ProvenMetal Aims to Speed Up Domestic PCB Assembly With Front-End Automation

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Y Combinator-backed startup ProvenMetal, founded by Will and Johnny, is building a faster domestic circuit board assembly service that aims to deliver assembled PCBs in days rather than weeks. The company targets a gap in the US market, where domestic PCB production has fallen from 30% of global output in 2000 to just 4% today, with China now accounting for 55%. Rather than owning manufacturing equipment, ProvenMetal focuses on automating the front-end bottlenecks — quoting, design-for-manufacture review, and component procurement — and coordinates with existing US fabrication and assembly houses. The platform integrates with popular PCB design tools KiCAD and Altium, allowing it to automatically source parts and place orders even before a board layout is finalized. Components are kitted at the company's San Francisco headquarters and routed through its network of manufacturing partners.

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