DesignReview
Independent review by engineers who've seen hundreds of designs.
Some of our clients
A second pair of expert eyes on your design
A design review is an independent audit of your existing electronic design by our senior engineers. We review your schematic, PCB layout, BOM, and DFM, then give you a detailed report with actionable recommendations.
It's the fastest way to catch problems before they become expensive.
What we review
- Schematic and circuit design
- PCB layout and signal integrity
- Component selection and lifecycle
- Bill of materials and sourcing risk
- DFM and manufacturing readiness
- EMC and compliance considerations
Three simple steps
Send us your design files
Schematics, PCB layout, BOM, whatever you have. We'll tell you what we need.
We review and report
Our senior engineers audit your design and produce a detailed findings report. Typically 1–4 weeks.
Actionable recommendations
Clear, prioritised list of issues and improvements. Not just problems, but solutions.
Design review questions
Common questions about cost, turnaround, scope, deliverables, and how we handle designs from other teams.
How much does a design review project cost?
Design review costs depend on the size and complexity of the design, the depth of the review (schematic, layout, firmware, mechanical, compliance), and how much remediation guidance is included. Most design reviews sit in the four to five-figure range. That covers schematic and layout with a written report and recommendations. More comprehensive reviews across multiple disciplines, with detailed remediation guidance and follow-up iterations, naturally cost more. Send us your design and we'll come back with an estimate. Get in touch.
How long does a design review take?
Most design reviews take 1 to 8 weeks from receipt of files to delivery of the final report. A targeted review, like a schematic sanity check or a PCB layout audit before fabrication, can be turned around in a few working days. Larger multi-board systems, or reviews that include firmware architecture and compliance scope, take longer. Talk to us about your project. We confirm the turnaround in writing when we scope the job.
What is actually reviewed during a Beta Solutions design review?
We review both hardware and firmware. For hardware, that covers schematics (topology, part selection, protection, power tree, reset and clocking), PCB layout (stackup, impedance control, return paths, decoupling, thermal relief, creepage and clearance), BOM (lifecycle risk, second sources, counterfeit risk, cost), DFM (panelisation, fiducials, test points, assembly orientation), and EMC/ESD readiness. For firmware, we review against best practices. That covers architecture, memory and stack usage, error handling, real-time behaviour, and security where it applies. If we're reviewing against specific standards (IEC 61010, IEC 60601, AS/NZS CISPR 32, FCC Part 15), we flag issues against those clauses.
What deliverables do I get from a design review?
We typically provide a report of findings and recommendations, covering possible issues and fixes. Where the right answer depends on your application, we lay out the options. Reports usually include both a high-level summary (ideal for management reviews) and detailed engineering information (ideal for your internal or external design teams).
Can Beta Solutions review work designed by another consultancy or overseas team?
Yes. For hardware, we prefer files in Altium format, but we can also work with KiCad, OrCAD, Cadence, and PADS, plus PDFs and spreadsheet BOMs. The review is confidential. We are bound by the confidentiality clauses in our General Terms. All IP stays with you, and we don't contact or notify the original designer. It's not uncommon to find issues such as missing decoupling, poor return paths on high-speed nets, single-sourced critical parts, and DFM problems that would have caused yield issues in production.
Scoped to suit your design
Every design review is scoped and quoted after a look at your files. Depending on the nature of the engagement, firm fixed-price or time-and-materials may be possible.
Get a review quote
“Beta Solutions project management skills and communication with the client has always been superb and any problems that surfaced were dealt with quickly and efficiently, and at the lowest possible cost to the client.”Bruce RapleyAtkinson & Rapley Consulting
Need us to fix the issues we find?
If your design needs changes, we can implement them, or take over the full development. Same team, no re-learning.
Have a design that needs a second opinion?
Send us your design files and tell us what keeps you up at night. We'll give you an honest assessment.
Start a conversation