Engineering insights, technical deep dives, and lessons learned from building electronic products that actually work.https://crablabs.io/en-ushttps://crablabs.io/insights/ai-tools-engineering/https://crablabs.io/insights/ai-tools-engineering/When AI helps and when it gets in the way.Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMTengineeringAIfirmwarebest-practicesOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/avoiding-engineering-firm-problems/https://crablabs.io/insights/avoiding-engineering-firm-problems/Warning signs, contract terms, and due diligence to protect your project and budget.Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMTconsultingbusinesscontractsdue-diligenceOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/case-against-over-engineering/https://crablabs.io/insights/case-against-over-engineering/When 'good enough' is the right call and gold-plating hurts more than it helps.Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMTengineeringdesignbest-practicesOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/certification-costs/https://crablabs.io/insights/certification-costs/Regulatory compliance can exceed engineering costs. How to budget for it and avoid surprises.Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMTcomplianceregulatorymedical-devicesbudgetOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/engineering-overhead/https://crablabs.io/insights/engineering-overhead/Large engineering firms add 15-25% in PM overhead. What that costs and when it's worth paying.Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTconsultingbusinesspricingOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/evaluating-firms/https://crablabs.io/insights/evaluating-firms/A systematic approach to selecting hardware and embedded systems consultants.Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMTengineeringconsultingbusinessclientsOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/design-for-manufacturing/https://crablabs.io/insights/design-for-manufacturing/Component selection, layout decisions, and documentation that prevent assembly issues.Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTPCB-designmanufacturingDFMassemblyOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/founding-story/https://crablabs.io/insights/founding-story/The reasoning behind starting another engineering firm, and what we do differently.Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 GMTbusinessengineeringentrepreneurshipOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/firmware-costs/https://crablabs.io/insights/firmware-costs/Cost drivers and estimation methods for embedded firmware projects.Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMTfirmwareembedded-systemspricingbudgetOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/gan-power-electronics/https://crablabs.io/insights/gan-power-electronics/Practical guidance for designing with gallium nitride transistors: gate drive, protection, and layout.Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMTganpower electronicssemiconductorsdesignOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/hardware-costs/https://crablabs.io/insights/hardware-costs/PCB design, fabrication, and assembly cost breakdown with worked examples.Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMTPCBAhardware-designPCB-designmanufacturingcost-analysisOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/hardware-technical-debt/https://crablabs.io/insights/hardware-technical-debt/How shortcuts compound in physical products and strategies for managing them.Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThardwareengineeringdesignbest-practicesOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/in-house-engineering/https://crablabs.io/insights/in-house-engineering/Many firms outsource to cut costs. What that actually means for quality and communication.Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMTengineeringconsultingqualityOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/kicad-libraries/https://crablabs.io/insights/kicad-libraries/How to build custom symbols and footprints in KiCad.Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMTPCB-designkicadschematicstutorialOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/medical-compliance/https://crablabs.io/insights/medical-compliance/Breakdown of FDA 510(k), IEC 60601, and ISO 13485 compliance budgets.Sun, 15 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMTmedical-devicescomplianceIEC-60601FDAbudgetOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/nfc-pcb-card/https://crablabs.io/insights/nfc-pcb-card/Complete guide to designing and manufacturing NFC business cards in KiCad.Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMTnfcPCB-designrfidkicadtutorialOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/no-equity-for-engineering/https://crablabs.io/insights/no-equity-for-engineering/The math behind equity-for-engineering offers and why cash works better for everyone.Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMTbusinessconsultingstartupsOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/pcb-review-checklist/https://crablabs.io/insights/pcb-review-checklist/47-point checklist covering power, signal integrity, layout, and manufacturing readiness.Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMTPCB-designchecklistmanufacturingqualityOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/pricing-models/https://crablabs.io/insights/pricing-models/When each pricing model works, when it doesn't, and why we use fixed-price.Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMTpricingconsultingbusinessOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/prototype-to-production/https://crablabs.io/insights/prototype-to-production/What changes at 100, 1000, and 10000 units: costs, suppliers, and process shifts.Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTmanufacturingproductionscalinghardwareOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/reading-datasheets/https://crablabs.io/insights/reading-datasheets/What to look for, what to ignore, and how to interpret component specifications.Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTcomponentsdatasheetshardwaretutorialOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/requirements-documents-fail/https://crablabs.io/insights/requirements-documents-fail/Common patterns that make specs useless and approaches that work better.Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 GMTengineeringrequirementsproject-managementbest-practicesOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/kicad-external-libraries/https://crablabs.io/insights/kicad-external-libraries/How to find, download, and add third-party component libraries to KiCad.Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMTPCB-designkicadschematicstutorialOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/rtos-vs-bare-metal/https://crablabs.io/insights/rtos-vs-bare-metal/When an operating system helps and when it just adds complexity.Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 GMTfirmwareRTOSembedded-systemsarchitectureOrion Seruphttps://crablabs.io/insights/usb-pd-implementation/https://crablabs.io/insights/usb-pd-implementation/Hardware and firmware considerations for adding USB PD to embedded products.Mon, 09 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMTusbpower-electronicshardwarefirmwareOrion Serup