolitical and allocation risk assessment

Derating & Reliability

✓Resistors: <75% power rating
✓Capacitors: <80% voltage rating
✓Semiconductors: junction temperature analysis (worst case)
✓Temperature ratings vs. full operating range

Alternate Component Matrix

✓2–3 validated alternates for every critical IC
✓Generic equivalents for all passives
✓Pin-compatible and drop-in replacements documented
✓Formal AVL (Approved Vendor List) created
Deliverable: BOM Optimization Report + AVL

Complete cost analysis with current vs. optimized BOM, alternate component cross-reference matrix, procurement risk matrix, and Approved Vendor List.

3
Phase 3
PCB Layout Review & DFM Optimization
Manufacturability, signal/power integrity, thermal management, and EMI/EMC compliance

Stackup & Impedance

✓Layer stackup validated vs. impedance requirements
✓50Ω single-ended / 100Ω differential verification
✓Stackup compatibility with PCB manufacturer capabilities
✓Controlled-impedance trace routing and via transitions

Power Distribution (PDN)

✓Copper pour adequacy — IR drop analysis
✓Decoupling capacitor distance from IC power pins
✓Ground plane continuity — no unintentional splits
✓Ground stitching vias around sensitive areas

Thermal & EMI/EMC

✓Thermal via analysis for power MOSFETs, regulators
✓Heat sink spec and thermal pad sizing
✓High-speed signals away from board edges
✓Switching supply isolation from analog circuits

DFM/DFA Compliance

✓Fiducial marks for pick-and-place alignment
✓Component orientation consistency
✓Test point accessibility for ICT fixtures
✓Panelization design for throughput
Deliverable: PCB Layout Review Report

Annotated layout with DFM issues, signal/power integrity findings, thermal hotspot analysis, and EMC recommendations.

4
Phase 4
Supply-Chain Strategy & Vendor Management
Dual-sourced procurement from pilot (50 units) to mass production (10K+ units/month)

Vendor Qualification

✓AVL with primary + alternate supplier for every BOM line item
✓2–3 qualified PCB fabrication houses (domestic + international)
✓2–3 qualified PCBA assembly houses (SMT capability matched)
✓Vendor capability audit against your design requirements

Procurement Strategy

✓Volume pricing breakpoints negotiated
✓Framework purchase order recommendations
✓Procurement risk matrix (lead time, MOQ, single-source flags)
✓Safety stock levels for critical long-lead components
Deliverable: Supply-Chain Strategy Document

Complete vendor qualification report, dual-sourcing plan, procurement risk matrix, and recommended inventory buffer strategy.

5
Phase 5
Production Readiness Package
Complete manufacturing documentation — hand it to any CM and they can produce independently

Manufacturing File Package

✓Verified Gerber files (RS-274X) with layer stackup docs
✓Drill files (Excellon format) with tool lists
✓Assembly drawings with polarity and placement notes
✓Pick-and-place CSV files verified against drawings
✓Finalized BOM with AVL, alternates, and volume pricing

Test Specification

✓Functional test procedure — step-by-step with pass/fail
✓Test point map with purpose and expected values
✓ICT (In-Circuit Test) coverage analysis
✓Test fixture specification

Quality Control Plan

✓Incoming component inspection criteria
✓In-process checkpoints (post-placement, post-reflow)
✓Final acceptance criteria with measurable specs
✓First-pass yield target >95%

Production Handoff

✓Reflow profile and soldering requirements
✓MSL (Moisture Sensitivity Level) and baking specs
✓ESD handling procedures
✓Rework procedures documented
Deliverable: Production-Ready Manufacturing Package

Everything a contract manufacturer needs: Gerbers, BOM, assembly docs, pick-and-place, test procedures, QC plan. Hand it over and they build.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE

6 Comprehensive Deliverables

Click each deliverable to see what's included.

