Prototyping Your New Electronic Product Idea


By Jim Usery

Do you have an idea for an electronic product, the next must-have gadget, music or video system, time saver, or greatest problem-solving device that was ever invented? Even if you have the electronics product design expertise available, there are a number of tasks that you must complete and issues that you must resolve before you have an actual product design that can be produced, marketed, and sold. Once you have completed a product specification document and a marketing study, you should be prepared to have the product electronics and packaging design processes begun so that a prototype unit can be assembled and tested.

One of the first choices that must be made in the electronics design is which microprocessor or microcontroller architecture will be utilized if your product idea requires processing capability. Most microprocessor or microcontroller devices are available in a variety of configurations of internal memory sizes with some including non-volatile Flash memory for program storage, quantity and types of input and output pins, package types for surface mount or thru-hole applications, clock speeds, and interfaces that are supported by the processor without having to add additional devices.

Once a microprocessor or microcontroller family is selected, additional decisions must be made on which system clock frequency to use, how much processor and system memory will be required for the application, and how the software development processes are to be supported. The choice of processor architecture must consider the available software development and testing tools and the software design resources that will be required for your product's software/firmware design. Additional decisions must be made on how the software/firmware will be loaded into the processor's memory during the manufacturing process. Will the design allow the finished product to accept field or user initiated software/firmware upgrades, or will the product be a one-time programmable unit?

Before the processor portion of the design is completed, you must also define which types of interfaces to external systems will be required (serial port, parallel port, USB, Ethernet, wireless connection such as 802.11x or Bluetooth, infrared, etc.) and the minimum interface bandwidth rates required. All of these factors will play a role in choosing the best processor product to use in your design application. Some microprocessor/microcontroller product examples that you can research are the MicroChip PAL series and the family of products from Atmel as both of these suppliers provide some very powerful but low cost processor solutions.

Electronic components, including microprocessors and microcontrollers, are typically available in both surface mount and thru-hole versions. Some electronic components may be available in only one format (such as some transformers, relays, capacitors, power resistors, or connectors being available only in thru-hole packages). Surface mount components are preferred for any volume level production as they are usually less expensive to purchase, more readily available, and allow for more compact printed circuit board designs as the components take up much less space and can be applied to both sides of the board if necessary. Using surface mount technology may allow the printed circuit board design to use a smaller size and/or fewer layers, thus reducing raw board costs. However, surface mount components can make in-house assembly and soldering difficult if not impossible if you do not have the proper equipment and expertise.

The completed design will include a power supply section that will provide the voltage and current levels required by the design's components. Input power options could include plugging the unit into a 120 VAC outlet and converting the AC voltage to the appropriate regulated DC voltage levels internally as part of the power supply design. You could also choose to use an external power adapter that converts 120 VAC to a DC voltage level and then regulates this incoming DC voltage level to the level required by the design. A third option would be to have the product powered by batteries. If your product is to be battery powered, in addition to defining the battery technology and the number of amp hours of power storage in the batteries, you should also consider if a rechargeable battery design or an end user replaceable battery design is best for the product application and pricing.

Once the electronics design and the printed circuit board design are completed, the mechanical packaging and external enclosure designs can be finalized and the initial software development can be completed. Now it is time to have a prototype unit assembled and tested and decisions must be made regarding the manufacturing of the initial prototype units. Choices include ordering all of the components and assembling the prototype product in-house if you have the assembly expertise, subcontracting the prototyping process to a domestic contract electronics manufacturing company, or subcontracting the prototyping process to a contract electronics manufacturing company located off shore. If you do not have the expertise or equipment to properly assemble the prototype units, you should prepare a list of companies who can support your prototyping and production needs and begin the process of identifying your best options.

In addition to identifying who will assemble the prototype units, you should also be identifying which option you will use for manufacturing the production units. Choices include manufacturing the units yourself, contracting the assembly of the units externally with a domestic, or contracting the assembly of the units with an off shore electronics manufacturing service provider. If you plan to use an external manufacturing source, consider that some companies specialize in low volume specialty assemblies, such as prototype units or initial production, but are not able to cost effectively support high volume production levels due to capacity limitations. Other companies are in the opposite spectrum and specialize only in high volume levels. The quantity of units that would be high volume production from your point of view may not be large enough to elicit any interest a strictly high volume manufacturer. You should also consider delivery times from receipt of your purchase order as a factor in choosing an outside assembly source.

