Product Development Essentials

A Comprehensive, yet Practical Guide to Developing Great Engineering Products: Ideal for Engineers or Small Manufacturers

 

Welcome to Product Development Essentials – the section where great design advice is kept simple and ready to apply. It is aimed at those who intend to successfully develop existing or new products and get them to market quickly. The emphasis is on doing what the best businesses do to maximise the chances of success. In addition, the goal is practical help and specific instructions for those, typically small manufacturers, who could really benefit from a helping hand to do ‘product development’. The focus is very much on results - developing high quality products quickly, to beat competitors, increase profits and grow the business. Click on the any of the topics below to find out more...

Product Development Principles

• Product Development Introduction and Benefits: Why it’s Commercially Essential

• Design Thinking... for Engineers

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Typical Product Development Process Stages

o    Product Development Driven by Business Strategy

o    Specification and Requirements

o    Concept Design

o    Embodiment Design

o    Detailed Design

o    Engineering Design for Manufacture and Assembly

o    Product Launch and Process Review

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Process Front End: Understanding the Need for Product Development

• Product Development Process and Stages

• Product Development Driven by Business Strategy and Analysis

• Understanding Competitors, Market Research and Mass Customisation

• Specification and Requirements

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Concept Design

• Concept Design: Successfully Sourcing and Generating Ideas

• Idea Screening: Best Fit Against the Specification

• Idea Development and Testing

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Embodiment Design

• Embodiment Design: Product Functions and Assemblies

• Modular Design and Product Architecture

• Benefits of Modular Design including Modular Manufacturing

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Detailed Design

• Detail Design: Intro, CAD Engineering, Tolerances and Fits, Materials and Manufacturing Process

• Outsourcing Consideration, Design Standards, Research and Investigation

• Physical Prototyping and Working with your Hands

• Engineering Analysis and Product Testing

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Engineering Design for Manufacture and Assembly

• Engineering Design for Manufacture and Assembly: Refining the Design and Gearing up for Production

• Applied Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA): Practical Guidelines for Great Engineering Design 1

• Applied Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA): Practical Guidelines for Great Engineering Design 2

• Further Design for Manufacture and Assembly Top Tips 1

• Further Design for Manufacture and Assembly Top Tips 2

• Technical Documents and Data to Assist Manufacturing and Assembly

• Production and Manufacturing Engineering

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Product Launch and Development Process Review

• Product Launch and Development Process Review

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What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do: How to Successfully Managing Product Development

• What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 1: The right people and the right environment, simultaneous/concurrent engineering

• What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 2: Approval gates and reviews, resourcing, cross-functional teams, access to facilities and tools

• What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 3: Strong communication, process visibility, relevance to all business teams, how to move at pace

• What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 4: Simple processes and procedures, working to a plan, managing risks, project management

• What the Best Performing Manufacturers Do - 5: Keeping it simple, managing technical knowledge, KPI’s, adopting CAD Engineering

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Costing During Product Development

• Costing Considerations and Cost Reductions

• Cost Reduction through Value Analysis and Value Engineering

• Value Analysis and Value Engineering (VA/VE): Definitions and Benefits

• Costing Design Ideas Inc. Suppliers and Manufacturing Processes

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Product and Industrial Design

• Big Benefits ‘Designers’ can add to the Product Development Process

• Professional Design Expertise: Industrial Products, Human Factors and Driving Strategic Business Benefits

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Intellectual Property Rights

• Intellectual Property

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Research and Development (R&D)

• Research and Development (R&D): The Benefits for Small Manufacturers

• So how do you ‘do’ R&D? In-house, Outsourced and Collaborative R&D

• Practical Tips for Managing R&D

• R&D Tax Considerations

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Innovation

• Innovation for Small Manufacturers

• The Importance of an Innovative Mind-set

• Innovation – Technology, Business and People Skills

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Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan

• Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan 1

• Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan 2

• Making it Happen: Product Development Action Plan 3

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Want to find out more? Click here to discover how you can get hold of our handy Product Development eBook. 

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A comprehensive description of the key factors in successful New Product Development and innovation, courtesy of Dyson & Edison Nation 

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Engineering Design Process (Clinton James Campbell)

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