While all products begin with the spark of inspiration, the road to a finished design can be difficult. Development is the result of both experimentation, plus the professional experience and insight of the designer. The following page on Development Stages will give you a basic outline.

    Different levels of prototypes can be manufactured. Proof of concept models are used to both inspire interest in a product and as advertising material to generate capital investment. Beta test units are then produced to gather feedback on real world use of the product. They can also help to eliminate costly modifications once a device is in full production. In all cases, the importance of a fast development cycle, and confidentiality in both the design and testing areas, have a direct effect on the profitability of the product. Time to market is a key factor in investment return.

    Most products go through revision at several stages: in design, during test, after client review, and after select customer (beta test) feedback. While the initial ideas may be sound, after working out the specific details to reach the desired result, a different and more direct path may present itself. If changes are required and made, the cost of the development is impacted. Alterations (even large ones) early on in the process have less effect than “small” changes necessary late in the game.

    The more information that is supplied by the client, the lower the cost of the project. For example, if a circuit board is to be laid out, the minimum requirement is the schematic and bill of material. If the spec sheets for the components are supplied, then less time is required to search for and verify this data, and the budget can be reduced. Designs with surface mount components generally require a fabricated board, a cost that is hard to avoid. Multi board designs, or panelized boards (many duplicates of the same board), can help to reduce the cost of prototypes. Many options are available and the designer and client must find the correct match to the project.

    When designing a board, careful consideration is paid to design requirements such as EMI, vibration and thermal stresses. Before and during the designed process, consideration is also given to ease of manufacture and cost reduction. Then we can optimize the design after a full review of device performance. Our final product can either be a fixed product, or a design that is flexible enough to be adapted to new or unforeseen uses by the client.