Hardware Design
Custom PCB design, component selection, EMC engineering and design for manufacture. From first prototype to production with our UK manufacturing partners.
Since 2009 we have designed the electronics inside smart energy products, medical devices, industrial equipment and scientific instruments, at scales from one-off prototypes to production runs of hundreds of thousands. Our hardware and software teams sit together, so the board and the code that runs on it are designed as one platform.
Our BSP Approach
Our Hardware Design Expertise
Custom PCB Design and Layout
Our PCB design turns your requirements into boards that meet your size, cost and performance targets.
PCB Design Services:
High-density interconnect (HDI) designs for compact form factors
Flex and rigid-flex PCBs for space-constrained applications
Signal integrity analysis ensuring reliable high-speed communications
Power integrity optimisation for stable operation across all conditions
Design rule checking (DRC) for manufacturing compatibility
Component Selection and Optimisation
Choosing the right components is critical for product success. Our component selection expertise balances performance, cost, availability, and long-term sustainability to create robust, manufacturable designs.
Component Selection Focus:
Processor and microcontroller selection optimised for your application requirements
Power management system design for efficiency and thermal performance
Sensor integration for accurate data acquisition and environmental monitoring
Communication module selection for reliable wireless and wired connectivity
Passive component optimisation for performance, size, and cost efficiency
Supply chain analysis ensuring component availability and alternative sourcing
EMC/EMI Considerations
Electromagnetic compatibility decides whether a product passes compliance testing and works reliably beside other equipment. We design for it from the start, not after a failed lab session.
EMC/EMI Design Services:
Pre-compliance EMC analysis during design phase to prevent issues
Shielding strategy development for sensitive circuits and communications
PCB layout techniques to minimise electromagnetic interference
Filter design and selection for power supplies and signal lines
Grounding strategy implementation for optimal EMC performance
Regulatory compliance support for CE, FCC, and industry-specific standards
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
Great designs must be manufacturable at scale. Our Design for Manufacturing expertise ensures your hardware can be produced efficiently and cost-effectively without compromising quality.
DFM Optimisation:
Assembly process optimisation for automated manufacturing lines
Component packaging selection for reliable automated placement
Test-point integration for efficient quality control and debugging
Panel design optimisation for manufacturing efficiency
Tolerance analysis ensuring reliable assembly and performance
Manufacturing partner collaboration leveraging our UK manufacturing relationships
Prototype Development
Prototyping validates concepts and identifies issues before production commitment. Our prototype development services accelerate your development cycle whilst reducing technical risks.
Prototype Services:
Rapid prototyping for quick concept validation and iteration
Functional prototypes demonstrating complete system capabilities
Engineering prototypes for comprehensive testing and validation
Pre-production prototypes validating manufacturing processes
Prototype assembly and testing with comprehensive documentation
Design iteration support based on prototype testing results
Hardware Integration Expertise
Sensor Integration
Reliable data acquisition under varying conditions.
Environmental, motion, optical, and gas sensors
Calibration and compensation strategies
Signal conditioning and filtering
Power System Design
Efficient and stable power delivery.
Switch-mode supply design
Battery management systems
Power sequencing and monitoring
Low-power optimisation for extended operation
Communication Interface Design
Reliable connectivity across deployment environments.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, Zigbee integration
Ethernet and industrial communication buses
UART/SPI/I2C/USB interface design
Industry Applications
Smart Energy Hardware
Our smart energy hardware includes the Home Mini for Octopus Energy, now in hundreds of thousands of homes. Other energy products we have designed ship in the tens of thousands.
Medical Device Hardware
Medical hardware carries patient safety and regulatory obligations; our designs include hospital bed monitoring systems and other connected healthcare equipment.
Industrial IoT Hardware
Hardware for factory sensors and connected industrial equipment, designed for temperature extremes, vibration and electromagnetic interference.
Infrastructure and Transportation
Hardware in motorway signage and railway monitoring equipment, designed for long operational life in harsh conditions.
Scientific Instrumentation
With companies like Oxford Instruments, we have contributed to hardware designs for electron microscopes and nano-analysis equipment, where noise performance and stability decide the product’s quality.
Design Process & Methodologies
Collaborative Development
We work with your product, hardware, and software teams to ensure alignment and avoid downstream integration issues.
Documentation and Knowledge Transfer
We provide full schematics, layout files, BOM, assembly docs, and test procedures — enabling internal ownership and future evolution.
Validation and Testing
Electrical, thermal, EMC, and environmental validation to ensure real-world reliability.
Manufacturing Partnership Integration
Our hardware design services integrate seamlessly with our UK manufacturing partnerships.
This integration enables:
Design optimisation for our manufacturing partners' capabilities
Rapid prototyping through established relationships
Quality control integration from design through production
Cost optimisation leveraging manufacturing expertise