Meeting the Demand for Power Electronics
In today’s world, electronics have become inseparable from daily life. From smartphones to home appliances, all rely on efficient power delivery. As the need for power monitoring devices increases, our PCB assembly factory took on a reverse engineering project for a British customer. This project involved cloning an existing power measuring PCBA, decoding ICs, and producing test-ready samples for validation.
Project Overview: From Clone to Prototype
Our client provided a physical model of the power measuring device. We initiated the reverse engineering process by cloning the circuit board and extracting its design files. This included generating the Gerber files, BOM list, and schematic. After successful IC decoding, we obtained the original programming code. With all necessary data secured, we manufactured 10 PCBA prototypes for functional testing.
PCB Specifications
The PCB is a single-layer rigid board, fabricated with the following specifications:
- Base Material: FR-4
- Board Thickness: Standard
- Surface Finish: Lead-Free HASL
- Board Size: 25 mm x 40 mm
- Board Shape: Irregular (bottom half rectangular, top half triangular)
- Panelization: 5×5 array for efficient assembly
- Mounting Type: Single-side component placement
The triangular section of the board includes a large coarse round hole, precisely routed for mechanical fitting. Component mounting was focused only on the front side of the PCB. Two main ICs were reprogrammed after successful decoding, and several custom-shaped connectors were installed with specialized positioning holes.
Custom Transformer Challenge
One of the most technically demanding parts of this PCBA project was recreating a miniature, custom transformer. There were no off-the-shelf options available, so we reverse engineered it based on the client’s sample. This involved:
- Measuring the metal outer frame dimensions
- Determining coil diameter and winding structure
- Calculating coil voltage specifications
- Producing custom windings to match exact performance criteria
The transformer features alternating washers, tightly twisted copper wire, and yellow insulation tape. Its metal casing required precision manufacturing to match the original geometry, including corner angles and frame height.
Functional Testing and Labeling
Following assembly, we conducted IC programming and functionality tests to ensure performance matched the original design. As per the client’s instructions, we printed and applied custom labels to both sides of the board.
The working principle of the power measuring device involves a transformer-induced voltage signal, processed by onboard ICs to convert and monitor real-time power metrics.
Results and Customer Feedback
From reverse engineering to prototyping, the entire project progressed smoothly. After shipping both the cloned production files and functional samples, the customer provided positive feedback and praised the performance consistency.
Contact Us
Looking for PCBA reverse engineering or custom assembly services? Whether it’s a power measurement device or another application, our team is ready to support your development.
