Services — Jordan Waeles Hardware Engineering

[01]

Parts selection based on your constraints — stock, availability, price, preferred vendors and any other criteria you need to honour.
Specialized in mixed-signal boards, IoT and embedded systems (STM32, ESP32, RP2350…), system-on-module carriers (Raspberry Pi Compute Module, Allwinner-based SoCs), inter-IC communication (I²C, SPI, I²S, UART, GPIO…) and industry-specific I/O — analog audio in/out, IO-Link, RS485 / DMX, Ethernet, WiFi and sub-GHz radio modules.
Industrial constraints, shielding, environmental parameters, RF environment, specific operating voltages, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection.

[02]

ECAD tools: KiCAD 10, Altium Designer.
Creation of custom component libraries.
Multilayer PCBs with high-speed length-matched differential buses, sensitive analog signals, and impedance-controlled traces.
Size and shape mandated by the enclosure, with extra care for mechanical constraints — connector placement, UI elements (displays, LEDs, buttons, encoders) and board fastening techniques chosen for ease of manufacturing, assembly time and production quantity.
Electromagnetic compatibility & interference (EMC / EMI) considered from the very start of the project, maximizing your chances for applicable compliance tests to pass.
Careful placement and routing of high-efficiency switching DC regulators, minimizing EMI emissions and optimizing power distribution to critical components.
Test points, debug interfaces, UART / JTAG / SWD programming ports and status LEDs — built in, not bolted on.
Board-to-board and wire-to-board connectors for modular multi-board systems (standard FPC, JST, Molex) — accounting for signal integrity, current carrying capability, derating, assembly error prevention and vibration resistance.
Drawing and specification of custom cable assemblies and wire harnesses.
Maintenance of documentation including notable design decisions, calculations, simulations and agreed-upon trade-offs.

[03]

Advice on suitable enclosures for your targeted production price point, durability, mounting, environment and required flammability rating.
Conception and 2D / 3D drawing of CNC, sheet metal, machined and extruded parts.
Customization of off-the-shelf boxes from common enclosure manufacturers, or designing of fully custom models for specific needs.
3D printing of small parts — translucent light pipes, button hoods, brackets.
Specification of material, surface finish and printing.
Manufacturing vendor RFQ, selection, technical briefing, production files and follow-up.
Export of 2D dimensional drawings, plus STP, DXF and any other format needed for production, documentation and archival.
CAD software: Autodesk Fusion.

[04]

Exporting of production files: Gerbers, Bill of Materials, pick & place position files, mechanical files, assembly instructions.
Communication with PCB / PCBA factories.
Custom test jigs (PCBs, pogo pins, clamping fixtures) and associated test scripts.
Board bring-up: verification, smoke test / fire extinguisher 🧯, measurements, thermal imaging, test firmware, peripheral IC communication tests and drivers.
Sync-up with assembly personnel to gather their feedback, find solutions to time-consuming and difficult parts, and improve the next iterations.
Most proficient languages: C, Python.

// Other freelance services

Non-hardware specialties.

A handful of other things I do professionally — usually for clients in the event industry.

Certified Laser Safety Officer for the event industry — laser light show safety assessment and compliance documentation.

Light show programming and operation: ChamSys MQ70, MADRIX, Resolume, Capture 2026 Symphony.

Guess what type of music I occasionally DJ? That's right… electronic music.

Personal centers of interest when I'm not in front of KiCAD / Fusion: homelab, smart home, cyber security.

// Next step

Tell me about the scope, the deadline, and where you're stuck — I'll get back to you with a candid assessment.