Product Development

Market needs / Competitive context / Development objectives

Before we begin the development process, working closely with stakeholders, it's essential to first identify your direct competitors and gather product ideas. This involves researching similar products to understand what other companies are offering.

Equally important is gaining deeper insight into the market and identifying the needs of potential users. If there's a specific problem or missing feature that hasn't been addressed yet, this presents an opportunity to create a targeted solution that fills that gap.

Through comprehensive market research, we can define a realistic budget, set clear business objectives, and outline the right development strategy for your product.

COGS / TCO / Should-cost assessment

When evaluating the cost and feasibility of a product or project, relying solely on the Bill of Materials (BOM) provides only a partial view of the overall cost structure. While the BOM outlines direct component costs, it does not capture the full range of factors that influence the total development and industrialisation cost required to bring a product to production readiness.

To enable accurate budgeting in later stages of development, as well as effective strategic planning and informed decision-making, a holistic approach to cost assessment is essential. During the early development phase, cost estimates are typically indicative and based on limited data. However, as the concept matures, a more precise and comprehensive cost model becomes critical to validate feasibility and align cross-functional expectations.

This refined analysis involves evaluating the broader cost structure behind a manufactured product. In addition to assessing the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), it incorporates a pre-validated should-cost analysis (SCA) - an upfront assessment used to define a realistic and justifiable manufacturing cost before procurement evaluates supplier pricing. Together, these frameworks help uncover hidden cost drivers and identify opportunities for efficiency and value optimisation across the supply chain.

By integrating these methodologies and enhancing them with AI-driven tools, we can identify and manage a broader range of cost drivers, including but not limited to:

Direct material costs (BOM):

• Raw materials (e.g., PCBs, semiconductors, batteries)
• PCB fabrication and assembly
• Enclosure manufacturing (e.g., injection molding, CNC machining)
• Wiring, connectors, and cable harnesses
• Standard product packaging materials
• Fasteners, adhesives, coatings and consumables

Direct labor costs:

• Manual assembly labour
• Supervision in automated production lines
• Wages, benefits and payroll-related costs for production personnel

Manufacturing overhead (apportioned to production):

• Factory utilities (electricity, water, etc.)
• Depreciation of manufacturing equipment
• Factory rent or lease costs
• Maintenance and repair of production equipment
• Factory consumables (e.g. lubricants, cleaning materials)

Production-specific costs:

• Tooling and setup costs (amortised across production volumes)
• Testing and quality control (unit-level or batch-level testing)
• Subcontracted or outsourced manufacturing services

Inbound logistics:

• Freight-in (transport of materials and components to the production facility)
• Customs duties and import fees

Other direct production costs:

• Product-specific packaging assembly (e.g., custom-fit foam, internal trays)
• Scrap and production waste (where structurally expected and accounted for)

By integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the entire product lifecycle (from initial concept to detailed, data-driven cost models) we can eliminate unforeseen cost overruns and reduce financial risk. AI-driven simulations and predictive analytics provide real-time insights into material choices, manufacturing processes, supply chain dynamics, and operational constraints, enabling accurate cost breakdowns early in development.

Within our Ultimate Development Roadmap, AI is embedded at key milestones: ideation, design, validation, sourcing and production, creating a cohesive, data-informed framework that aligns with product goals, team workflows and business objectives.

This integration enhances COGS, TCO, and pre-screened Should-Cost Analysis, making them not only more precise but also adaptable to design changes, market shifts and supplier performance variations. The result is a technology-driven approach that transforms cost modelling into a strategic tool; supporting faster decisions, optimized resources and strong cross-functional alignment.

Schematics / PCB layout / Design verification

The design of the electronic hardware is carried out using Altium™ Designer, a professional PCB design software suite.

At this stage, we focus on developing two key components:

• Schematic Circuit Diagram.
• Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

The Schematic Circuit Diagram is an advanced and detailed representation of the initial system block diagram created in the early stages of the project. At this point, each block is expanded to include all relevant sub-circuits, resulting in a complete schematic of the electronic system. It is important to note that this is not a basic or conceptual diagram, it must comprehensively include every component required in the final product. Any misplacement or incorrect implementation of a part can significantly impact the device’s performance and functionality.

Once the schematic is finalized, we proceed to design the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The PCB is the physical foundation of the electronic product, a fiberglass board with copper traces that electrically connect all components. Depending on complexity, some PCBs require multi-layer technology, using several copper layers to accommodate high-density designs.

Altium™ Designer provides integrated validation tools to verify the PCB layout and ensure compliance with design specifications. It's critical that the PCB meets all quality and design standards to guarantee proper functionality.

The time needed to complete the PCB layout varies based on the board’s size, complexity and the specific design requirements. Special attention must be given to voltage routing, RF clock signals, high-speed data paths, wireless circuit design, current flow optimization and grounding strategies to ensure optimal performance and stability.

3D models / Mechanical fit / Prototype iterations

The PCB prototype has been successfully developed and tested. The next crucial step is integrating all components to better visualize the final product’s appearance and functionality.

The steps for creating a prototype its Physical Design include:

• Designing a 3D model.
• Building the 3D prototype.
• Evaluating the prototype.

Before creating the actual physical prototype, it's essential to first visualize the product. This involves collaborating with a 3D Modeler or Industrial Designer to create a detailed 3D model using software like SolidWorks™ or AutoDesk™ 3ds Max.

Once the digital 3D model is complete, it can serve as a powerful marketing tool, helping customers understand what the product will look like. Alternatively, you may choose to skip this step and proceed directly to building the physical prototype.

To construct a physical 3D prototype, an additive manufacturing process, commonly known as 3D printing, is used. This process builds the object layer by layer using plastic. However, it's important to note that the resin used in 3D printing differs in both appearance and properties from the plastics used in Micro Injection Molding (MIM). MIM allows for much smoother surfaces and significantly tighter tolerances (ranging from 10 to 100 microns) than typical 3D printing.

After producing the initial prototype, it’s common to identify areas that need refinement. Before conducting any formal testing, we recommend producing multiple versions of the prototype. This enables a thorough and accurate evaluation, ensuring that the final, market-ready electronic product meets all design and functionality expectations. Iteration during this phase is often necessary to achieve the desired outcome in terms of aesthetics, usability and performance.