📋

Schematic Review Report

Annotated schematic with every finding classified and fix recommended
  • Issue severity: Critical / High / Medium / Low
  • Annotated PDF with marked-up problem areas
  • Specific fix recommendations with calculations
  • Verification checklist for post-fix validation
  • Reference to applicable standards (IEC, UL)
📈

BOM Optimization Report

Cost breakdown, alternates, and per-unit savings roadmap
  • Current vs. optimized BOM cost comparison
  • Volume pricing at 1K / 10K / 100K breakpoints
  • Component rationalization recommendations
  • Per-unit savings projection by volume
  • Risk-scored single-source component list
💻

PCB Layout Review Report

DFM findings, power/signal integrity, thermal and EMC analysis
  • Annotated PCB markup with DFM violations
  • Power integrity (IR drop, PDN impedance) findings
  • Signal integrity review for high-speed traces
  • Thermal hotspot identification
  • EMC layout practice compliance checklist
🚚

Supply-Chain Strategy

Vendor qualification, dual-sourcing plan, and inventory strategy
  • Approved Vendor List (AVL) with alternates
  • Qualified PCB fab and assembly house shortlist
  • Procurement risk matrix
  • Safety stock and buffer recommendations
  • Vendor capability vs. design requirement matrix
📦

Production-Ready Mfg Package

Complete file set for any contract manufacturer to build
  • Verified Gerber + drill + stackup files
  • Assembly drawings with orientation notes
  • Pick-and-place CSV + BOM
  • Functional test procedure + ICT spec
  • QC plan with acceptance criteria
★

Value Engineering Summary

Consolidated cost-reduction roadmap with projected savings
  • Per-unit cost savings breakdown by category
  • Volume-scaled total savings projection
  • Priority-ranked optimization opportunities
  • Implementation timeline recommendations
  • ROI analysis for each optimization area
WHY MAQLABS

Production DNA, Not Just Design Theory

Our team has taken products from concept to 10,000+ units/month production lines.

12+
Years Hardware Design
BMS for a leading Indian 2W OEM, a US battery manufacturer, and a Vietnamese EV maker — each producing 10K+ units/month
3
Production BMS Platforms
Not just prototypes — real production lines, real yield targets, real supply-chain challenges solved
E2E
End-to-End Under One Roof
Schematic → PCB → Firmware → Prototype → Validation → Production Handoff. No handoff gaps
IPC
Standards-Driven Process
Checklist-driven methodology based on IPC, IEC, UL standards — not ad-hoc opinions
BMS
Domain Expertise
Battery Management Systems, Power Electronics, EV-grade hardware — exactly where production quality matters most
Team
Ex-Microsoft, ABB, Toshiba
Akshay Godse (firmware, ex-MSFT/Toshiba), Ishan Trivedi (product architecture, ex-ABB Switzerland, 14+ years)
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

A regular design review checks whether your circuit works correctly. Value Engineering goes far beyond — it asks: can this design be manufactured at scale, reliably, at the lowest possible cost, without supply-chain risk? It covers technical perfection, cost optimization, and supply-chain resilience simultaneously. The result is a design that works at 10,000 units/month with predictable cost and yield.
A working prototype and a production-ready design are very different things. Common issues at scale include: yield problems from poor DFM, supply disruptions from single-source ICs, cost surprises when BOM costs are 40% higher than expected at volume, and field failures from thermal issues or ESD susceptibility. Fixing these after tooling is 10–100x more expensive than fixing them now.
15–25% reduction is typical for prototype-optimized designs. 25–40% reduction is achievable when premium/evaluation components were used without considering volume alternatives. 10–15% reduction for designs that have already gone through one round of cost optimization. We provide a projected savings table broken down by volume (1K, 10K, 100K units).
Absolutely. Each phase delivers standalone value. Common configurations: Quick VE (Phase 1+2 — Schematic + BOM), DFM Focus (Phase 3 only — PCB Layout), or Full Production Prep (all 5 phases). We recommend Phases 1–3 at minimum, since schematic, BOM, and PCB issues are deeply interconnected.
6–8 weeks from kickoff to a complete production-ready package. Phase 1–3 runs in parallel (3–4 weeks), Phase 4 overlaps (2–3 weeks), and Phase 5 follows after design changes are finalized (2–3 weeks). If you need a specific phase urgently, we can deliver within 1–2 weeks.

Ready to make your product production-perfect?

Let's discuss your product and create a tailored value engineering roadmap.

Get in Touch
mohit@maqlabs.com
+91 8600175076