Another important factor to consider in this process of evaluating electronics manufacturing service providers would be the design assistance that they may be able to provide throughout the process of developing the product. Services such as electronics design and printed circuit board layout design, component selection and procurement process with assistance in multi-sourcing components, enclosure design, mechanical packaging design, and providing production capability from prototyping to low volume to high volume could all be of immense help to you. In addition, a contract electronics manufacturer may also provide suggestions to improve the manufacturability, lower component costs, and improve the product's reliability. Be sure to have an appropriate Non-Disclosure Agreement in place with any and all parties that are involved in this process to protect your intellectual property.

You must also define how will the manufactured product is to be tested and packaged. Once the product has been prototyped and tested successfully, it is important to determine the quantity of units to be manufactured for the initial production run and for volume manufacturing levels. You must also understand how many levels of distribution the product go through (with each level taking a cut of the margins) before it gets in front of a consumer to purchase.

If you are an inventor or have a great electronic product idea, I don't want to discourage you, but you must consider all of these activities and their associated costs before you commit to the thousands of dollars of expenses required for designing and prototyping your product idea. For instance, you should be prepared at a minimum to either perform yourself or to subcontract the completion of the following tasks:

- Product idea research (are there any existing products or patents already existing for this idea)

- Product specification document preparation (what it will do, how it will look, how will it be powered, and how the user will interface with it)

- Marketing study (what it will be named, who would buy this, how much would they pay, how will we get customers to purchase the product)

- Schematic or electronic circuit design process

- Creation of a bill of material or BOM and an approved vendor's list or AVL for each component in the design, preferably with multiple sources identified, with a BOM and AVL for each assembly level in the product

- Printed circuit board layout design process (single sided board, double sided board, or multilayer board; size of the pcb; board material)

- Mechanical packaging design with user interfaces (displays, buttons, switches, keys, interconnects, power supply, etc.); determining if the product assembly require sealing, internal conformal coating, or potting to protect against moisture

- Software/firmware development process and software tools required

- Prototype component procurement, prototype assembly and associated setup costs, and testing with software/firmware

- There may also be some UL and/or FCC regulatory compliance testing required depending upon your product application (such as FCC Part 15 and UL standards that may apply to the product category)

- Revisions to the designs as necessary based on initial testing results with possibly additional rounds of prototyping being required

- Any required changes from the prototype assembly and testing processes must be incorporated prior to the first production run. This may require changes to the schematic and printed board designs, changes to the mechanical packaging, changes to the software/firmware, or cosmetic changes to the enclosure packaging.

Jim Usery is the Sales and Marketing Director at Innovative Circuits Inc. (Corinth, MS). He can be contacted by the following: office: 662-287-2007; toll free: 866-887-7381; email: jusery@icimfg.com. Visit our website at http://www.icimfg.com


