Built for life

Box Build Assembly

From complex electromechanical assembly to final software loading.
We take your PCBA and deliver a market-ready product,
manufactured in our UK facility under ISO 13485 standards.

Beyond Box Build Assembly Total System Integration

Complex Electromechanical:

Integration of PCBAs, wiring looms, displays, and user interfaces into custom enclosures.

Configured to Order

We don’t just build; we configure. Software flashing, firmware loading, and calibration included as standard.

Cleanroom Excellence

Availability of Class 7 cleanrooms for devices requiring ultra-low particulate contamination.

Full-Service Electronics Box Build Solutions

In-house wire harness and loom manufacture (ensuring supply chain speed).

Protecting sensitive electronics from harsh environments.

Functional testing, soak testing, and Environmental Stress Screening (ESS).

Medical & healthcare equipment

For over 40years we have designed and built reliable medical & healthcare

EV Chargers & Clean tech

Integrating PCBs, power supplies, cooling, and cabling.

Aerospace & defence

Robust and reliable. UK designed & manufactured Aerospace equipment

IoT devices & smart products

requiring complex mechanical and electronic integration.

EV Chargers & Clean tech

Built to the most stringent safety and quality standards

Consumer & industrial electronics

fully assembled to point-of-sale specifications.

Discuss Your PCB Project: +44 (0)1394 445566

Built for the World’s Most Demanding Industries

Your Journey from File to Finished Product

1. DFM Review

Engineering support to optimise your build for cost and speed

2. Procurement

Managing the Bill of Materials (BOM) including mechanical parts and fixings

3. Precision Build

Expert assembly in our Felixstowe facility

4. Final Test

100% functional verification

5. Direct-to-market

Optional drop-shipping directly to your end customers

The innovation, collaboration and resolve you showed in taking up the gauntlet of the Ventilator Challenge has been inspirational.. your achievements are remarkable. Once again, I would like to pass on the Government’s gratitude to you and your whole team.

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, British Government

Partner with the UK's most dedicated
Box Build Assembly Company

Box Build Assembly is the complete integration of all hardware and software into a final, tested, and packaged product. It transforms a collection of parts (PCBs, wires, chassis, etc.) into a fully operational unit that a customer can unbox and use. It's the most value-added step in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) hierarchy, requiring extensive project management, logistics coordination, and multidisciplinary engineering skills.

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An electronics box build—often referred to as system integration—is the end-to-end assembly of complex electronic and mechanical components into a market-ready final product. This comprehensive process integrates PCBs, intricate wiring looms, displays, and custom enclosures into a single, functional unit. At Cogent Technology, our turnkey solution manages everything from cable harness manufacture and component integration to software loading, rigorous functional testing, and global distribution.

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SMT stands for Surface Mount Technology. It is the most common method used in modern electronics manufacturing to mount components (known as Surface Mount Devices or SMDs) directly onto the surface of a Printed Circuit Board.

Unlike the traditional "Through-Hole" method—where component legs are pushed through drilled holes and soldered on the underside—SMT components sit on top of copper pads on the board's surface.

The 3-Step SMT Process
At Cogent Technology, our SMT lines are highly automated to ensure repeatability and speed:

Solder Paste Printing: We use a precision stencil to apply a specialized solder paste onto the PCB's pads.

Pick and Place: Automated machines use vacuum nozzles to "pick" components from reels and "place" them onto the wet solder paste with micron-level accuracy.

Reflow Soldering: The populated board passes through a multi-zone oven. The heat melts the solder paste, creating a permanent electrical and mechanical bond as it cools.

Why use SMT instead of Through-Hole?
Miniaturisation: SMT components can be up to 10x smaller than through-hole parts, allowing for much smaller and lighter products.

Higher Density: Because components are smaller and don’t require holes through the board, we can pack many more features into a smaller footprint.

Double-Sided Assembly: SMT allows components to be placed on both sides of the board, effectively doubling the available design space.

Cost-Effectiveness at Scale: Because the process is almost entirely automated, it significantly reduces manual labor costs and human error for medium-to-high volume production.

When is SMT not used?
While SMT is the industry standard, some components—like heavy transformers, large connectors, or power-heavy switches—still require Through-Hole Technology (THT). These parts need the extra mechanical strength provided by pins passing through the board to withstand physical stress or high heat. At Cogent, we often use a "Mixed Technology" approach to give you the best of both worlds.

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