Launch HN: ProvenMetal (YC S26) delivers circuit boards in days instead of weeks
Hey HN, we’re Will & Johnny from ProvenMetal ( https://provenmetal.com ). You send us design files or specs and we give you assembled boards domestically in days. The US produced 30% of PCBs globally in 2000, now they produce 4%. Chinese manufacturers have completely dominated this space at 55% of global production. Now, the need for a domestic PCB supply chain is higher than ever before, yet the…
ProvenMetal, founded by Will and Johnny, is a startup that delivers circuit boards domestically in days, rather than weeks. The company started in a garage with basic equipment and quickly realized the inefficiencies in the manufacturing process. Instead of focusing on front-of-house operations like quoting, design for manufacture (DFM) review, and part procurement, ProvenMetal identified bottlenecks in these areas and began automating them.
ProvenMetal streamlines the process by allowing customers to provide design files, after which their system automatically sources components and coordinates with board fabrication and assembly houses. The company measures bottlenecks and focuses on solving the most critical ones.
To tackle part procurement, ProvenMetal's system automatically sources components across US and overseas distributors, ensuring long lead time parts are ordered in advance. They store these parts in their headquarters in San Francisco and kit the boards for delivery through their network. Additionally, ProvenMetal has developed plugins for KiCAD and Altium, which allow them to automatically procure components and send orders to manufacturers with minimal back-and-forth communication.
The company's approach simplifies the entire process by removing the need for customers to source components and handle bare boards themselves. ProvenMetal's system automatically coordinates with board fabrication and assembly houses, reducing the time it takes to complete an order.
While ProvenMetal believes their software has streamlined the process, they acknowledge that capacity is ultimately the limiting factor in the supply chain. They plan to extract as much slack as possible from the system and only add physical capacity when necessary.
ProvenMetal charges a simple margin on the order value, with transparent quote breakdowns. They have already secured their first paying customer within a week and have completed approximately $70,000 in orders across 11 projects in just six weeks. The startup is open to feedback and suggestions on how they can improve their approach in a highly complex and challenging market.
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