In product development, choosing open versus closed hardware and software platforms requires careful consideration. Selecting open source hardware has advantages and limitations, concisely described in this blog post by Simplexity CTO… Read More
If you’re trying to decide whether to hire a product development firm, or determine which one is best for your needs, here are the top 10 questions that you should… Read More
There are many amazing open source hardware (OSHW) printed circuit assembly (PCA) projects available today. Arduino®, BeagleBone®, Rasperry Pi®, OpenPilot®, and RepRap® are a few of the bigger names, but… Read More
Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and the rest of the crowd sourcing world are overrun with product ideas for connecting different things to the internet. Much like the dot com and mobile app… Read More
The market for 3D printers has exploded over the last few years. There have been great advances in printer hardware, materials, and the software ecosystem required to allow 3D printers… Read More
What is the correct (or best) motor to use in a motion control application? Given the myriad choices of type, size and performance it should not be surprising that there… Read More
This past month, I was asked to speak on the topic of concept generation, also known as ideation, at Professor Larry Leifer’s 3D Printing and Design course – ME137/237 –… Read More
In part two of my three-part mechatronics discussion I provided tips for the design of high volume mechatronic systems. In this final entry of the series, I’ll discuss five additional tips… Read More
The word “mechatronics” was first coined in Japan in the late 1960’s to refer to the synergistic blend of mechanics and electronics. The word has evolved to describe products and… Read More
People are often curious about what our secret sauce is for achieving such simple designs for complex products. While I could get into all the details — things like hiring… Read More
Software: Design Complete
Hardware: Pre-production units for design verification
MFG. Readiness: CM schedule and budget, Unit build tracking
Software: Full feature implementationHardware: Prototype 2 units with production-representative materials and processes
Quality: Build Quality PlanSoftware: Core functionality implementationHardware: Prototype 1 units with rapid prototyped components
Quality: Critical manufacturing process identificationSoftware: Architecture design: block, sequence and state diagramsHardware: Major Component definition & Proof of Concept subsystems build
Quality: Design for Manufacturing tradeoffs evaluation