Community Spotlight: Mark van den Brink, Co-Founder of Currentt

Mark is using the LumenPnP at Currentt, a company that is lifting the veil on how energy is being used in your home. Their goal is to optimize how energy is consumed based on your situation and needs.

The LumenPnP is helping them bring their product to life by accelerating their prototyping process, not having to wait for an electronics manufacturing service (EMS) for their PCBAs, allowing them to quickly bring their hardware to market.

 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you make.

My name is Mark van den Brink, and I am one of the founders of Currentt. We are a startup that develops an energy management system (EMS) that helps optimize our customers' energy efficiency.

The device can intelligently control various energy consumers and generators to optimally use/generate energy and relieve the grid. The device also provides detailed insights into customers' energy consumption and generation.

I have been involved with electronics since a young age, so it was a logical choice to study electrical engineering. I graduated in 2002 with a specialization in technical computer science. Then, I ended up in software, bootstrapping two software companies for the last 20 years, with Tripetto usually being the most well-known.

Two years ago, my co-founder Rick and I got the idea for developing an EMS. Now, we are in the final stages before we can actually ship the first devices. So, exciting times ahead!
 

What are you building with your LumenPnP? 

We use the machine to do rapid prototyping and small (initial) series production for the three PCBs that are in our EMS solution, so it is for professional use. In total the LumenPnP needs to place 374 SMT components for each device we assemble.

 

Did you build or buy a LumenPnP? Have you made any modifications from the original build?

We bought the LumenPnP because we didn't have time to completely build one ourselves. I also followed Stephen's journey on his YouTube channel for the last couple of years, so when I finally needed a PnP, buying one was a logical choice. The only mod we have is a 3D-printed holder that can hold the 3 PCBs in place so we can populate them at once.

What is your favorite feature of the LumenPnP?

The fact that LumenPnP makes it possible to have an affordable PnP machine on your workbench! It's such a game-changer for prototyping. I love that I'm not dependent on an assembly/EMS party. In the end, it saves time and costs.

How many boards a month do you produce with your machines?

Currently, we produce around ten boards a month as we are in our final prototyping stage. But soon, we will start series production and produce the first 100 devices using the LumenPnP while we set up "mass" production with our EMS partner.

How were you building these boards before the LumenPnP?

Simple answer: not! The boards we produce have too many components and are too small to do comfortably by hand. Before this startup, I did PCB assembly manually. But then, I always used components that were doable (min 0805).

Also, those projects contained fewer components. I have also used assembly services from PCB manufacturers in the past. But for this project, I definitely needed a PnP.
 

What has the LumenPnP enabled you to do that you previously couldn't?

Rapid prototyping and small series production. But rapid prototyping is the real game-changer for me. We produce our PCBs in Europe. So, assembly of small quantities is expensive. With the LumenPnP, it is possible to use local PCB manufacturers. It keeps lead times short.

For example, we use EuroCircuits’ services for our prototypes. If we really want, they can produce a bare PCB within two working days. That saves a tremendous amount of time, as many overseas PCB services sometimes need weeks before a board is actually produced and received.

  

What is the single most important piece of advice for people who are trying to get into PCBA production?

Start with small projects to understand how everything works, from tooling to design to manufacturing to assembly. Larger boards are more expensive, and you will definitely make mistakes in the beginning.

If you plan on selling stuff, get educated on EMC and electrical safety topics and best practices early on. Product certification can be really tricky, and there are many pitfalls to avoid.

Finally, there are great resources and lectures to learn from. For example, YouTube channels like Phil’s Lab and Robert Feranec (and how about Stephen Hawes!). When it comes to signal integrity, Eric Bogatin is a legend.

Educate yourself on all the topics and most importantly, persevere. The art of electronics (good book BTW!) can be overwhelming at times, but when you actually manage to build something and get it done, it is incredibly satisfying!
  

What's your solder paste of choice? What do you use for a reflow oven?

We use Loctite GC 10. I love that you can store it at room temperature, so you don't need a refrigerator, and it reflows beautifully.

For reflow, we have the CIF FT03 oven (including a filter system). It's a really nice oven with consistent results. It's also very compact, so we can fit everything in our lab.