Most people have heard of one or two ideas that even though they raised many multiples of their goal in a crowd funding campaign, they never successfully made it to production. This is only the tip of the iceberg, the road to success is littered with companies that did not understand the big picture of bringing a product to production.

Our team, with over a hundred years of combined experience, is familiar with all of the processes necessary to reach your final goals and limit risks.  Our goal is to channel our cumulative knowledge to help you find the services that best fit your needs, and get you to market.

Here are just some of the issues that come up in bringing a product from initial prototype to finished production, any one of these can cause delays, cost overruns and failure:

• Plastics

o   Fire retardant regulations for battery powered electronics dictate the type of plastic that can be used.  Every plastic has different manufacturing characteristics and tooling considerations.

o   The type of tooling is affected by the design and product life cycle.

• Plastics with fill are abrasive to tools.
• Is the plastic specified capable of withstanding the rigors of daily use of the finished product?
• Some plastics require high temperature/high pressure tools.
• While aluminum tools are quicker they will not yield as many parts, while steel tools cost more and take longer.
• Where are the tools made? Tooling and plastics from Asia may be cheaper to buy, but if you are considering a market outside of Asia you will need to ship the tools or plastics.  The overall cost of your parts is a choice of paying for air freight or waiting for as long as five weeks for your parts to arrive.

o   Has the design been reviewed for manufacturability, fit form and function?

• If a tolerance stack analysis has not been done prior to the tools being made the parts may well not fit well as a finished assembly.
• While aluminum tools are easier to modify than steel tools it still takes time and cost money.There have been cases where the tools had to be scrapped and started over.
• Has the design been reviewed for stress concentrations that will cause failure when the product is being used by the consumer. Eliminating stress risers will mandate a re-design of the component as well as modification of the tool, again, time and money.
• Has the finish of the part been evaluated? Plastic flows in the tool, cooling as it goes.  Where plastic flows around an opening there will be flow marks and knit marks that may be objectionable.   Oft times this can be minimized by evaluating the part and tool design prior to committing to tooling.
• Electronics

o   Have the components for the product been evaluated?

• Some components have a lead time as long as twenty-two weeks in production quantities.Bringing them in earlier can significantly increase cost.
• Some components, while available through distribution, are headed for end of life long before the product life is over. Changing them can cause painful re-design and re-certification issues.
• Certification issues such as ROHS are mandatory depending on where you intend to market your product.
• Are there any hidden issues with the components chosen? Working with the manufacturers of the major components of your design we find if there are hidden issues.

o   Has the circuit board layout been reviewed?

• Are there component interaction issues due to placement on the board that will cause unforeseen performance issues?
• Has the requirement for lead free solder been evaluated?
• Is the board layout been reviewed for compliance with standard practices for manufacturability?
• Has shielding been properly been considered for compliance with agency certification requirements?
• FCC and CE certifications are mandatory for importing electronic products into most countries.

o   Has the product performance been evaluated prior to production?

• As an example, does any radio communication (Bluetooth, WiFi, or Cellular) work at the ranges that will be required during regular use. If you are using GPS, what is the time to first fix.  These issues can have a serious effect on battery life and usability of the product.
• If there is a screen, is the response time fast enough to create the desired viewing experience?
• If there is a touch screen, is it pinched by the casing to keep it from working properly?
• Is any antenna placement been evaluated for gain and performance?
• Packaging

o   How much is enough, how much is to much.  The goal is to present your product in a favorable light and get it to the customer without damage in a way that delights them at minimum shipping cost and presentation size.  Getting shelf space is the key to being successful if you are in the retail market.

• Where to build

o   Most innovators assume that China is the holy grail of manufacturing.  This may be so in some cases but where JIT delivery is critical to minimizing inventory carrying costs, a 5-week shipping schedule can cause shortages and lose customers, leaving expensive air freight as the only option.

o   Having a product built in Asia means either having someone there to monitor the project or traveling there periodically for things like tooling approval and production release.  This does not include any travel required for trouble shooting the project.

• When evaluating where to build it is wise to plug into the cost equation $5000 per person per visit or more. While you can do approvals by having parts shipped to you, each approval will add at least a week to the project.
• We have people on the ground in Asia along with many years evaluating sources to meet customer needs. As part of our services we can also accompany you and help you learn the ropes.

o   Most of us have hear of Foxconn, they build for HP and Apple among many others, they are probably not for you.  The issue in selecting the proper electronic manufacturing service to build your product is finding the right fit.  If you are to small a fish in a big pond you will not get the attention you need to be successful.  The math is simple; if your estimated annual volume is say $10 Million, GREAT, if you go to a company that does $200 million a year in business you will get about 5% of their attention ($200 million a year is only a small to medium electronic manufacturing service).  If you select a very small company you may not get the quality and service you need to be successful.

Sourcing, logistics, engineering and project management support are essential to a successful product release.  We provide these services without burdening your overhead with costly employees that become a financial burden when their tasks are complete.

