A great product always carries both the best functionality and aesthetics. Being a PCB designer or manufacturer, you might have thought of designing a new electronic device. Perhaps it's an elegant fitness tracker or a potent single-board computer. The first and most important phase is designing the fundamental and functional components.  But the question that comes to your mind is: do you begin with the enclosure, the device's protective covering, or the PCB design, the brains of your device?

There is no perfect answer to this. Your priorities and particular project specifications will determine that. With the information in this article, you will be able to decide with knowledge.

Approaching PCB Design First

To this approach, function is more important than form. Laying the PCB board design first, you concentrate on power management, signal routing, and component selection. Here is when it is beneficial:

1) Function-driven projects: When the primary objective is to ensure flawless operations of the electronics, like in a sophisticated industrial controller, designing the PCB first enables the best possible circuit architecture without size restrictions.

2) Enclosure flexibility: You have more flexibility in selecting or designing the enclosure once the PCB is finished. You can always design the enclosure specifically to meet the PCB's dimensions or use a normal, off-the-shelf one.

Potential Drawbacks to Consider: 

1) Enclosure restrictions: Pressing the PCB into a pre-selected enclosure may require compromising heat dissipation or component arrangement. Later, this could require a PCB redesign, which would be time- and money-consuming.

2) Poor aesthetics: If the function is your only concern, your enclosure design might result in a less visually appealing one.

Designing the Enclosure First 

This method primarily focuses on aesthetics and the user experience. You start the design considering the size, shape, and characteristics of the enclosure, focusing on end users and the intended functionality guide. Here are the situations in which it is beneficial.

1) User-centric products: When a product's appearance and feel are important, as they are in a consumer electronics device, starting with the enclosure design lays the groundwork for an attractive and easy-to-use product.

2) Ergonomic design: When optimum user experience is critical, as in the case of a portable device, designing the enclosure first enables you to consider button placement, screen size, and grip.

Potential Drawbacks to Consider: 

1) PCB design restrictions: A fixed enclosure size can restrict the flexibility of the PCB layout. There will be chances where you need to compromise on the component selection or thermal management.

2) Cost escalation: Custom enclosure creation might raise production time and costs if the standard enclosure doesn't fit the design.

Balancing Both Approaches 

In most cases, the best course of action is somewhere in between.  Under the iterative method, teams communicate continuously while working on the PCB and enclosure designs at the same time. 

This enables:

1) Early identification of conflicts: Working simultaneously on both approaches, you can identify issues and conflicts well ahead of production. Examples of such conflicts include component placement problems with enclosure features.

2) Optimizing design and function: This method enables changes to strike a balance between form and function.

Planning and Communication 

Whatever strategy is used, success depends on careful preparation and open lines of communication between the enclosure design team and the PCB design team. Here are some practical strategies:

1) Develop a clear Product Requirements Document (PRD): This document clearly communicates the objective, functionality, and target audience of the project. It functions as a guide and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for both the design team.

2) Consider user reviews and competitor research: Before designing enclosures, it is essential to understand how consumers interact with comparable items.

3) Use quality design tools: When designing, 3D modeling software enables the virtual integration of the PCB design inside the enclosure.

When the appearance of the device is not particularly important, you can first design the PCB and only then design the enclosure for it. Alternatively, you can use a cheaper off-the-shelf enclosure.

• If the design of the enclosure is no less important than the functionality of the device, it is recommended to prepare at least a sketch of the enclosure first. After that, both the enclosure and the electronics should be developed in parallel. 

In summary, although there is no right or wrong answer to the question of what comes first, the PCB or the enclosure. At Mech Power we will help you to make it easy for you based on product aesthetics, features, etc. Sign up on our website and fill the inquiry form for designing enclosures.