SEC:DESIGN // MFG:CALPAK-USA
DESIGN
Full-spectrum engineering services from concept through production.
Why Engineers Trust Calpak
Engineering Under One Roof
Calpak USA delivers full-spectrum engineering services spanning hardware, software, and mechanical disciplines — all from our facility in Hawthorne, California. Unlike firms that specialize in a single domain, our multidisciplinary team handles circuit design, PCB layout, firmware development, desktop and mobile applications, and mechanical enclosure design as a single integrated workflow.
"One team, one facility, one quality system — from initial concept through production-ready deliverables."
This integrated approach eliminates the communication gaps and version control issues that plague multi-vendor projects. Our hardware engineers work alongside firmware developers and mechanical designers, catching compatibility issues early and accelerating your timeline from concept to production.
Every design project is backed by our AS9100 Rev. D and ISO 9001 quality management system, with full ITAR compliance for defense and government programs. Whether you need a complete product designed from scratch or expert support on a specific discipline, our 40+ years of experience ensure your project is engineered for manufacturability, reliability, and performance.
Industry-Standard Toolchain
EDA Tools & Design Environment
Calpak USA's engineering team works with industry-standard EDA platforms including Altium Designer, Cadence OrCAD and Allegro, Mentor Graphics PADS, and KiCad. Our engineers select the optimal tool for each project based on complexity, customer preference, and design requirements. All design files are delivered in native format along with Gerber RS-274X, ODB++, and IPC-2581 outputs for seamless handoff to any fabrication facility.
For schematic capture, our team performs SPICE simulation, signal integrity analysis, and power integrity modeling before committing to layout. This simulation-driven approach catches design errors at the schematic stage — where changes cost hours, not weeks — and ensures that every circuit meets its performance targets before a single board is fabricated.
Advanced PCB Capabilities
Multi-Layer Design & Impedance Control
Calpak USA designs printed circuit boards from simple 2-layer prototypes through complex 30+ layer stackups for high-density aerospace and defense applications. Our PCB designers engineer layer stackups with dedicated ground and power planes, controlled impedance traces for high-speed digital and RF signals, and optimized via structures including blind, buried, and microvias for HDI designs.
Controlled impedance is critical for designs operating above 100 MHz or involving high-speed serial interfaces such as USB 3.x, PCIe, HDMI, Ethernet, and LVDS. Our engineers use field-solver tools to model trace geometry, dielectric thickness, and copper weight, targeting impedance tolerances of ±5% for single-ended traces and ±10% for differential pairs. Every impedance-controlled design includes a documented stackup specification and impedance coupon requirement for fabrication verification.
We also design with advanced substrate materials including Rogers high-frequency laminates, polyimide flex and rigid-flex substrates, metal-core boards for LED thermal management, and ceramic substrates for extreme-temperature applications. Material selection is driven by the electrical, thermal, and mechanical requirements of your end application.
Design for Manufacturability
Integrated DFM Process
Because Calpak USA operates both design and manufacturing under one roof, design-for-manufacturability is embedded in every stage of the engineering process — not applied as an afterthought. During schematic capture, our engineers verify component availability and identify long-lead or end-of-life parts. During PCB layout, we check pad geometries against IPC-7351 land pattern standards, validate solder paste aperture ratios for our stencil printers, and ensure component spacing meets our pick-and-place machine capabilities.
Our DFM review process evaluates thermal relief patterns, via-in-pad requirements, tombstone risk on small passive components, BGA escape routing and void analysis, and testability for in-circuit test and flying probe access. The result is a design that transitions from prototype to production without process requalification, reducing your time-to-market and eliminating costly engineering change orders during the manufacturing phase.
HARDWARE // DESIGN
Hardware Engineering
Circuit Design & Schematic Capture
Custom electronic circuit design from concept through production-ready schematics.
PCB Design & Layout
Multi-layer PCB design engineered for signal integrity and manufacturing precision.
Test Fixtures
Custom test fixture design and development for automated quality validation.
SOFTWARE // DESIGN
Software Development
Firmware
Embedded firmware for microcontrollers, microprocessors, and FPGA platforms.
Desktop Apps
Native desktop applications for test automation, data acquisition, and control.
Mobile Apps
iOS and Android applications engineered to extend your hardware capabilities.
Web Apps
Full-stack web applications for real-time monitoring and cloud analytics.
MECHANICAL // DESIGN
Mechanical Engineering
System Design
End-to-end system architecture and integration planning.
Machine Design
Custom automated assembly equipment, fixtures, and production tooling.
Product Design
Complete product design services from concept to production-ready hardware.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What electronics design services does Calpak USA offer? +
Calpak USA provides full-spectrum electronics design services including circuit design and schematic capture, multi-layer PCB layout, firmware and embedded software development, desktop and mobile application development, web application engineering, and mechanical design covering system architecture, machine design, and product enclosures. All disciplines operate under one roof at our Hawthorne, California facility, enabling seamless collaboration between hardware, software, and mechanical engineering teams.
Why is it better to use a single company for hardware, software, and mechanical design? +
Using a single integrated design partner eliminates the communication gaps, version control issues, and finger-pointing that commonly occur in multi-vendor projects. At Calpak USA, our hardware engineers work directly alongside firmware developers and mechanical designers throughout the project lifecycle. This means compatibility issues between circuit boards, enclosures, and embedded software are caught early in the design phase rather than during costly late-stage prototyping. The result is faster time-to-market, fewer engineering change orders, and a design that is optimized for manufacturing from day one.
Can Calpak USA design and then manufacture the same product? +
Yes. This is one of Calpak USA's core differentiators. Because we handle both design and manufacturing at our Hawthorne, California facility, we apply design-for-manufacturability principles from the earliest schematic and layout stages. When your design moves to production, there is no handoff to a separate manufacturer — the same team that designed your product builds it. This eliminates NRE duplication, reduces transition time, and ensures that every design decision is informed by real-world manufacturing capability, including our SMT lines, through-hole assembly, wire harness fabrication, and test equipment.
What industries does Calpak USA design electronics for? +
Calpak USA designs electronics for aerospace, defense, medical devices, industrial automation, communications, transportation, consumer devices, LED lighting, green energy, and commercial applications. Our AS9100 Rev. D certification and ITAR registration qualify us for defense and government programs, while our ISO 9001 quality system supports commercial and industrial customers. Each design project follows the specific regulatory and reliability standards required by the target industry, whether that means IPC Class 3 high-reliability standards for aerospace or FDA compliance considerations for medical devices.
How long does an electronics design project typically take at Calpak USA? +
Project timelines vary based on complexity, but a typical circuit design and PCB layout project takes 4 to 8 weeks from requirements review through production-ready Gerber file release. Firmware development runs concurrently with hardware design when possible to compress schedules. A complete product design encompassing hardware, firmware, mechanical enclosure, and prototype assembly typically spans 12 to 20 weeks. Calpak USA provides a detailed project timeline during the proposal phase and assigns a dedicated project engineer as your single point of contact throughout the engagement.
Does Calpak USA offer design-for-manufacturability review? +
Yes. Every design project at Calpak USA includes a comprehensive DFM review at no additional charge. Our manufacturing engineers evaluate pad geometries against IPC-7351 standards, verify solder paste stencil aperture ratios, check component spacing for rework access, assess thermal relief and via placement, and confirm component availability in the current supply chain. Because our design and manufacturing teams share the same facility, DFM feedback is immediate and informed by real production data from our assembly lines, not theoretical guidelines.
LET'S BUILD // TOGETHER
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