Most people have heard of one or two ideas that even though they raised many multiples of their goal in a crowd funding campaign, they never successfully made it to production. This is only the tip of the iceberg, the road to success is littered with companies that did not understand the big picture of bringing a product to production.

Our team, with over a hundred years of combined experience, is familiar with all of the processes necessary to reach your final goals and limit risks.  Our goal is to channel our cumulative knowledge to help you find the services that best fit your needs, and get you to market.

Here are just some of the issues that come up in bringing a product from initial prototype to finished production, any one of these can cause delays, cost overruns and failure:

• Plastics

o   Fire retardant regulations for battery powered electronics dictate the type of plastic that can be used.  Every plastic has different manufacturing characteristics and tooling considerations.

o   The type of tooling is affected by the design and product life cycle.

• Plastics with fill are abrasive to tools.
• Is the plastic specified capable of withstanding the rigors of daily use of the finished product?
• Some plastics require high temperature/high pressure tools.
• While aluminum tools are quicker they will not yield as many parts, while steel tools cost more and take longer.
• Where are the tools made? Tooling and plastics from Asia may be cheaper to buy, but if you are considering a market outside of Asia you will need to ship the tools or plastics.  The overall cost of your parts is a choice of paying for air freight or waiting for as long as five weeks for your parts to arrive.

o   Has the design been reviewed for manufacturability, fit form and function?

• If a tolerance stack analysis has not been done prior to the tools being made the parts may well not fit well as a finished assembly.
• While aluminum tools are easier to modify than steel tools it still takes time and cost money.There have been cases where the tools had to be scrapped and started over.
• Has the design been reviewed for stress concentrations that will cause failure when the product is being used by the consumer. Eliminating stress risers will mandate a re-design of the component as well as modification of the tool, again, time and money.
• Has the finish of the part been evaluated? Plastic flows in the tool, cooling as it goes.  Where plastic flows around an opening there will be flow marks and knit marks that may be objectionable.   Oft times this can be minimized by evaluating the part and tool design prior to committing to tooling.
• Electronics

o   Have the components for the product been evaluated?

• Some components have a lead time as long as twenty-two weeks in production quantities.Bringing them in earlier can significantly increase cost.
• Some components, while available through distribution, are headed for end of life long before the product life is over. Changing them can cause painful re-design and re-certification issues.
• Certification issues such as ROHS are mandatory depending on where you intend to market your product.
• Are there any hidden issues with the components chosen? Working with the manufacturers of the major components of your design we find if there are hidden issues.

o   Has the circuit board layout been reviewed?

• Are there component interaction issues due to placement on the board that will cause unforeseen performance issues?
• Has the requirement for lead free solder been evaluated?
• Is the board layout been reviewed for compliance with standard practices for manufacturability?
• Has shielding been properly been considered for compliance with agency certification requirements?
• FCC and CE certifications are mandatory for importing electronic products into most countries.

o   Has the product performance been evaluated prior to production?

• As an example, does any radio communication (Bluetooth, WiFi, or Cellular) work at the ranges that will be required during regular use. If you are using GPS, what is the time to first fix.  These issues can have a serious effect on battery life and usability of the product.
• If there is a screen, is the response time fast enough to create the desired viewing experience?
• If there is a touch screen, is it pinched by the casing to keep it from working properly?
• Is any antenna placement been evaluated for gain and performance?
• Packaging

o   How much is enough, how much is to much.  The goal is to present your product in a favorable light and get it to the customer without damage in a way that delights them at minimum shipping cost and presentation size.  Getting shelf space is the key to being successful if you are in the retail market.

• Where to build

o   Most innovators assume that China is the holy grail of manufacturing.  This may be so in some cases but where JIT delivery is critical to minimizing inventory carrying costs, a 5-week shipping schedule can cause shortages and lose customers, leaving expensive air freight as the only option.

o   Having a product built in Asia means either having someone there to monitor the project or traveling there periodically for things like tooling approval and production release.  This does not include any travel required for trouble shooting the project.

• When evaluating where to build it is wise to plug into the cost equation $5000 per person per visit or more. While you can do approvals by having parts shipped to you, each approval will add at least a week to the project.
• We have people on the ground in Asia along with many years evaluating sources to meet customer needs. As part of our services we can also accompany you and help you learn the ropes.

o   Most of us have hear of Foxconn, they build for HP and Apple among many others, they are probably not for you.  The issue in selecting the proper electronic manufacturing service to build your product is finding the right fit.  If you are to small a fish in a big pond you will not get the attention you need to be successful.  The math is simple; if your estimated annual volume is say $10 Million, GREAT, if you go to a company that does $200 million a year in business you will get about 5% of their attention ($200 million a year is only a small to medium electronic manufacturing service).  If you select a very small company you may not get the quality and service you need to be successful.

Sourcing, logistics, engineering and project management support are essential to a successful product release.  We provide these services without burdening your overhead with costly employees that become a financial burden when their tasks are complete.

