"Can we go directly from 1 prototype to mass production? After all, if they can make 1 good piece, surely they can make 10,000 good pieces?" Well, not really. When it comes to 3D printed parts or a product that comes entirely out of a mold, that might work. But, when different fabrication processes are involved to create custom parts (e.g. extruding the aluminum enclosure in just the right shape) and make them look nice (e.g. powder-coating it in just the right shade of grey), it gets … [Read more...]
Navigating The Product Design and NPI Maze For New Products [Podcast]
![Navigating The Product Design and NPI Maze For New Products [Podcast]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/NavigatingTheProductDesignandNPIMazeForNewProductsPodcast-1140x445.jpeg)
In this episode… You've got an idea for a unique new product! Amazing! Now you need to develop that product concept, design it, test and validate it, and much more before finally going into mass production and bringing it to market. You may think that this is a linear process, but in fact, it's more like a complex maze and you may take many twists and turns. Renaud Anjoran is joined by experienced British product designer Andy Bartlett to explore this NPI process and the best practices … [Read more...]
New Product: How Many Builds before Mass Production?
When a new product is made in a factory for the first time, there are always uncertainties. And going straight into a large production batch is risky. Many issues can cause that first batch to be a disaster, including: One of the materials/components is not up to standard, or some parts don't fit together as planned The operators, or the inspectors, haven't been trained and make mistakes Some of the operations can't be done as planned in a consistent manner Some of the … [Read more...]