Design.

Prototype development.

Prototype development in Kent.

Bring your product concepts to life with precision with Winter & Smith’s Prototype development in Kent. Our specialist 3D Computer Aided Design tools will help you visualise, test, and perfect your PCB artworks and prototype PCBs, reducing development costs and speeding up time-to-market.

In-house etched and drilled PCBs.

Where it may take more than 2 weeks for an average company to outsource PCB etching, we do it in house at our Kent facilities. Need your product prototype urgently? We can turn it around in 10 days in our workshop…

Custom prototype design & development

For the creation of prototypes and one-off designs, we offer:

Schematic design
PCB design
3D PCB design
Mechanical CAD design
Full machine shop tooled
Prototype PCB’s
In-house etched and drilled
PCB (up to double-sided)
Turnaround times to suit customers’ requirements
3D plastic printed parts

In-house prototype PCBs

Unlike other companies that outsource their PCB manufacturing, at Winter and Smith we design and builds PCBs in-house. This means faster turnaround times, greater quality control, and the flexibility to handle your prototype projects.

Check out the full process here.

Click and drag to interact with our 3D CAD PCB board

54 years of custom prototype development

We have been designing and doing custom prototype development in Kent for over 54 years.

In the early days, we designed PCBs using transparent acetate film with stick-on dots and tracks. The designs were exposed onto light-sensitive PCB material using UV light boxes, developed in a photo lab, acid-etched, and then cut and drilled in the machine shop.

Thankfully, times have changed and whilst the basic process of creating a prototype PCB has not altered significantly, the design process has moved with the times.

Pushing boundaries. Powering the future.

At Winter & Smith Electronics, we specialise in electronics design and software development that bring ideas to life. Whether you need embedded systems, IoT solutions, or custom software, we engineer powerful and efficient technology tailored to your needs.

Our prototype development expertise:

Electronics design – From schematics to PCB layouts, we create high-performance electronic solutions.

Embedded systems – Optimised firmware and hardware integration for seamless functionality.

Software development – Custom applications, automation, and AI-driven solutions.

IoT & connectivity – Smart devices and connected ecosystems that redefine possibilities.

We can help you if:

You are seeking to update or modernise an existing product

You need a completely new design

You are an expert looking to add electronics or software to a product

You are left with outdated designs due to the original designers retiring or the company closing

A non-functional product needs improvement

The design process

Follow the design & development of your prototype in our Kent based workshop.

Initial contact

Quite often an idea starts with something as simple as this sketch - maybe even vaguer! But we can work with it. The process begins with either a phone call or email. You may request a mutual NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) before sharing project details, ensuring confidentiality. This helps establish trust and protection for both parties early in the process!

Learning about you

During the initial conversation, we introduce ourselves and learn about your business and project goals. At this point, there are typically no technical specifics discussed. We encourage you to provide as much information as possible, and we ask to be treated as novices in your industry, providing context for things that might seem obvious, but not to us.

Reviewing ideas

After reviewing the project details provided, we usually have follow-up questions or suggestions. We arrange a meeting, either at our factory in Higham, Kent, or via an online call (as we work with clients worldwide, including in Scotland, France, the USA, Turkey, and Nigeria). During this meeting, we present our ideas, clarify project goals, and ensure we’re aligned before moving forward.

Creating a proposal

Once we have a clear understanding of the project, we will create a detailed proposal. This document outlines: what the product will consist of, how the product will function, the key elements of the design, the timeline for the project, and the total cost of the project. Additionally, you will own all design assets (CAD files, Gerber files, source code, and drawings) once the project is complete and payment is received, ensuring you have full control of your new design.

Design process

After the proposal is approved, we begin the design phase. For electronics, we use Target 3001, a professional development tool, to design circuit boards and schematics. For mechanical designs, we use a range of tools based on complexity, such as Alibre Design for 3D design and Visual Cadd for 2D design. We prioritise flexibility and ease of use, ensuring you have access to all design files after the project is finished.

3D PCB CAD design

As part of the schematic and PCB design for the project, we also create and generate 3D models for all of the components - meaning that we can create a full 3D CAD model of every circuit board we make. This enables us to ensure everything fits together correctly.

Creating a 3D space sample

Once the design is created, we build prototypes. We use 3D printing to produce physical models of the circuit boards, allowing you to assess fit and function. For more complex designs, we import the 3D CAD models into your mechanical design to verify integration. This step helps avoid potential issues before moving to full-scale production.

Building & testing

Once parts are ordered and the prototype is finalised, we begin assembly, combining the circuit boards with the mechanical components. At this stage, we use CAD software to design and refine items like enclosures, front panels, and machine components. For CNC routing, we employ specialised software like Carbide Create. After assembly, the product undergoes thorough testing, and if necessary, we develop software (e.g., firmware) to ensure the product meets all specifications. We may also design and build custom test jigs for validation.

Design review

Once we have created the design, and verified that it fits and works, we conduct a design review with the client to verify that it meets their expectations.

Final product

After testing and refining the product, we present the final design to you. Believe it or not, this image is the final product from the initial (very loose) sketch. If the product is ready for production, we ensure that you have all the necessary files and documentation to continue on your own if needed. For ongoing projects, we maintain a relationship, offering support, updates, and continued manufacturing as required. In this case, we ended up manufacturing a few hundred more.

Past projects

Sometimes, the only way you know what colour looks best – is to build some samples.

Click for more

Design.