Product Development Fundamentals

Electronic Product Design and development capability can be refined and enhanced only by practical experience. A student can learn these aspects by working in a Engineering Service Company.

Building Custom design Solutions for clients will build skills of component selection, black box specs, customer communication and prototype testing among many others.

A. Product Design Sections :

1. Electronic Engineering – Circuit Design, PCB Design, EDA. 
2. Mechanical Engineering – CAD, Tool and Die Design, Enclosure 
3. Software Engineering Firmware – PC ware, CASE, emulators 

B. Methods of Product Design :

1. Design Automation. – Design and Simulation with Computer. 
2. Computer Aided Design – Design on Computer, Breadboard test. 
3. Conventional Design. – Paper design with Breadboard test 

Electronic Product Design involves Electrical, Mechanical and Material Engineering too. This depends on the product complexity and the involvement of the R&D team in the component engineering too. Some products like RF and Robotics may need custom semiconductors and Some Wearable Electronics may need a custom ASIC as the heart of the device.

Circuit Design Service of delabs  – Product and Circuit design. Consulting tech service.

C. Criteria of Product Design :

1. Ergonomics – User friendly Interface of controls, display, etc..
2. EMI / RFI Ext.- Immunity to external electrical disturbance.
3. EMI / RFI Int. – Reduction of Internal electrical noise generation.
4. Input Cost – Selecting Cost effective components and methods.
5. Product Safety – Eliminating shock hazard, fire hazard or stress.
6. Corrosion res.- Resistance to Chemical Fumes, brine, gases etc..
7. Reliability – Long Life reliability engineering, MTBF, stability.
8. Serviceability – Accessibility – Maintenance and repairs, Self test.
9. Vibration – Enclosure / Components to be vibration resistant .
10. Ease of Manufacture.- Manufacture ease and provision for test and Calibration..
11. PC Interface – RS232, GPIB, etc. for PC Control and recording.
12. Upgrade Ease – Options, Software change, Hardware upgrades.
13. Quality – Design, Components, Production methods.
14. Accuracy – Specifications of performance and its stability.
15. Misuse-Abuse – Rugged design both electrically and mechanically.

D. Criteria of Circuit Design :

1. Technologies – Time proven technology and Standard Parts. 
2. Reliability – Component Selection and Design Methods. 
3. Modular – Allow for incremental upgrades and Service. 
4. Safety Margins – Overrating for Voltage, threshold, speed, etc.. 
5. Testability  – Test Points, Isolating Jumpers, self test mode. 
6. Isolation – High voltage isolation, User safety, grounding. 
7. Thermal Limits – Dissipation Limit, Heatsinks, Shutdown, Size. 
8. Protections – Fuses, Current Limit, Zeners, Varistors, Alarm. 
9. Power economy – CMOS Designs, LCD Designs, SMPS, Portable. 
10. Electrical Parts – Connector selection, Relays, Switches, PCB. 
11. Precision – Accuracy, Resolution, Drift, Thermal stability.