This is part of a series discussing some key high-level challenges of the hardware product development process and how to tackle those problems so that you can mature your design… Read More
FROM DEMO TO DONE: ENGINEERING HARDWARE THAT ACTUALLY SHIPS
HOW TO CREATE A CODESYS PROGRAM FOR ETHERCAT DEVICES
Whether you’re developing advanced automation systems, a robotic system, or simply looking to streamline your industrial processes, there often comes a point when off-the-shelf PLC hardware just isn’t flexible or… Read More
USING AUTOMATION TO REALIZE THE DREAM OF “FAST, CHEAP, AND GOOD”
“Fast, Cheap, and Good: Choose any two.” This is an often-repeated joke in the engineering world that draws its source from the difficulties incumbent in balancing your time to market,… Read More
PRAGMATIC PRINTED PROTOS: 3D PRINTING’S PROPER PLACE IN PRODUCT PROTOTYPES
There is a lot of hype about 3D printing. 3D printing technologies have been transformative in many industries, including product development. With 3D printing we can get complex geometry in… Read More
10 WAYS NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION (NPI) SERVICES IMPROVE PRODUCTION OUTCOMES WITH YOUR CONTRACT MANUFACTURER (CM)
Embarking on the journey from prototype to mass production is a pivotal stage for any product. Many entrepreneurs may wonder why New Product Introduction (NPI) services are crucial to this… Read More
CREATIVE PROTOTYPING TO ACCELERATE SCARA ROBOT DESIGN
With time-to-market pressures often compressing design engineering cycles, being able to employ creative prototyping techniques to get through vital design hurdles is critical. Using a combination of CAD-based component selection,… Read More
MAKE VS. BUY: IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS IN PART SELECTION
Often, when engineering a design, you may be faced with having to decide between using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts versus designing new, custom parts for the design. Do you “make”… Read More
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS DURING SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES
After a second full year of the pandemic, supply chains for numerous goods, components, and materials continue to be in crisis. The importing companies of the Port of Los Angeles,… Read More
THE THREE STEPS OF TOLERANCE ANALYSIS
Transforming your mechanical CAD designs into real and tangible parts is one of the most rewarding feelings as an engineer. However, a lot of things can go wrong during this… Read More
UTILIZING SOLIDWORKS CONFIGURATIONS WHEN DESIGNING A NEW PRODUCT
Configurations are a powerful tool in SOLIDWORKS which allow users to maintain multiple versions of a part or an assembly in a single file. Like many features in SOLIDWORKS, Configurations… Read More
Software: Design Complete
Hardware: Pre-production units for design verification
MFG. Readiness: CM schedule and budget, Unit build tracking