One of the primary choices that must definitely be produced in the electronics design is which microprocessor or microcontroller architecture will be utilized if your product idea requires processing capability. Most microprocessor or microcontroller tools are obtainable in a variety of configurations of of memory space sizes by incorporating including non-volatile Flash memory for program storage, quantity and types of input and output pins, package types for surface mount or through-hole applications, clock speeds, and interfaces which are supported by the processor and never have to add additional devices.
When a microprocessor or microcontroller folks are selected, additional decisions should be made on which system clock frequency to make use of, how much processor and system memory will be necessary for the applying, and the way the program development processes should be supported. A choice of processor architecture must look at the available software development and testing tools and the software design resources which will be required for your product's software/firmware design. Additional decisions has to be made on how the software/firmware is going to be loaded to the processor's memory during the manufacturing process. Will the look allow the finished product to just accept field or user initiated software/firmware upgrades, or will the product be considered a one-time programmable unit?
Ahead of the processor portion of the design is finished, you have to also define which forms of interfaces to external systems will be required (serial port, parallel port, USB, Ethernet, wireless connection for example 802.11x or Bluetooth, infrared, etc.) as well as the minimum interface bandwidth rates required. Most of these factors will play a job when choosing the most effective processor product to use in your design application. Some microprocessor/microcontroller product examples that you could research would be the MicroChip PAL series as well as the category of products from Atmel as both these suppliers provide some very powerful but low cost processor solutions.
Electronic components, including microprocessors and microcontrollers, are usually obtainable in both surface mount and through-hole versions. Some electronic components might be obtainable in just one format (including some transformers, relays, capacitors, power resistors, or connectors being released only in through-hole packages). Surface mount components are preferred for almost any volume level production since they are usually less costly to get, more readily available, and allow for more compact pcb designs since the components use up a lot less space and is put on each side from the board if required. Using surface mount technology may allow the printed circuit board design to employ a smaller size and/or fewer layers, thus reducing raw board costs. However, surface mount components will make in-house assembly and soldering difficult or even impossible if you don't possess the proper equipment and expertise.