It is estimated that by the year 2030 there will be over 40 billion IoT connected devices globally.
To ensure reliability and quality, these devices (and many others) must first go through an electronic product development process. Some industries require specific standards which must be adhered to while others that fall into the “general electronics” category are a bit more lenient. In this blog post we’ll delve more into the general process of developing a new electronic or hardware product.
What is Electronic Product Development?
Electronic product development details the process of creating or upgrading electronic products. This process is complex as it usually requires a multi-disciplinary approach which includes hardware, software, mechanical integration and finally manufacturing.
Electronic Product Development Process
There are many strategies/processes for developing electronic products, furthermore the design house often has standardised processes for development. Here at Elemental Electronics, we tailor our development depending on the complexity of the project. However, whether the project is simple or complex we still ensure validation and verification which work within quality management system.
What are the 7 stages of a new product development process?
Here we’ll break down a typical project into stages, we’ll start with an example project, say a new temperature sensor which monitors and controls a fan.
- Ideation – A picture is worth a 1000 words. In this case we draw block diagrams on how the system needs to work on a high-level. E.g. how the new temperature sensor is powered, what communication it uses to control the fan, what are the size requirements, what’s the target manufacturing cost?
- Defining Requirements – This stage looks at generating and defining requirements which is usually done by our Systems Engineer. Defining the requirements is extremely important as it details expectations and deliverables of the project. E.g. The maximum power requirements, what EMC / Regulatory compliance is required, how the fan and temperature sensor communicate, what the limits of the sensor, how fast should the system react etc.
- Concept Development – Projects have risk, as such these risks must be mitigated. So, during the concept development stage small scale prototypes of prototypes with limited functionality are created, perhaps for our example a test bench of the system is working over a specific timeframe or ambient temperature.
- Detailed Design – This is where the requirements become reality, during the detailed design stage the project’s hardware and software and mechanical integration are complete. E.g. for our example, Printed Circuit Board Schematic and Layout Design, Firmware Development, Mechanical Fixing / 3D printed etc. We also have a separate section for detailing the hardware development process further in this blog.
- Validation and Verification – It’s time to see if the design meets all the requirements. During V&V test specifications are created and executed to ensure the final product works and performs as intended.
- Regulatory Compliance – Products that are fit-for-market need to ensure that they are compliant. Compliance deserves a blog post of its own, but in nutshell the product needs to be assessed, and then EMC / Electrical Safety testing needs to be done. Depending on which market region the product is being sold in will also dictate the complexity and numbers of tests required.
- Manufacturing – Electronics manufacturing is inherently a complex process involving many steps to ensure a product complies and performs as intended. At Elemental Electronics we are both a design and manufacturing facility, and so we have quality management processes to ensure each product that we manufacture is tested and quality controlled.
How to develop a new electronic product?
There are several methods to developing a new electronic product, if it’s a lean low-cost product you might be able to do it yourself. In fact, it’s common for a new customer to already have some type of prototype or “hacked together” sample for us to review. But when it comes to refining the design it’s best to leave it to the experts – Especially for Electrical Product Design.
Cost of Electronic Product Development
As detailed in the processes above each project/product is unique and as such the cost of development can vary considerably. For reference at Elemental Electronics, we complete some jobs for under $3k and others are in the order of several hundred thousand.
Our quotation process is free so we always encourage individuals to large corporations to request a quote.
FAQ
1. How long does it take to develop and electronic product?
Ans – This depends on the complexity, if it’s a simple device usually anywhere from 1-6 months. For highly reliable or highly regulated device it could take years.
2. How do I know what are the regulatory requirements for my new electronic product?
Ans – You could look at a competitors device’s datasheet/manual. However, don’t relay on this as sometimes they can get it wrong! Best to speak with your local EMC / Regulatory lab.
3. What information do I need to get a quote for development?
Ans – Usually a design house will dictate what info they need as it depends on the nature of the device.
4. Should I offshore the design? Or find a local business?
Ans – We always recommend local businesses. It’s all too often that we see customers that have had bad experiences offshore who then ultimately bring the design and manufacturing locally.
5. Where can I find more information about developing a product?
Ans – Feel free to reach out to us: contact@idigitalise.org
Conclusion
As features and product expectations increase, the electronics design process must be adhered to, especially for professional/robust and complex products. We always recommended leaving the design to the professionals to ensure reliability and the cost can sometimes be a lot less than one might think.