The product development process starts with realizing the Product Design that you have already or developed with us. Some new products require prototype manufacturing, while others are best catered to with the customization of similar existing samples. We review the physical design to a granular level testing the functionality and user experience.
We review the supply chain and manufacturing costs to see how scaling creates production bottlenecks so you have contingency plans for any unforeseen problems and quick growth. Prototype manufacturing is very different from mass production and has to be accounted for by reviewing the concrete work steps.
The final step in the pre-production phase is to find the right suppliers for parts and components (assembly etc. is done in-house). We test suppliers for their ability to provide parts at price points we estimated for the quality defined. Once this step is completed, you’re ready to move on to the last step of our product development consulting – Mass Production.
Custom sample procurement is needed for products that are already manufactured in a somewhat similar way. This could mean that you have the idea to change the shape, functionality, or maybe even just the branding of an existing product. New product development is usually cheaper and faster when you build upon existing products, because the more elaborate prototype manufacturing from scratch can be avoided. We as your product development firm offer this principle as well, which is known as private labeling, white labeling or ODM manufacturing.
Yes, it is crucial for you to get your business plan and budgeting right. Having a great product is only half the battle; understanding the cost structure and knowing everything about scaling the production is equally important. Most product development companies don’t cover these crucial aspects but we do, since we do the manufacturing ourselves. We see those pure prototype companies critically, because the most beautiful prototype or sample is useless if you can’t integrate it affordably into a mass production line.
Generally speaking, prototype manufacturing is more expensive than custom sample procurement. How to get a prototype made is only the first step in the realization of an overall more complex project. However, we are a specialized company that builds prototypes in many product categories ourselves (see our solutions). The cost depends on the product category, but new product ideas can be realized for less money than commonly assumed. We commonly do the assembly with related aspects in-house, and the main suppliers we work with are usually okay when you start with small orders to finance larger orders, since we bundle many production projects and order common (custom) components frequently.
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