Challenge
Refine a proof-of-concept design to optimize product reliability, compliance to regulatory standards, and manufacturability.
Solution
Develop a system of circuit boards and interconnections for cost effective integration and manufacturing while adhering to industry and regulatory standards.
Summary
Assessing the viability of a product idea can be difficult. The process often begins with a rough design sketched on paper. As the research and development phases of the project move forward, one or more proof-of-concept prototypes are often required. /reliability_reg_standards_manufacturability.png)
The prototypes need to be built, tested, and continually refined to minimize manufacturing costs and to improve product reliability.
A large Tecnova client company was able to take their concept through several rounds of the prototyping process. The design was comprised of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components which allowed the concept to be rapidly created with a high degree of design flexibility and minimized project duration and cost over the initial units produced. The down side is that COTS solutions can be expensive over the long-term production. High product cost would severely limit the markets into which this product could be sold, and the product was due to be abandoned if a cost-effective solution could not be found.
Tecnova mechanical, software, electrical, and manufacturing disciplines worked collaboratively with the client to gain a full understanding of all technical and business goals. Tecnova applied extensive design and manufacturing expertise to develop a more robust and less costly product that met all regulatory compliance requirements. By off-loading product design tasks to Tecnova, the client was able to more efficiently focus on product performance and providing feedback of test results back into product development.
The result is a dramatically improved product design developed in a notably reduced time frame. The product is comprised of printed circuit boards and cable assemblies in a revised architecture that provides drastic reduction of labor content compared to the COTS prototypes. Tecnova’s attention to regulatory compliance eliminated several design iterations as the device moved into full product compliance.
