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Prototyping & Manufacturing

WHAT THE PAST TEACHES US ABOUT OPTIMAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: PART 1

September 29, 2020 | by Mike Cheponis

WHAT THE PAST TEACHES US ABOUT OPTIMAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: PART 1

In this two part blog series we will explore product development and some of the valuable lessons that could benefit your future design by studying goal definitions and managing hierarchical… Read More

Categories: Product Development & Design, Firmware & Software, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing

MOTION CONTROL TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY 4.0 ERA

May 27, 2020 | by Will Clark

Motion Control Trends

The Motion Control market will be worth $22.8 Billion and grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.3% by 2022. What drives this growth? Companies that started automating… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Industry Trends, IoT, AI, VR, & AR, Prototyping & Manufacturing

TOP 10 ADVANCED TIPS FOR DESIGNING PLASTIC INJECTION MOLDING PARTS

January 27, 2020 | by Josh Yasbek

In a follow up to our previous blog post, Top 10 Tips For Designing Injection Molded Plastic Parts, I have listed 10 more advanced tips that can be important considerations… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Mechanical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing

WHY ON EARTH ARE HEAVY WEIGHTS BEING SUSPENDED FROM THIS PRINTER?

December 22, 2017 | by Yohei Yamamuro

Knuckles were as white as foam from a broken San Diego coastal wave as we applied 50 pounds of force on the printer, making the suspending rope taut. If I… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Product Development & Design, Prototyping & Manufacturing

10 BEST PLACES TO BUY PARTS FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

November 29, 2017 | by Josh Siegel

Purchasing off-the-shelf components is an essential task when developing mechatronic systems, especially for prototyping and low-volume applications. Often, the availability and price of particular off-the-shelf components inform the design. For example,… Read More

Categories: Product Development & Design, Mechanical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing

RISK MITIGATION IN PRODUCT DESIGN: PART 1

June 28, 2017 | by Doug Harriman

During product development, you must take risks to achieve market success. To also achieve business success, it’s critical for a design firm to assess and address risks as early and… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Product Development & Design, Prototyping & Manufacturing

WHY ENGINEERING STILL MATTERS IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

March 29, 2017 | by Gabriel Aldaz

The prototyping process is faster and easier than ever before. The Maker Movement encourages us to build, build, build. Rapid prototyping with Arduino and 3D-printed parts and overnight shipping from… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Mechanical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing

TOP 10 TIPS FOR DESIGNING INJECTION MOLDED PLASTIC PARTS

November 22, 2016 | by Keisha Dorsey

Injection molded plastic parts have some wonderful benefits including scalability, the ability to make simple to extremely complex parts, and uniformity, the ability to make hundreds to millions of virtually… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Mechanical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSIDER DESIGNING CUSTOM GEARS?

November 7, 2016 | by Michael Allison

There are typically a number of considerations when choosing whether you want to use a stock gear or to design a custom gear. Two of the key considerations are cost… Read More

Categories: Engineering & Analysis, Mechanical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing, Mechatronics

HOW TO USE OPEN SOURCE HARDWARE IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

September 1, 2016 | by Doug Harriman

There are many amazing open source hardware (OSHW) printed circuit assembly (PCA) projects available today. Arduino®, BeagleBone®, Rasperry Pi®, OpenPilot®, and RepRap® are a few of the bigger names, but… Read More

Categories: Product Development & Design, Electrical Engineering, Prototyping & Manufacturing

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Phase 3: Design Verification And Design Transfer

Design & Engineering

Software: Design Complete
Hardware: Pre-production units for design verification

Test: Design verification test

NPI

MFG. Readiness: CM schedule and budget, Unit build tracking

Quality: Quality metrics verification process, Process validation support
This phase occurs once the detailed design is complete, and prototypes are built with manufacturing-representative quality and detail. More extensive, formal testing is performed, such as life, reliability, safety, environmental, drop, and vibration.

The design team works closely with the manufacturing team to enable a smooth transfer, often with Simplexity engineers traveling to the contract manufacturer sites to ensure product quality. The design is transferred to the client based upon specific needs, most often after all tests are complete and the design is verified.

Typical deliverables:

  • Pre-production units
  • Formal verification test reports
  • Design transfer package, including Design History File (DHF) if needed for FDA submittal
  • Process validation support
  • Unit build tracking
  • Contract manufacturing schedule and budget
  • Quality metrics verification

Gate definition:

  • Design verification complete

Phase 2C: Detailed Design Prototype 2

Design & Engineering

Software: Full feature implementation
Hardware: Prototype 2 units with production-representative materials and processes

Test: Engineering confidence test, integration test

NPI

MFG. Readiness: CM onboarding Design transfer prep
Quality: Build Quality Plan

2C. Prototype 2 Design, Build And Test

Phase 2C iterates on the learnings of Phase 2B and involves a refined prototype build of a fully integrated system. Some projects also benefit from additional iterations of the product based on prior learnings through additional phases (2D, 2E, etc), which are not represented in this graphic.  All requirements are intended to be tested, and at the end of Phase 2 there will be confidence that the units will pass verification in Phase 3.  The Bill of Materials is further refined, and the team updates estimates for the per unit cost of the product by receiving pricing from vendors and suppliers.

