Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Of course, if you've never manufactured something before, this can be quite challen-
ging. This chapter has covered a number of the common-sense approaches to debugging
the manufacturing process. Like any debugging, it's made easier when you start with a
good design that uses readily available components and conforms to the capabilities of the
manufacturer that you've selected. You are also less likely to encounter errors when you
carefully select your manufacturing partner and establish good communication with it. It's
important to draw on the manufacturer's expertise to identify and correct any design fea-
tures that could turn into manufacturing nightmares later on. Remember, you chose that
particular manufacturer because you believed in its capability to manufacture your
product. Manufacturers spend all day figuring out how to manufacture what their custom-
ers want with minimal errors or problems. They are familiar with their tools and the tool
limitations. Ignore their advice at your own peril! Even so, mistakes will happen. Many of
those can be identified and corrected with a pilot production run and through good quality
control.
The worst-case scenario, and one that is often encountered by the leaders of crowd-
funded projects who've never manufactured a product before (and plenty who have!), is
that a problem pops up as components are coming off the factory floor in volume. Even at
this point, there is still a chance you can salvage your project. Get creative. The solution
will probably cost you a lot in terms of time and money, but it's certainly going to be less
costly than starting over from scratch.
Nathan Seidle, founder of SparkFun, once reminded me that what might be perfect for
the obsessive engineer inside all of us usually doesn't make the best business sense. You
can iterate and prototype until you run out of money or your market opportunity passes
you by as new technology and new products are introduced. I certainly have designed
more than one product where this has been the case. Nathan said, “Even the best-designed
projects have issues. If your run of 1000 items doesn't meet 100% of the requirements or
specifications that you originally intended, consider selling the device with a limited fea-
ture set. As long as your users are not surprised by a missing feature or incorrect label,
they will generally be understanding.”
Despite your best efforts and intentions, errors will slip through the cracks. Minor er-
rors may be survivable. Educate yourself about manufacturing and manufacturers. Incor-
porate that knowledge into your product design and process. This will lead to fewer errors
in the first place, and you will be well on your way to a successful product launch.
