From prototype to production: the most important paths to success Part2

Prepare products for production

The goal of any design and manufacturing process is mass production. It is often the culmination of the entire process. Before releasing products to multiple productions, there are a few tips to keep in mind;

Intended User Experience

One factor to consider when prototyping and mass producing is how you want the user to feel. During the prototyping and production phases, consider the experience you want a user to have with your product.

The total volume of production

To what extent do I want to manufacture the product? This is another question to ask yourself before production. Your answer to this question should depend on the demand for the product. Based on this demand, you can determine whether you want to produce a small or large quantity. For on-demand manufacturing, Winsun Proto is your best partner. This dependable and trusted company makes on-demand manufacturing faster and easier while providing you with high-quality, custom parts with professional prototyping and production capabilities.

Maximum manufacturing budget

Another factor to consider when awarding products for multiple productions is your manufacturing budget. This includes the amount you are willing to spend on the entire production process. Keeping your finger on the pulse of your budget can help you avoid dead ends and wasting time and resources.

Introduce product

After low-volume production, which is often a pilot production, your product is now ready to go to market. However, you should note that after the product is launched, the people responsible for quality control should check the first samples against the quality procedure. These samples are subjected to a life cycle test.

They also inspect and monitor production at the factory and note and report significant quality changes. The quality control team also checks the analysis of the process flow, the method of data collection and confirmation, the effectiveness of the in-process tests, the packaging and the inspection of the finished products, and the factory’s handling of unexpected situations.

You should also note that Quality Control inspects and inspects each shipment of your product before releasing it. This involves comparing the quality of your product against previously approved samples and quality procedures. This is to ensure that the product quality does not decrease after the market launch.

Intelligent strategy for a smooth transition from prototype to production

As they say, if you don’t plan, you plan to fail. But planning does not equal success. So how can you ensure that your process runs smoothly from prototype to mass production? Here are some smart strategies you can use.

Plan for the worst: production, shipping, regulations

That may sound pessimistic, but it’s good advice. It helps protect you and your resources from unnecessary waste. Aspects of production that require special planning include production, shipping, and regulations.

When planning production, you must assume that hiring a reputable manufacturer will be time-consuming, very expensive, and difficult. This applies in particular to the development of a repeatable assembly process, quality control, and documentation.

If you deal with mechanical or electronic parts, you need to be precise with your manufacturer about the tolerances and specifications of your parts.

When planning to ship, you should keep in mind that import duties and taxes will apply, especially if your shipment comes from a foreign supplier. In order to plan and calculate shipping, you must consider the mode of transport of the shipment. Air transportation does not take long, but it is more expensive than sea transportation.

As for regulations, make time for important regulatory reviews and certifications, such as B. UL for safety testing and electrical testing, CE testing, and FCC certifications. Also, be open to repeating this process a few times.

Allow the manufacturer to work on a proof concept to validate the product design.

There is one rule of thumb to always remember: if an engineer or manufacturer knowledgeable about the manufacturing process and the materials used to create your product has not verified the product, it is wrong to assume that it is production-ready.

That’s why it’s important to get in touch with the suppliers and ask them to do a “proof of concept” for you. This evidence helps validate the suppliers’ claims and ensures you are not going astray in the manufacture of your product.

Allow design adjustments before tooling

Another smart strategy is to ensure that no further adjustments are made to a design before the tool is manufactured. The truth is that while waiting a few days may seem like a long time, it is better than working with the wrong draft. Manufacturing tools with an incorrect design would waste time and money as disposal of the tool might be inevitable.

Prepare a performance or reliability test

Testing the validity, performance, and reliability of your design and prototype is a solid strategy that will save you time and money in the long run. Believe me, you don’t want the users of your product to leave negative reviews after using it. It is often best to subject your product samples to accelerated life testing under very harsh conditions to see how they hold up. The goal is to make you aware of any weaknesses in your prototype so that you can make further changes.

Don’t force the manufacturer to do a trial run before mass production

Test runs before mass production are important to check whether the product design is suitable for production. Manufacturers often do this with 20 to 100 pieces of the product. A dry run helps identify and fix problems with the prototype and design.

Make sure your manufacturer does a trial run before mass production so you don’t incur additional costs due to product defects.

Have the manufacturer sign a development and manufacturing contract

By signing a development and manufacturing contract, you receive the rights expressly stated therein when the manufacturer signs the contract. So what do you want? If you want your supplier to be held responsible for quality issues, you should include this in the contract. If you want exclusive rights to the tools, you should include this in the contract and get the manufacturer to sign it.

Winsun Proto – Meet your prototyping needs

The process from prototyping to production shouldn’t be overwhelming with the right manufacturing company. This is especially true if you hire the right manufacturer to do it. At Winsun Proto, we have a team of professional experts and engineers to provide the highest quality products from prototyping to mass production. We also provide services for rapid prototyping and small batch manufacturing, from CNC machining to injection molding, 3D printing, and sheet metal fabrication.

And what more?

Our 4-day lead time, while dependent on design complexity and quantity, is one of the fastest in the industry. Our instant quote, competitive pricing, low-cost shipping solution, free DFM analysis, and 24/7 engineer support sets us apart.