Typical deliverables:

  • Updated prototypes
  • Software and/or firmware binaries and source code
  • Updated schematics and layout
  • Updated 3D CAD files and 2D drawings
  • Verification/test plans and reports
  • Updated Bill of Materials (BOM) and Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
  • Build Quality Plan development
  • Design transfer preparation
  • Contract Manufacturer onboarding

Gate definition:

  • Engineering confidence test reviews (integration tests)

Phase 2B: Detailed Design

Design & Engineering

Software: Core functionality implementation
Hardware: Prototype 1 units with rapid prototyped components

Test: Engineering confidence test, unit test

NPI

MFG: Readiness: Project build plan CM selection
Quality: Critical manufacturing process identification

2B. Prototype 1 Design, Build And Test

The detailed design phase usually has multiple, iterative sub-phases as the design progresses and representative prototypes are built. Phases 2B and 2C are typically the largest efforts in the product development process, where the specific implementation for all disciplines occurs (mechanical, industrial design, electrical, firmware, systems, software, manufacturing, and quality).

Simplexity typically engages with production component suppliers and contract manufacturing groups early in this phase to provide additional manufacturing input on the design. If the product has stringent testing or certification requirements, pre-screens are performed in this phase prior to formal regulatory agency testing.

Typical deliverables:

  • Prototypes (3D printed or other rapid prototypes, electrical PCAs, and/or preliminary code)
  • Software and hardware design documentation
  • Initial product firmware or software binaries and source code
  • Electrical schematics and layout
  • 3D CAD files
  • Design failure mode and effect analysis
  • Test plans and reports
  • Project build plan – from prototype to pre-production
  • Initial Bill of Materials (BOM) and Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
  • Manufacturing process identification
  • Contract Manufacturer (CM) selection

Gate definition:

  • Engineering confidence test reviews

Phase 1: Requirements & Planing

Design & Engineering

Project Plan Requirements
ID/UX Concepts
Risk Analysis
Manufacturing Strategy Identification

 

The business and user requirements are converted into engineering requirements for the product. The project planning activity is based on the schedule, budget, risk, and initial product requirements. This process is best done as a collaborative team effort with the client, who has the deepest understanding of the market needs and user requirements.

Typical deliverables:

  • Product requirements document
  • Project development plan (including plans for software/firmware electrical, quality, systems, and mechanical)
  • Risk analysis
  • Industrial Design (ID) and User Interface (UI) concepts

Gate definition:

  • Product requirements document complete
  • Client approval of project development plan

Production

Design & Engineering

Manufacturing design guidance and ongoing engineering support
Ongoing quality metrics monitoring & optimization
The Simplexity team can be as involved in the production phase as requested by our clients. For clients with internal manufacturing or established relationships with contract manufacturers, our engineers are available to ensure quality is maintained and provide ongoing engineering support as needed.

Simplexity has a dedicated New Product Introduction (NPI) team that can guide the transition from design into production. The NPI team presents multiple options for manufacturing to the client, allowing clients to choose the solution that best suits their needs.  This can involve Simplexity performing initial builds in-house prior to full handoff to a contract manufacturer or building the product via established relationships with contract manufacturing partners either domestically or overseas early in the process.

Typical deliverables:

  • Manufacturing guidance and ongoing engineering support
  • Ongoing quality metrics monitoring and optimization

Phase 2: Detailed Design

Design & Engineering

Software: Architecture design: block, sequence and state diagrams
Hardware: Major Component definition & Proof of Concept subsystems build

Test: Characterization and qualification of high risk subsystems & components

NPI

Quality: Design for Manufacturing tradeoffs evaluation

2A. Architecture and Technology Feasability

The detailed design phase starts with defining options for the product architecture, with the goal of having the greatest chance of successfully meeting product requirements while best mitigating risk. Engineering activities in this phase include presenting options for hardware components, outlining the system block, sequence, and state diagrams, creating rough CAD, and breadboarding of high-risk subsystems. Results are presented with a description of the pros, cons, and key tradeoffs for each scenario.

Typical deliverables:

  • System architecture design (including mechanical, electrical and software/firmware)
  • Initial product risk analysis
  • Breadboards or proof-of-concept prototypes of high-risk technologies or subsystems.
  • ID concept models

Gate definition:

  • Client approval following hardware and software architecture reviews

Phase 0: Exploration

Exploration

Research
Concept Work
Architecture explorations
Feasibility study
Phase 0 is an optional phase for projects where the technical feasibility of the idea has not yet been fully proven. It can consist of research, concept work, exploring initial architecture, performing feasibility studies, and basic prototyping and testing.

Typical deliverables:

  • Exploration report

Gate definition:

  • Client approval on feasibility of idea