TASKS:

• KICKOFF meeting/workshops.
• Collecting information/materials about the project (references, CAD files, inspiration).
• Asking our partner for a set of mood boards.
• Determining the functionality of the product in relation to the end user.
• Determining the expected technology readiness level (TRL).
• Determining the desired product aesthetics.
• Confirming the project assumptions vs the initial assumptions (project specification).
• Initial market research & competition analysis (8-40h).

End Result: a comprehensible project brief for our designers.

TASKS:

• Analysis of existing products, technologies & mechanical challenges.
• Designers are seeking additional information.
• Searching for correct shapes through sketches, 3D models, foam, clay models etc.
• Selecting the most promising concepts for further work.
• The project manager creates a check-list with needed product functions.
• Initial assumption concerning production technology.
• Modelling visual concepts in Solidworks.
• Optional - prototyping (verifying size factor, texture, non-mechanical assumptions etc).

Preparation for the presentation:

• Discussing final concepts with the project manager.
• Preparing scenes and model textures for rendering.
• Rendering photorealistic graphics for presentation purposes.
• Initial description of individual parts and production methods.
• Preparing dimensional drawings of the concepts.
• Dimensional drawings.

End result: 3-4 product concepts in presentation format.

TASKS:

• Conference call.
• Partner's email confirming selected concept for further development.
• Partner's email confirming aesthetical feedback (if any).
• Conforming the list of aesthetical changes by the project manager.
• Preparing revision time estimation.
• Revising the selected concept based on customer feedback (close email contact).
• Conference call going over the revised changes.
• Number of revisions: 2
• Optional - prototyping (verifying size factor, texture, non-mechanical assumptions etc).

End result: final product visualisations of the selected concept in presentation format:

• transfer of ownership rights
• high resolution renders

TASKS:

• Meeting with the partner: explaining & defining the required steps needed in this phase.
• Creating a list of tasks involving mechanical parts, mechanisms, and other features to be created.
• Agreeing with the partner on the possible number of revisions. 
• Determining partner’s manufacturing capabilities. 
• Specifying time estimation needed for the first mechanical model. 
• Confirming the list of tasks & time estimation with the partner. 
• Confirming/determining the expected end result (3D model, flat documentation, prototype?).
• Identifying materials and components data sheets needed to create the first mechanical model.

Design & mechanical activities:

• Developing the first mechanical model.
• Research and technology consultancy.
• Testing and collecting feedback from the partner.
• Creating a list of changes to be made in version 2.
• Creating another mechanical model.
  Testing and collecting feedback from the client.
• Completing the agreed documentation.
  Transferring materials to the partner.

End result: mechanically correct model in Solidworks + optional prototyping.

TASKS:

• Meeting with the partner - initiating the phase.
• Agreeing with the partner on the list of tasks - manufacturing decisions of individual elements.
• Finding the most suited subcontracts for the project and consulting on the needed work. 
• Adapting the project to the realities of manufacturing under the recommendations of the selected manufacturer.
• Creating a final material strategy adapted to the manufacturing method.
• Estimating production costs.
• Selecting the best manufacturing technology for individual components.

End result: selected manufacturing technologies & creation of BOM (bills of materials).

This phase progresses differently depending on the project - it requires further defining with the partner:

OPTION 1 - Production supervision or high volume prototyping:

• Selecting the most suited manufacturers for the project.
• Consulting with manufacturers/subcontractors.
• Overlooking the production on behalf of our partner.

OPTION 2 - High volume prototyping:

• Using the material strategy created at the DFM phase, the client's guidelines and the knowledge of our engineers, we create and propose a time estimate and production costing.
• Planning of production stages and material deliveries.
• Determining the form of the prototypes delivered at the end of the phase (semi-finished products, products before or after assembling).
• Confirming cost estimates with the client.
  Meeting with the internal VC (vacuum casting) department - determining the materials, quantity and quality of needed master models. Additional Q + A meeting.
• The project manager works closely with the VC department to support the logistics of materials & components.
• Supporting the VC department at the junction between production and design.

The final stage is a store shelf ready product. If a project makes it to this stage we often assist our clients with preparing iterations of the design for consecutive production batches.