More Resources

Franchise Business and Franchise Businesses
Franchise business is being part of a successfully proven business that has a name or trademark that is well known and profitable. Franchise businesses are strategically tried and marketable with options to expand by offering products and services that appeal to the consumer.
History of Enterprise Car Rentals
So few really understand the drives and motivations of entrepreneurs. Many write about them, some lecture and teach about what they are, how they operate and what they have achieved; yet so few really understand them.
Message to Prospective Franchisees for Franchisors
Many franchise companies fail to send the proper message to their prospective franchisees. This is partly due to the over regulation and intensity of litigation in the industry.
Lets Not Forget About The Little Guy
Every business has to start somewhere. What truly makes this country great is the freedom of enterprenuership that every one of its citizens have.
10 Tips for Would-be Entrepreneurs
Every evening as the sun sets beyond the mangroves that line the shore along the western bank of Lake Myakka, Florida, herds of wild deer and wild black pigs come down to the water's edge to drink and slake their thirst.I have seen them up close and it is a beautiful, peaceful and inspiring sight!Every evening as the sun sets beyond the mangroves that line the shore a horde of hungry alligators wait just below the surface and watch for their prey.
Can You Make Money Without Money?
When I ask why you don't start your own business, I always hear, "I don't have money to start a business."This is a common excuse people give for not starting their own business.
The Ideal Length of Your Business Plan
How long should a business plan be? A business plan needs to be whatever length is required to excite the investor, prove that management truly understands the market, and detail the execution strategy. From surveys of investor needs, Growthink has found that 15 to 25 pages of text is the optimum length in which to accomplish this.
Methods of Generating New Ideas for Entrepreneurs
Summary: Even with a wide variety of sources available, coming up with an idea as the basis for a new venture can still be a difficult problem. The entrepreneur can use several methods to help generate and test new ideas including focus groups, brainstorming and problem inventory analysis.
Create Your Entrepreneur Dream Team
I hear it all the time. "What should I do about .
Differentiation Strategies for Franchise Companies
With the growing number of franchise offerings recently it is difficult for the smallest franchise companies to compete. They generally do not have the advertising budgets to pick and choose which markets the franchise prospects will be calling from.
Focus is the Key to a Successful Startup
The definition of a startup means you have very few resources to employ and little time to get them to do something valuable. The clock is always ticking, and the money (if you even have any) is running out by the day.
Defining a R&D Framework for Entrepreneurship and Innovation on Information Product Generation
IntroductionKnowledge is the key resource that forms the institutional basis of the post-industrial economy and society. It should be empasized that it is institutions of higher education that give tangible expression to this argument by acting as catalysts for knowledge and research-driven economic growth as well as well-being enhancement.
Top Ten Ways to Increase Your Profitability
1) Go back to basics.Take a couple of steps back and address the fundamental facts or principles of your business.
Could a Non-Profit Structure Be Right for Your Business?
If you have a business idea, or an idea for a servicefor your community, there's one decision you must makeearly on: are you going to structure your project as afor-profit business, or as a non-profit corporation?Now, it may be that you already have a clear idea aboutthis. Some business ideas are clearly "for profit".
The Desire For Money, Do You Have Business Sense?
For those of us who grew up with parents who worked for businesses rather than owned them, the world of business can be quite a mystery. Even more so if we've dared to try to start one of our own.
Strategies for Overcoming Obstacles to Discovering Your Gifts
What are the unique gifts that differentiate you from other solo entrepreneurs? The path to discovering your gifts may take a lifetime, but you can use the exploration process to begin to use your gifts NOW! Unfortunately, for many different reasons people get sidetracked or never even get started taking the actions that would help them discover their uniqueness. Here are some suggested strategies to help move forward and stay on the path of discovering your gifts.
Vendor Relations
Communication is the key to vendor relations. In your small business, you will be in need of many products and services.
Work vs Play: Which is the Better Way to Make Big Money?
If you want to make big money, you have to play not to work."What do you mean by that?" You ask.
How Entrepreneurs Make Money Selling Global Brands On and Off-line
Did you know that thousands of companies from all over the world are looking for enthusiastic individuals to represent their products overseas? That person can be you. From Chinese toys to Brazilian bikinis people are making money reselling all kinds of products for a profit.
From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money Selling Info Products
The term "Infopreneur" is a relatively new industry buzz word that is making waves because it opens doors for entrepreneurs to generate new streams of income. Simply put, an infopreneur sells information.

More Entrepreneurialism Information:

