Let's say you have an excellent idea for a new product and want to sell it. You could be doing this for yourself as a single creator, or you could be doing it for a big company. Even if you have a lot of knowledge, introducing a new product can be challenging.
From prototyping to production, we want to make the whole process easier by sharing ideas from a manufacturer's point of view. If you learn from us, we're sure you'll save time, money, and trouble on your way to a good product launch.
These are the step-by-step process from prototype to production:
If you already know how to create and have drawing software. You can take your time with this part and do it yourself. 2D sketches show all sizes, tolerances, surface finishes, and other numbers. This can also be done with 3D drawings, which also help the manufacturer program their digital tools for making things.
If you need to learn how to design on a computer, hire a professional firm to do it for you. The design stage is crucial because this is where mistakes can be found and fixed most quickly and for the least amount of money. Now, can a rough model be made from a sketch on a paper napkin? Yes, it is possible, but only for the simplest forms and after a lot of trying and failing.
Simple designs are easier and faster to make, cost less and can use regular materials that are less expensive and easier to find. Every new layer of complexity adds a lot to the cost, the time it takes to make the product, and the chances of mistakes or parts being thrown away. And if the job turns out to be impossible for some reason, a simple design means less financial risk.
Most designs would be better off with looser dimensional limits for all but the essential parts, which shouldn't be many. For CNC machining, it is easy to get an accuracy of +/-.05mm, or 50 microns, with good tools and equipment. This level of accuracy is more than enough for the vast majority of parts and components used in consumer and commercial products. Can limits be made even tighter than this? Certainly, but doing so takes a lot more time and work, costs more, and leads to a higher rate of rejections. All this was done without making a part that looks or works better.
When making a first sample, you can use a partial list of all the parts. It's hard to create one at that point because the final style might still need to be set. But when it's time to start the assembly, every part must be accounted for. Every nut, bolt, and screw, as well as every rubber button or metal clip and every bit of paint or glue, must be counted as a separate cost. The supply chain gets more complicated with more line items, so we suggest keeping designs simple. You can see that a complete BOM makes it easier to figure out where every dollar is going. Those pennies add up if you end up making a million parts. Better to get ready for this right away.
Sometimes an expensive or rare material is used to make a sample. This is done to make a showpiece or help with marketing or funding. But unusual materials are only suitable for making a few things at a time.
Think about using more popular raw materials instead. They will cost less and be easier and faster to get and cost less. Most importantly, manufacturers have more experience working with stock materials, making it easier to control process factors for more consistent results.
A carefully sanded, polished prototype, hand-painted with a unique color, looks great. But is it possible to do that on a large scale? Detail-oriented and careful handwork is usually needed for elaborate surface finishes, which is only sometimes possible for mass production.
For the best efficiency, non-cosmetic parts should have a surface finish called "as machined." Areas that need to look nice can be painted or plated to get great results. Anodizing is a surface treatment for aluminum and titanium that makes them look nice and last long. Parts can be treated in batches as needed without committing to a minimum number.
People say that if you don't plan, you plan to fail. But planning does not mean that you will be successful. So, how do you ensure everything goes smoothly, from making a sample to making many of them? Here are some smart ideas that you can use.
Even though this sounds bad, it is good advice. It keeps you and your resources from wasting time and money. Production, shipping, and rules are all parts of manufacturing that need more planning. When making production plans, you should expect that finding a reliable manufacturer will take a lot of time, cost a lot of money, and be hard. This is true when it comes to ensuring the assembly process, quality control, and paperwork can be done repeatedly.
Also, if you're working with mechanical or electronic parts, you need to tell your manufacturer how the parts should fit and what they should do. When trying to ship something, remember that there may be import fees and taxes, especially if the item comes from a supplier in another country. To plan and price a package, you must consider how it will be sent. Shipping by air takes less time but costs more than shipping by sea. Make time for essential government tests and certifications, such as UL testing for safety and electrical, CE testing, and FCC approval. Also, be open to the idea that you might need to do this method more than once.
Remember this rule of thumb: if an expert or manufacturer who knows how your product is made and knows the materials needed has yet to look at it, you shouldn't assume it's ready for production. This is why it's essential to contact component makers and ask them to help you write a "proof of concept." This proof backs up what the sellers say, so you can be sure that making your product is a good use of time and money.
Another smart move is to ensure that a design doesn't need any more changes before making the hardware. Even though it might seem like a long time to wait, it is better to wait a few days than to tool with the wrong plan. If the tool's design were correct, time and money would be well-spent because the tool might have to be thrown away.
Testing the validity, performance, and dependability of your design and prototype is a good idea that will save you money and time in the long run. You don't want people who use your product to write bad reviews. Most of the time, it's best to put samples of your product through accelerated life testing in harsh situations to see how well they hold up. The goal here is to let you know about any flaws in your sample so that you can fix them.
Test runs are crucial before mass production because they help confirm that the product's design is good enough for production. This is often done with anywhere from 20 to 100 pieces of the product. A test run would help find and fix problems with the prototype and the design.
Before high-volume production, ensure your manufacturer does the test run, so you do not pay extra costs due to product failure.
If the manufacturer signs a research and manufacturing contract, you get the rights written into it. You should put it in the contract if you want your supplier to be responsible for problems with the quality of the goods. If you want to own the tooling exclusively, put that in the contract and have the maker sign it.
With the right manufacturing business, going from prototyping to production should be manageable. This is especially true if you hire the right company to make it. At Ares Prototyping, we have a team of professional experts and engineers who give high-quality products from prototyping to mass production. We also offer services like CNC machining, injection molding, 3D printing, and sheet metal fabrication for fast prototyping and low-volume manufacturing.