The actual product design is where your product starts to take tangible shape. RBC Product Development continues the forward-looking process at this stage by not only completing typical product design due-diligence in the functional design phase, but by considering critical components of design for electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC), thermal considerations, manufacturability, and testability.

Before the design phase is complete, product design reviews with the entire team ensure requirements and standards are met and that safety and other critical factors are considered.

We offer a variety of prototyping methods to ensure success during all phases of the product design process. A few of our prototyping methods include proof-of-concept and fully-functional prototyping, as well as EMI and thermal modeling to eliminate risk early in the product design phase.

The critical steps we include in the product design phase of the process are:

• Functional Product Design – Our expert developers will implement your solution in the way that best meets your project priorities. We have the experience to meet full turnkey product development or any phase in between, including the following functional design areas:
  
  
  • Electronics design
  • Software/firmware design
  • Mechanical design
  • Industrial design
• Design for Electro-magnetic Compatibility (EMC) - Understanding Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) isn't "black magic," as some claim. We use proven, reliable techniques to resolve tough EMC issues in existing products and employ knowledge, skills, and proven experience to design new electronics with EMC in mind.
• We're careful to put mitigations in place before EMC becomes an issue, and we're experts at debugging EMC on existing products, including designing to FCC, IEC, and CISPR standards.
• Whether you're trying to avoid EMC from the start or trying to solve an existing problem, RBC Product Development has the expertise that you need.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM) – Our team designs products for manufacturability. We use the least number of fasteners possible and work to reduce the number of assembled parts—so manufacturing is simple, quick and easy, yet the product is safe, reliable, and meets all federal and international regulations. Additionally, we design our products so the unassembled parts are easy to store and handle.
• Design for Testability (DFT) - Product design for testability is critical if the transition into manufacturing is to be seamless. Our engineers understand the manufacturing test process so well that Clients often ask us to design automated test devices. We do this so your product's post-assembly tests are efficient, easy, and cost-effective.
• Functional design review - We hold reviews to ensure that outputs are accurate and meet the standards our Clients deserve. Whether business, requirements, design, implementation, or test reviews with cross-functional, functional, or peer attendance, this step in the verification process is another way that we deliver Innovation with Certainty!
• Modeling/form & Concept Prototyping - We typically create multiple prototypes, depending on the needs of the Client and the project. Some of our common prototypes include:
  
  
  • Proof-of-Concept - This prototype is designed to analyze the technical and business risks of the desired solution and to prove, with a predefined, working prototype, that the challenges can be overcome and the risks managed. This prototype allows a relatively small investment to prove that a larger investment is warranted.
  • Form/Concept - The form/concept prototype is designed to let you view and "feel" how the product will look and function once it's completed. The completeness of this prototype is tailored to meet the needs of the Client, but usually facilitates feedback about the shape, color, design, and overall look and feel of the product.
  • Form, Fit, & Function - Once the design is finalized, a fully functional, working prototype is created and tested for manufacturability, electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC), and full functionality. This prototype allows for certification pre-screens, dry-run verification, and any necessary user or clinical testing. This prototype is very much like the final product and is used to determine where to "sand off the rough edges."
  • Pre-production - The pre-production prototype is a final, working prototype produced in the target manufacturing environment. This prototype allows the manufacturer to iron out any kinks in their process and is the first step in the manufacturing handoff.
  • Manufacturing Run (Process Validation) - The manufacturer's first formal run of the product is loosely termed a "prototype." This run is used to make certain the manufacturing process runs smoothly and correctly and allows the development and manufacturing teams to ensure both the quality of the product and that any issues are quickly caught and remedied. The "prototypes" produced during a successful manufacturing process validation run are the first units available for sale to your Customers!