ELECTRONICS PRODUCT DESIGN

1. IDEA GENERATION

“Necessity is the mother of Innovation”. This is the phase in which the concept of a new product, the modification of an existing product, or the discovery of the need for an unknown product is carried out. This helps us identify the product, its demand, and a strategy for the development of that product.

2. RESEARCH

At this step, the product’s idea is used to carry out research involving the identification of the technology, the process, and vendors that shall be involved in the development of the product. Research analysis helps to estimate the cost of the design process and approximate manufacturing costs. We also need to define electronic design guidelines like U.L., F.C.C., C.E. in this step.

3. SCREENING AND FEASIBILITY CHECK

The objective of the screening is to avoid those ideas which do not seem to have a high potential and therefore prevent the costs involved at the respective steps. The feasibility analysis includes demand research, availability of resources, economic analysis, and technical & strategic analysis.

4. CIRCUIT / SCHEMATIC DESIGN

At this step, a schematic/Circuit diagram is drawn up using EDA Tools and a detailed list of Bills of Material is drafted for the costing and prototyping of the product.

5. ENCLOSURE & PCB DESIGN

In this step, an adequate enclosure is designed or picked for the hardware. This specification of the enclosure, as well as the internal and external connector, switches, and screens must be selected prior to the layout of the PCB begins.

The first step in product PCB design is the mechanical pattern or outline of the board assembly itself.

6. PROTOTYPING

‘Fail faster, Succeed sooner!’ Prototyping is the first step towards success. It helps not only to recognize and determine the main path of the hardware design process but also saves time.

7. CHECK DFM & DFA (Design Review)

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFM or DFA) is a vital step of the product development life cycle. It requires optimizing the electronic hardware design for its manufacturing and assembly phase. It also involves integrating the design specifications of the product with its manufacturing process. The use of DFM techniques reduces the expense and complexity of making a product while retaining its performance.

8. FIRMWARE DESIGN

‘Create a product with soul’. Firmware gives life to the product and enables it to do something meaningful. Firmware is a software/program running inside a microcontroller to do application-specific tasks.

9. PILOT RUN & TESTING

The pilot run involves Testing your new product prototype with colleagues, friends, and financiers. It needs to be tested in the field to check, whether every part is functioning properly.

10. DOCUMENTATION

Documentation involves circuit diagrams, Bill of Material, PCB Layout, source components, firmware/source code and documents, mechanical and assembly drawings, and all other things used as part of the electronic hardware product design.

This bundle must include enough material to make the hardware design process possible for any qualified assembly agency.

11. FOLLOWUP

Once a product is released into production; experience in the manufacturing plant and user feedback, must all be reviewed for the purpose of influencing future designs. Don’t ignore this important step towards increasing efficiency, value, and sometimes reduced costs.