Guide on Electronic Product Design and Development

Advancements in technology has paved the way for a rise in advanced electronic products. However, before they make it to the market , developers need to conduct some research when coming up with a new product. Product design and development undergoes several stages before successfully being sent to the market for consumers.  Here are the stages that every electronic product undergoes.

Development of Concept

Every successful product starts with an idea or concept. They are developed as a variation of an existing product, or identification of a need. When all this have been determined,  research is done to define a product, market, or approach for manufacturing the product.

Perform Market Research

After determining the concept, the next stage in electronic product design and development is research.  This stage involves identifying technology, methods, and vendors involved in the production of the product. It should result in a detailed design specification that can be utilized to cost the design process that follows as well as the estimated manufactured cost of the product.

Creation of Schematic Diagram

Here the schematic diagram is created using computer drafting software. In addition, the preliminary pats list is created for costing and prototyping the product.

Packaging and Printed Circuit Design

Here the device under design gets an appropriate enclosure. The selection of enclosures as well as the connectors, controls, and displays must be determined before the printing of the circuit layout. The major steps in the process include:

• Selection or design of the package. For selection, the drawing will be supplied by the manufacturer. For design, the production of the mechanical drawing should be done by the assembly.
• Design of the nomenclature and graphics for the enclosure. The design may come in the form of labels, overlay, silkscreens, or a combination.
• The requirements of the circuit diagram is resolved using the electric components with the form factor required by the packaging design process.
• The artwork of the printed circuit is processed on film and used by the manufacturer to etch printed circuit boards for assembly of the board. A silkscreen is used to assist the assembly process.

Typing or Trial Production

Even before stage 4, the prototypes are manufactured but the speed and cost advantage of computer aided design has made this less common. For the design process, a hand wired prototype of all or a portion of the circuit may be required.

Design Review

Prototype or initial units are evaluated for possible improvements.

Manufacturing Setup including Test Setup

Procedures and apparatuses are tested to yield quality. Here quantity production also occurs.

Documentation Is Provided

All documentations about the product such as the circuit diagrams, parts lists, parts sources, software source code, mechanical and assembly drawings are provided.

Compliance To Agency

The law may require you to comply with the authorized agency. This may be necessary for product acceptance or for product liability insurance coverage.