Custom Electronics Design and Embedded Firmware Development

When off-the-shelf doesn’t fit, we design from scratch

Harkwood Services is a Cambridge-based electronics design consultancy that has been developing custom hardware and embedded firmware since 2014. We can take products through the full development cycle, from schematic design and PCB layout to firmware, mechanical integration, compliance and production. Several of our one-off client designs have gone on to become products sold worldwide, including our own audio-visual sync equipment and aviation USB chargers.

Whether you need a single specialist board, a working prototype to prove a concept, or a design ready for volume manufacture, we work from your brief to a finished, tested result.

Our electronics development process

Electronics design services

• Electronic product design and prototyping
• Schematic design and component selection
• PCB layout
• Embedded firmware development
• UK prototype assembly
• Prototype troubleshooting, debugging and modification
• Mechanical integration
• EMI pre-compliance testing
• Review, correction and cost optimisation of AI-generated schematics and PCB layouts

Fixing AI-generated electronics designs

AI tools can now produce schematics, component choices and even PCB layouts in minutes. The results often look convincing, but they often contain errors that only show up when you build, test, or take a board for EMC testing. Typical problems include wrong or non-existent part numbers, incorrect pinouts and footprints, missing decoupling or protection, unsuitable power supply designs, poor grounding and return paths, and layouts that ignore thermal, EMC or manufacturing constraints. Mechanical fit is often poor too. Mounting holes, connector positions and component heights may not match the enclosure, and that leads to delays and extra costs late in the project.

We review AI-assisted designs with an experienced engineer’s eye. We check the schematic against real datasheets, correct the PCB layout, and make sure the board fits its enclosure. We also look for ways to optimise the design further. AI-generated circuits are frequently overspecified or use more parts than they need, so there is often scope to reduce BOM and manufacturing costs. If you have non-working boards, we can debug them in our lab and tell you what needs to change. That way you keep the speed of AI tools without the cost of repeated re-spins.

In-house test and measurement lab

Our Cambridge lab lets us test and debug designs without waiting on outside facilities. It includes a Keysight 1 GHz mixed-signal oscilloscope, a real-time spectrum analyser to 7.5 GHz, RF current probes and a TEM cell for EMI pre-compliance work, precision power supplies, battery simulation and profiling, electronic loads, and an ESD-safe assembly area with soldering and hot-air rework stations.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take on part of a project rather than the whole thing?
Yes. We can handle a single stage, such as PCB layout, firmware, or troubleshooting an existing prototype, or the full cycle from concept to production.

Do you work with companies outside Cambridge?
Yes. We’re based in Cambridge and work with clients across the UK and internationally.

Can you help get a product ready for CE/UKCA testing?
Our EMI pre-compliance testing identifies emissions problems before formal certification, which reduces the risk of costly failures at the test house.

Do you build prototypes in the UK?
Yes, prototype assembly is carried out in the UK.

We used AI to design our circuit or PCB. Can you check it?
Yes. We’ll review the schematic and layout, correct any errors we find, and tell you plainly whether the design is sound or needs reworking. If you have prototype boards, we can test and debug those too.

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Do you have a design problem and not sure whether we can help? It’s worth a conversation. We’ll tell you quickly if we’re not the right fit.