Electronic Design - Our Process

Every project is different and presents unique challenges. The following outline provides an overview of the processes we follow in delivering successful electronic design projects.

1. Initial Consultation - We will listen to your product idea and lifecycle expectations and discuss any other pertinent factors about your product.
2. Review Meeting - A meeting will then take place with you, one of our account managers and an appropriately skilled member of our Engineering team. This is to discuss the complete design requirement and establish all technical and commercial options, including:
   • The list of "must have" features and also "nice to have" options
   • Potential limiting factors e.g. power requirements
   • Potential chip and component selection
   • Regulatory requirements
   • Physical package design
   • Manufacturing consideration
   • Potential market size
   Our Engineer will make suggestions about the best method of manufacture, ways to improve the product as well as how to save cost. Once all of this information has been established we can prepare a quotation for you. The quotation process can take several weeks and it may be necessary to do a feasibility or research exercise first.
   
3. Detailed Designs - Once a quote has been submitted and approved, we will take your concept and begin the electronic design. This will usually involve several engineers. Once the component selection has been made and verified our electronic and firmware engineers will work in parallel. If we are designing an enclosure for the product as well, then this work will begin on a parallel path. We use a sophisticated 3D CAD package called SolidWorks. This allows us to build the product in 3D and examine every facet of its features, appearance and structural strength and integrity. These images will be shared with you and we can produce photographic quality images which can be used to review the product with your colleagues and any potential customers. Once you have reviewed the mechanical designs we can make any changes that you may require.
4. Prototype - This stage is where we produce a prototype of your product so that we can demonstrate the appearance, dimensions and functions of the product. Often we will make only a cheese board prototype first. This will demonstrate only the electronic functions and will not be to the same scale as the intended final product. Later, we may make a physical prototype to the same scale as the intended final product together with the electronic functions. You can then show this prototype to your colleagues or potential customers and test your product on your target market. At this stage you are able to choose to have the design altered based on feedback or test. It is important to note that there are often limitations with prototypes due to the material and processes that are available prior to full manufacture.
5. Production - Once you have tested the prototype we can move on to production. In order to achieve a low unit cost and a high quality it is necessary to make tooling. Once made, the tooling is your property and can be used for ongoing production runs. You can start with a small production run and increase the quantities once the market takes off.

To learn more about how we manage manufacturing please see our manufacturing services section.