Introduction

Tzero, an industrial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider, needed a way to streamline their prototyping cycle to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Eli Hughes, co-founder and CTO of Tzero, shares how CircuitHub’s digital, on-demand manufacturing platform transformed their prototyping process, enabling faster iterations and significant cost savings.

Company Background

Tzero specializes in stitching together technology pieces for IoT solutions, with a heavy focus on electronic design and circuit board layouts. Their development process involves quick spins and multiple prototype cycles, which traditionally would have been slowed down by waiting for contract manufacturers to provide quotes and produce prototypes.

Challenges

The primary challenge Tzero faced was the lengthy turnaround time associated with traditional contract manufacturing. Sending designs out and waiting weeks for quotes and prototypes created inefficiencies and slowed down their development cycle. Adjusting designs based on late-stage feedback further exacerbated delays, making it difficult to meet project timelines.

Solution with CircuitHub

CircuitHub’s platform offered a revolutionary solution by allowing Tzero to upload their EDA files directly, receive immediate pricing feedback, and understand what was driving costs—be it layer count or specific components. This immediate feedback loop enabled Tzero to make real-time adjustments, significantly reducing the prototype iteration cycle from weeks to mere days.

Benefits

• Speed: By using CircuitHub, Tzero could upload designs and receive quotes within minutes, drastically cutting down the waiting period compared to traditional methods.
• Cost Transparency: The platform provided insights into cost drivers early in the design process, helping Tzero make informed decisions and avoid costly revisions.
• Efficiency: The automated system eliminated the need for extensive back-and-forth communication, freeing up resources and allowing the team to focus more on design and innovation.

Impact

The adoption of CircuitHub’s digital, on-demand manufacturing service enabled Tzero to accelerate their prototyping cycle and stay ahead in the competitive IoT market. The ability to quickly iterate on designs and receive fast, reliable quotes ensured that Tzero could bring products to market faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Conclusion

Eli Hughes emphasizes the importance of adopting digital, on-demand manufacturing solutions like CircuitHub to stay competitive. As tools and technologies advance, integrating such innovative platforms can significantly enhance efficiency and streamline production processes. For companies not yet embracing these advancements, the risk of being left behind is real.