Related Articles

Entrepreneurship Story; Over Regulation in Franchising Part I
Jim and Sally run a successful auto business, which they have built up over two decades and have expanded to three stores and many of their friends keep saying, "You should Franchise." They think about this for about five years read a few books, like "Franchising for Dummies," The "E-Myth", "The Franchising Bible" and many others on the shelves of the new big book store in town with the coffee shop inside.
Pre-Money vs. Post-Money Valuation
When a company decides that it must raise capital, a key question that must be answered is how much the company is worth. For example, if the business needs $500,000 to get started and/or grow, how much of the equity in that company should $500,000 command? Once this question is answered, the company will go out and try to find investors.
The Ideal Length of Your Business Plan
How long should a business plan be? A business plan needs to be whatever length is required to excite the investor, prove that management truly understands the market, and detail the execution strategy. From surveys of investor needs, Growthink has found that 15 to 25 pages of text is the optimum length in which to accomplish this.
Starting a Company on a Shoe-String Budget
A lot of people never start businesses because they believe they don't have enough money to do so. Unfortunately, these same people don't realize that many of the world's most successful companies were started on a shoe-string budget by an entrepreneur with limited resources.
How To Find Hot Online Business Ideas
Would you like to find the key that unlocks thedoor to a gold-mine of online response, sales and results for your business?It seems obvious that you would be able to see what the experts do differently when locating market opportunities, finding out what people want and quickly turning that into an online business generatingtruckloads of cash. The reality is YOU CAN'T!While the secret is massive in it's impact, it is so subtle - so subtle that you are sure to miss it if you don't know what to look for.
Independent Auto Detail Shop VS Biz Op or Franchise
Owning a detail shop can be an exciting and rewarding business indeed. Many times an owner of an independent Detailing Shop will wish to add those items he/she believes their customers want.
Franchise Business and Franchise Businesses
Franchise business is being part of a successfully proven business that has a name or trademark that is well known and profitable. Franchise businesses are strategically tried and marketable with options to expand by offering products and services that appeal to the consumer.
Start a Business Selling Government Surplus
Did you ever wonder what happens to all that government equipment that is purchased each year by federal, state, and local governments? They don't just throw it away! By law, all unused and out-dated equipment must be sold back to the public at a public auction! That's right. Everything is available to you and I the American taxpayer.
Entrepreneurial Excerpt from a Speech to Small Business
Having built a business from a bucket of water and sponge, which started over 25 years ago in a National Franchise chain in 23 states, I feel comfortable discussing entrepreneurship.While building my company in the beginning we learned the value of grass roots marketing, being involved in the community and giving a little back as we grow.
Veteran Entrepreneurs Are Growing In Ranks
When I'm not running my own business, writing articles about business, speaking to groups and organizations about business, or consulting with companies who want my advice about the running of their business, I teach a weekly class on the subject of (care to guess?) starting and running a business.To quote my frequently-mentioned and wise-beyond-her-years teenage daughter, Chelsea, "Dad, you really need to get a life.
Think - Dont React
How you think, your relationship with yourself is what decides how well you communicate with your customers and relate to your team.The most important relationship you'll ever have is the one you have with yourself so you've got to get that right.
Getting Rich Isnt a Bad Idea
You've seen plenty of articles claiming to offer you the secret to getting rich. Some ideas, however, are thin veneers covering some scheme that often involves multi-level marketing or a service with questionable intents.
Ten Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Successful entrepreneurs have many traits in common. Here are ten of those traits that I consider to be very important.
Rambling Confessions of a Recovering Entrepreneur
I told my family that I finally accepted that my passion had become an ob- session, and you could even call it an addiction. They all laughed.
Drive Website Traffic Unconventionally, Force Your Children To Do It
If you believe that every little bit helps then keepreading..
Secrets of My Favorite Government Auction
I love bargains. And there's no better place to find bargains than an auction.
The History of the Franchise Business - Learning about Business Opportunities by Looking at the Past
Hair care has been around as long as humans have been on the planet. The earliest record of personal hair care dates back 2.
3 Essential Elements of Operating a Successful Business
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live your dream? A good place to start would be to recognize that there are three elements, and only three elements, that separate success from failure. If you exercise one of the elements, you might just be successful.
Online Women Entrepreneurs Need To Pace Themselves
Saving time means pacing yourself, being organized, and always prioritizing your duties, responsibilities and efforts.Pacing yourself means allowing time for unexpected situations, such as having enough time to check the ever-growing inbox, setting-up special autoresponders for automatic responses (a miraculous tool?really), and other technical issues of running an interactive website and blog.
Build Your Own Board Of Experts
The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to help spot new opportunities and potential pitfalls.Now you can have your own advisory board: a shadow board of directors.