From series production to prototype services: How BMK optimized its rapid prototyping process

As a leading provider of electronic engineering and manufacturing services (EMS), BMK inspires with an optimised value creation process and a customised service approach. In addition to comprehensive technical know-how from development and production through to end-of-life management of electronic assemblies and systems, BMK provides individual fulfilment/logistics services and supply chain management. To meet the growing demand for rapid prototypes, BMK launched BMKyourproto, a prototype service with quick, lean, and flexible processes.

“We wanted to expand our service portfolio. Customers need fast results to accelerate their development cycles. This was only partially possible with our series production processes, which is why we restructured and looked for a solution.” - Mario Rehbehn, Head of Sales Team, Prototype Service, BMK

BMK soon established a dedicated prototyping unit with its own resources and a unified digital process. The goal was to create an efficient internal workflow that would deliver an exceptional external customer experience. Luminovo was chosen as the technological basis for the new BMKyourproto division to implement this transformation step-by-step.

The starting point: Many tools, many loops, little time

At the beginning of the prototype service, BMK still worked with a mix of different tools and Excel files, manually consolidating information. Customer quotes arrived via email, and Bills of Materials (BOMs) had to be laboriously checked and prepared before a material calculation was possible.

“For example, we calculated material prices in one tool and then manually transferred them to Excel. The data from work preparation was passed on to purchasing via email; it was all very complex.” — Mario Rehbehn, Head of Sales Team, Prototype Service, BMK

Quotes about BOMs and coordination with various contacts, both internally and with the customer, repeatedly led to delays. Many responses were sent via traditional email, resulting in long coordination loops. At the same time, information from different tools had to be manually merged before a complete quote could be created. Despite a clearly structured internal process, final quote generation was often delayed by several days to weeks due to a lack of suitable options for collaborative editing and coordination.

The solution: A structured prototyping process with Luminovo

Today, BMKyourproto uses Luminovos customer collaboration module for the majority of prototype inquiries. About 80% of active prototype customers are already satisfied users of the portal. Customers upload their BOMs directly to the portal, receive automatic feedback on availability, and can clarify technical questions directly via the integrated chat function.

“Customer communication now takes place directly within the portal. Everything is structured, documented, and organized by project. This is a huge improvement from before, when information were exchanged via email ping-pong.”

“The BOM recognition works really well – that’s also regular feedback from our customers. It saves us not only time but also many follow-up questions.” - Mario Rehbehn, Head of Sales Team, Prototype Service, BMK

A major improvement: In 80% of cases, customers now prepare the BOMs themselves, supported by Luminovos automatic detection of manufacturers and part numbers. This not only improves data quality but also allows any inconsistencies to be clarified immediately thanks to instant feedback. Customers receive their final quote significantly faster than before.

Key outcomes at a glance:

• >80% of customer inquiries are now handled through the customer portal.

• 1–2 days is the maximum time to deliver a final quote to the customer.

From days to hours: faster quotes, happier customers 

With the digitized workflows provided by Luminovo, the BMKyourproto team can create a quote on the same day. For more complex PCBs, the turnaround is a maximum of two working days, which is a huge improvement compared to the previous process.

“In the past, it took several days because clarification loops dragged on. Now we’ve eliminated many of those steps. When the data in the portal is complete, we can start right away.” - Mario Rehbehn, Head of Sales Team, Prototype Service, BMK

In addition to enabling simplified, direct collaboration with customers within the tool, Luminovo has also improved internal teamwork, creating noticeable relief across departments. While different tools were used in the past, all key steps for fast quote generation, such as material and production costing, now happen within a single platform. Handoffs between team members are managed via project-specific comments directly in the system, allowing seamless continuation of work. With Luminovo, friction and communication breaks between systems have been reduced to one central tool.

Customers value the modern process

BMKyourproto actively assists new customers with getting started on the portal. During onboarding sessions, the service is introduced, and a sample project is demonstrated, so customers can quickly and easily request their projects in a short time. This small effort pays off for everyone.

“We show them how the system works and guide them through their first project. The feedback is consistently positive."- Mario Rehbehn, Head of Sales Team, Prototype Service, BMK

Compared to other platforms, the quality of BOM preparation is consistently highlighted. Luminovo automatically recognizes columns and recently introduced AI support for automatically extracting PCB data.

Conclusion: Enhanced collaboration, speed and customer satisfaction

Through its partnership with Luminovo, BMKyouproto has created an internal process that is fast, digital, and transparent, tailored specifically to the requirements of prototype production. Collaboration within the team and with customers is now more structured and efficient.

“It's more efficient to work in one tool instead of five. We save time, can process more inquiries in parallel, and our customers are satisfied.” - Mario Rehbehn, Head of Sales Team, Prototype Service, BMK