Hidden Cost Drivers in Electronic Prototype Development Nobody Talks About
The most expensive part of an electronic prototype is rarely on the quote. Engineering hours, PCBs and components are visible and easy to compare. What drives budgets and schedules off course is everything that happens between those line items: a late requirement change, a component that disappears from the market, a board that cannot be debugged, a test that fails at the accredited lab. These costs are hidden because they appear late, are spread across several suppliers and are rarely booked as \"prototype costs\". They show up as delays, extra builds, redesigns and unplanned weekends in the lab.