Electronics Development Guide & Prototyping Advice for Your Company’s New Products

Today, we are sharing essential information about electronic development and prototyping for your business. Consumer electronic products undergo a thorough development process, including market research and multiple prototyping stages during new product development.

Table of Contents 

Market research

Market research aims to confirm that demand for new electronic products exists. For instance, let’s assume you have an idea for a new product, complete with specifications and concept sketches. You are determined to materialize the latest product idea and sell your product for profit. Your venture will only be successful if your target consumers desire the product. It can be because your product needs to solve a problem or the market already offers better, more affordable alternatives.

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For a product to be successful, it has to bring something new to the market. An experienced consumer product design company can help. At the very least, buyers find it unique enough to set it apart from the competitors. The “unique” part may originate from the design, materials, or price point. Even if a product is far from being a brand-new commodity, it still has a chance to win the competition as long as the consumers see good value for money. For example, people buy a second radio, although the first one works just fine; parents purchase multiple electronic toys for their kids, and there must be at least several flashlights in every home.

Finding competition is sometimes a good thing. You have a difficult road ahead because somebody else has introduced something similar, but it also means there is a market for your product. Now that you’ve determined a potential need, the next thing on the list is to validate whether or not the consumers will buy your product. Usually, the initial design process – in which the product gets a general specification and takes an early shape – runs concurrently with market research. Utilize competitors’ products as benchmarks to ensure that your offering distinguishes itself, especially when you’re seeking freelance electronics design services.

Offer something unique or a combination of features currently unavailable from a single product. An easy method to validate a new product idea is to put it to the test. Use crowdfunding resources like Kickstarter or Indiegogo to share the concept and ask the public for feedback. There is nothing wrong with the old-fashioned method of distributing sales flyers to retailers, too.

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Patent

One common mistake among new entrepreneurs is maintaining secrecy about the product idea. People need to know what makes your product unique and how it can solve their problems. You don’t have to make every technical detail public. However, convincing people that your product does what it says would be best. To do that, you must tell them how it works and why it is unlike any other. While privacy concerns are understandable, revealing the idea during the early development phase is part of a marketing strategy. 

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A patent is expensive and takes a long time to obtain; that’s why a patent design firm can prove to be incredibly helpful. In the United States, a workaround known as a Provisional Patent Application grants intellectual property for one year to give enough time to conduct further research and develop the idea into a fully functional product. It costs much less than the non-provisional one and is quicker to obtain. Usually, there is no need to hire a patent attorney to apply. 

Product simplification

Some buyers think of complexity as a sign of sophistication, but simplicity is a feature equally sought-after. On the inventor’s side, a simple product is quicker and cheaper to develop by an electronic device design firm than its more complex alternatives. Simplification is often non-negotiable to improve the chances of completing the development process efficiently. While it makes sense for established companies to fund the development of complex products, startups may find the associated financial burden overwhelming.

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Simplification is an excellent approach to product design. Every additional feature adds to the project’s complexity and increases the development time and cost. Even a seemingly minor modification can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. For example, changing the button layout of a radio may require a significant overhaul of the PCB. It would be best if you simplified the configuration to cost less without altering functionality. 

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Prototyping

Much of the development process revolves around the prototyping phase. Given meticulous market research with valid results, the product design should also get closer to the final version. Before it arrives at that point and is ready for mass manufacturing, a consumer product has to go through multiple prototyping stages. If you’re looking for comprehensive freelance electronic prototyping and design services for your company, here’s an overview of these essential steps.

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Proof of concept (POC)

It is the early-stage prototype intended solely as a proof of concept. A prototype at this stage of development doesn’t have to carry the final product’s functionality, features, and appearance. Its purpose is to prove that the product concept works and it solves the targeted problem. A POC is typically built on development kits like Raspberry Pi or Arduino, and they’re affordable and do the job well.

Most electronic hardware products require a microprocessor or microcontroller. Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone are based on microprocessors, whereas Arduino is best for electronics with microcontrollers. Some companies only omit the POC prototyping stage because they have the money to take expensive shortcuts, such as using CAE software for simulations and design validations.

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Cosmetic prototype

The next in line is a cosmetic prototype (looks-like prototype). As the name says, it focuses on the looks and feels of the product. There are several routes you can take to build the prototype, including:

• Foam or clay: the materials are probably the cheapest and most effective options to transform a concept into a physical model. You don’t need to be a particularly skillful sculptor to get the job done, and some simple tools like a knife and glue should be sufficient.

• 3D printing: an advanced additive manufacturing process for rapid prototyping. It comes in several types, from relatively affordable yet moderately detailed fused deposition modeling services (FDM) to complex Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). There is also Stereolithography (SLA) for a good balance between cost and quality.

• CNC (Computer Numerical Control): a subtractive (as opposed to additive) manufacturing process that removes material from a solid block of metal or plastic to form the desired shape. It is like carving, but a computer-controlled machine does everything.

Keep in mind that the cosmetic prototype only represents the outer shell of the product. The looks-like prototype may look nice, but it lacks electronic circuitry.

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Works-like prototype

In contrast to the cosmetic prototype, the focus at this stage is functionality. For an electronic product, it means developing a custom PCB. In this phase, you move away from ready-made development kits and hire a PCB designer to build a new board to hold all the internal electronic components. Designing a PCB from scratch requires considerable engineering skills and experience. Hiring engineers is costly, and custom PCB probably accounts for the most prominent development cost.

The prototype allows you to test the product functionality. For example, if the product is a radio, you should be able to turn it on/off, turn the volume up/down, and search for radio stations with a knob or button. Your radio may feature an audio equalizer and headphone jack, so you should also be able to test them. The same thing applies to additional features such as Bluetooth and USB connection.

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Engineering prototype

The appearance and functionality come together with a prototype design engineering company, and the outer shell and internal components are assembled into a single unit. If you want to showcase the product to investors or customers, ensure the prototype is of good finishing quality. It might still have some rough edges, but at least it appears and works like a final product.

Pre-production prototype

The main difference between pre-production and the final version is manufacturability. Even though the works-like prototype comes with all the functionality of the engineering prototype and retail packaging, it has yet to be fully optimized for manufacturing. Before it enters a factory, there are several more crucial steps to take:

• Engineering validation test (EVT): EVT is a series of tests to verify essential functionality and additional power, EMI, and thermal checks. The tests validate if the prototype meets the functional specifications, and it may take up to 50 units to perform the tests.

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• Design validation test (DVT): the purpose of DVT is to see if the product meets the necessary reliability and environmental requirements. It also includes waterproofing, fire damage, and drop tests. It is the stage where electronic product obtains certifications such as CE, RoHS, UL, and FCC. DVT is usually the last step to ensure no significant design change after the tests. Assuming problems are found, minor design modifications should be sufficient to fix them. It takes up to 200 units to perform the tests.

• Production validation and testing (PVT): at this point, the product is ready for mass production. However, the first small production run is considered part of PVT to discover room for improvement in assembly time and quality control. Unless there is a severe issue, there will be no more design changes.

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The prototyping process allows your new product to evolve from a mere concept into a fully operational retail version. While it may require a significant budget to reach the ultimate stage, every step provides invaluable insights into the product development journey. By dividing the prototypes into distinct phases, each with a particular objective, you can gain a clearer perspective on the progression path and gain a deeper understanding of your product, especially if you’re seeking freelance electronic enclosure design services.

How Cad Crowd can assist

Cad Crowd has access to a broad network of product design and development experts and rapid prototyping designers who can assist you with your electronic product design project. Contact us today for a free quote.