Most people have heard of one or two ideas that even though they raised many multiples of their goal in a crowd funding campaign, they never successfully made it to production. This is only the tip of the iceberg, the road to success is littered with companies that did not understand the big picture of bringing a product to production.

Our team, with over a hundred years of combined experience, is familiar with all of the processes necessary to reach your final goals and limit risks.  Our goal is to channel our cumulative knowledge to help you find the services that best fit your needs, and get you to market.

Here are just some of the issues that come up in bringing a product from initial prototype to finished production, any one of these can cause delays, cost overruns and failure:

• Plastics

o   Fire retardant regulations for battery powered electronics dictate the type of plastic that can be used.  Every plastic has different manufacturing characteristics and tooling considerations.

o   The type of tooling is affected by the design and product life cycle.

• Plastics with fill are abrasive to tools.
• Is the plastic specified capable of withstanding the rigors of daily use of the finished product?
• Some plastics require high temperature/high pressure tools.
• While aluminum tools are quicker they will not yield as many parts, while steel tools cost more and take longer.
• Where are the tools made? Tooling and plastics from Asia may be cheaper to buy, but if you are considering a market outside of Asia you will need to ship the tools or plastics.  The overall cost of your parts is a choice of paying for air freight or waiting for as long as five weeks for your parts to arrive.

o   Has the design been reviewed for manufacturability, fit form and function?

• If a tolerance stack analysis has not been done prior to the tools being made the parts may well not fit well as a finished assembly.
• While aluminum tools are easier to modify than steel tools it still takes time and cost money.There have been cases where the tools had to be scrapped and started over.
• Has the design been reviewed for stress concentrations that will cause failure when the product is being used by the consumer. Eliminating stress risers will mandate a re-design of the component as well as modification of the tool, again, time and money.
• Has the finish of the part been evaluated? Plastic flows in the tool, cooling as it goes.  Where plastic flows around an opening there will be flow marks and knit marks that may be objectionable.   Oft times this can be minimized by evaluating the part and tool design prior to committing to tooling.
• Electronics

o   Have the components for the product been evaluated?

• Some components have a lead time as long as twenty-two weeks in production quantities.Bringing them in earlier can significantly increase cost.
• Some components, while available through distribution, are headed for end of life long before the product life is over. Changing them can cause painful re-design and re-certification issues.
• Certification issues such as ROHS are mandatory depending on where you intend to market your product.
• Are there any hidden issues with the components chosen? Working with the manufacturers of the major components of your design we find if there are hidden issues.

o   Has the circuit board layout been reviewed?

• Are there component interaction issues due to placement on the board that will cause unforeseen performance issues?
• Has the requirement for lead free solder been evaluated?
• Is the board layout been reviewed for compliance with standard practices for manufacturability?
• Has shielding been properly been considered for compliance with agency certification requirements?
• FCC and CE certifications are mandatory for importing electronic products into most countries.

o   Has the product performance been evaluated prior to production?

• As an example, does any radio communication (Bluetooth, WiFi, or Cellular) work at the ranges that will be required during regular use. If you are using GPS, what is the time to first fix.  These issues can have a serious effect on battery life and usability of the product.
• If there is a screen, is the response time fast enough to create the desired viewing experience?
• If there is a touch screen, is it pinched by the casing to keep it from working properly?
• Is any antenna placement been evaluated for gain and performance?
• Packaging

o   How much is enough, how much is to much.  The goal is to present your product in a favorable light and get it to the customer without damage in a way that delights them at minimum shipping cost and presentation size.  Getting shelf space is the key to being successful if you are in the retail market.

• Where to build

o   Most innovators assume that China is the holy grail of manufacturing.  This may be so in some cases but where JIT delivery is critical to minimizing inventory carrying costs, a 5-week shipping schedule can cause shortages and lose customers, leaving expensive air freight as the only option.

o   Having a product built in Asia means either having someone there to monitor the project or traveling there periodically for things like tooling approval and production release.  This does not include any travel required for trouble shooting the project.

• When evaluating where to build it is wise to plug into the cost equation $5000 per person per visit or more. While you can do approvals by having parts shipped to you, each approval will add at least a week to the project.
• We have people on the ground in Asia along with many years evaluating sources to meet customer needs. As part of our services we can also accompany you and help you learn the ropes.

o   Most of us have hear of Foxconn, they build for HP and Apple among many others, they are probably not for you.  The issue in selecting the proper electronic manufacturing service to build your product is finding the right fit.  If you are to small a fish in a big pond you will not get the attention you need to be successful.  The math is simple; if your estimated annual volume is say $10 Million, GREAT, if you go to a company that does $200 million a year in business you will get about 5% of their attention ($200 million a year is only a small to medium electronic manufacturing service).  If you select a very small company you may not get the quality and service you need to be successful.

Sourcing, logistics, engineering and project management support are essential to a successful product release.  We provide these services without burdening your overhead with costly employees that become a financial burden when their tasks are complete.