Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

• Why should I choose Design Associates Northwest?
• If we use you how do we communicate?
• What do you charge?
• Will it cost us anything for you to evaluate our project?
• How long does it take for you to evaluate a project?
• What are your credit terms?
• We have things you could do but do not have time to specify the project. Can you help?
• What information do you need before you can develop a product for us?
• What are the risks of using electronic engineering consultants?

Embedded Software

• What are the keys to successful embedded software development?
• Do you use Real Time Operating Systems? Which ones?
• What microprocessors do you use?
• What DSP processors do you use?
• What language do you write code in?
• Isn't C++ better than C?
• What is the best compiler for embedded programming?
• What are the most important things to remember when doing embedded programming?
• Do you use version control?

Electronic Design

• What are the keys to a successful embedded system development?
• Can you design an embedded controller for our product?
• Can you write the embedded software for our product?
• What microprocessors do you use?
• Can you do turn key product development for us?
• Can you design me a single board computer using an ARM processor with a Linux port?
• Can you take care of the product compliance requirements for us?
• Our electronic product has EMC problems: that is, it does not pass. Can you help us?
• We have an electronics product that passed EMC testing when it was tested for us here. We export it and the customer had it retested and says it fails. What should we do?

Compliance

• It is all just EMC isn't it?
• Isn't this just a technical barrier to trade?
• Which standard should we use?
• Where can my company buy standards?
• Who makes these standards and why?
• When do I get to choose the standard and when do I not?
• Why are the European and American standards different? Can't they just make them the same?
• Are any American and European standards the same?
• What is the LVD?
• What is the EMC directive?
• What is a harmonized standard?
• What is UL?
• What is the IEC?
• What is EN?
• What is CSA?
• What is CE?
• Why do some markets require testing against standards and some do not?
• What does UL Listed mean?
• What is the difference between UL listed and UL recognized? Which one is best?
• If I use a UL recognized component how does this help me with getting a product UL Listed?
• Can I use a non-UL-recognized component even if a recognized component is available?
• What are the most common standards?
• Currently our company sells non UL marked product into the USA. It goes pretty well. Should we not do this?
• What is the best advice for a company considering or moving toward getting product tested and marked for CE, UL or any other mark?
• What is a PWB?
• I plan to design a product, get UL to test it and then change it a bit where it fails and get UL to test it again. Is this a good plan?

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