3D Printing & Injection Molding for New Product Development

3D Printing & Injection Molding for New Product Development

3D printing technology and injection molding technology, both compete with each other. When utilized in synergy, however, these technologies deliver exceptional results. 3D printing and injection molding both help in rapid prototyping as well as in new product development. Despite the trend for different kinds of 3D printing processes is rising, the actual product manufacturing is done with injection molding. On the other hand, 3D printing proves to be a more effective and popular approach for rapid prototyping.

If you want to learn specifically about 3D printing, read this blog. If you want to learn specifically about injection molding, read this blog. If you just want a quick comparison between 3D printing and injection molding, then continue reading.

3D Printing & Injection Molding

Well now, what is the difference between 3D printing and injection molding? 3D printing and injection molding are both completely different. There are different types of 3D printing techniques, but among them, the most prevalent one is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). The FDM 3D printing technique works by melting the material, commonly plastic, and shaping an object by ejecting the molten material, one drop at a time in succession. The FDM 3D printer follows inputs from a design file, created by the CAD software, and basically “prints” the object layer by layer.

Injection molding, on the other hand, works by melting the material and injecting it with pressure into a pre-designed metal mold. The mold, usually of steel or aluminum, has a cavity of a certain shape in which the molten material is forcefully filled. The molten material in the cavity of the mold stays for a while to cool and harden. Once the material is sufficiently cool, the mold opens, and the material is ejected, as a definite object.

What about the time? 3D printing a single object takes considerable time than a single injection mold cycle. In order to 3D print a complex object, it might take many hours. Whereas, injection molding can produce the same object in a matter of minutes, provided that there is a definite mold for the object, made and available beforehand.

What about the cost? Injection molding, especially for a basic object or part, is substantially more expensive than 3D printing. When it comes to new product development, you first need to design the prototype of your product. In the case of 3D printing, this prototype design will be the first and last step. Once you have the prototype design, all you need to do is upload it to the 3D printer and press “print.” In a matter of minutes or hours, depending on the complexity, you will have your part ready.

In the case of injection molding, prototype design is the first step. After prototype design, the next step is designing and creating a definitive steel or aluminum mold, which helps produce the part. Making this mold is actually very expensive. Nevertheless, with the mold ready, you will be able to create numerous identical parts, which may prove economical in the long run.

What is the future of product manufacturing? Now, one thing is certain, the 3D printing technology is advancing quickly. Currently in the market, there are different types of 3D printers available. Among those, the most common type is a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer. FDM can efficiently 3D print plastic parts. It does prove to be ideal and economical for creating plastic parts for product prototypes.

When used in conjunction with injection molding, however, the overall product development or product manufacturing will prove to be efficient and cost-effective. For product prototype development, you should use 3D printing. After developing the prototype and enhancing it to make it free from any defect or error and ready for mass production, you should employ injection molding, through which you can manufacture parts in bulk quantity, swiftly and inexpensively.

New product development is never easy. It demands significant time, money, efforts, and resources. A coherent approach to new product development, however, can ease the heartache of manufacturing new products.

Need help with new product design and product development? Get in touch with GID Development Corporation today. GID Development Corporation is one of the leading product development companies in the US. Based in California, GID Development Corporation provides agile and economical product design, rapid prototyping, product development, product manufacturing, and other product fulfillment services.

No matter how complex the conceived gadget or product is, GID Development Corporation, an expert product development company in California, will help you realize it. To learn more about GID Development Corporation, visit https://www.gidcompany.com/.

Have any questions regarding 3D printing, injection molding, product design, or product development? GID Development Corporation is offering a 15-minute, FREE telephonic consultation. Just call Jim Grimes at 714-323-1052 between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST.

The Most Common & Important Steps Involved in Product Development

The Most Common & Important Steps Involved in Product Development

Product development is all about materializing a new product from just a mere concept. Whether it is a medical device product, a product with electronics, electromechanical product, sports product, a product with embedded software or any other kind of a unique product, there are a number of steps involved in order to realize it. Here are some of the steps that entail in product development:

Step 1: Research

Performing an extensive market research is where the product development begins. A market research helps identify the prospect of the new products. Is the conceived product unique? How ergonomic the product should be? Will the product be helpful to the potential customers? Are there any alternatives for the conceived product yet? Answers to these and many other questions shape the success of the new product, and in order to get the answers, performing research is necessary.

Step 2: Product Design

A conceived idea is actually elucidated during the product design stage. In fact, all the detailed drawings, from concept to envisioned final product, are drawn during the product design stage. Product design is one very tough step of product development.

A conceived product can be simple or complex in nature. If it is a simple product with few parts or components, the product design process will be a single step. On the other hand, if it is a complex product with numerous parts or components, product design process will be broken down into two sub-steps: Preliminary Product Design and Final Product Design.

  • Preliminary Product Design: When a product consists more parts or components, like an electromechanical power unit, which has over hundreds of parts and components, then the preliminary product design step is useful. Preliminary product design is all about the appearance and function of the conceived product, and less about the product’s manufacturability. Once preliminary product designs are made, they become the frameworks for the final product design.
  • Final Product Design: Final product design is all about product manufacturability. In simpler words, it is about creating product designs in such a way that the said products are easy to fabricate or manufacture. The final product design specifies everything required to dictate production or mass manufacturing. It considers everything on a part level. The result of final product design is detailed drawings, 3D image and rendering files, a complete bill of materials, and details to source and assemble.

Step 3: Product Design Analyses / Feasibility Analyses

After realizing the final product design, detailed analyses are carried out on the design prior to product prototyping and prototype testing. These analyses verify the feasibility of the product, as well as its performance, like strength, weight, dimension, etc., prior to developing a physical prototype. This important step lowers the cost and performance risks related to prototype development and prototype testing.

Step 4: Product Prototype Development

Once a definitive product design is ready, alpha and beta product prototypes are made. This is the step where the actual, physical form of a conceived product takes shape and comes into being. Product prototypes are made using suitable plastic product manufacturing techniques. If it is a product with electronics, then breadboards or generic electronic kits, like Arduino kits, are used to make prototypes. 3D printing and rapid prototyping techniques can also be utilized for product prototype development.

Step 5: Prototype Testing

Before moving the product into production, exhaustive testing of the definitive prototype is carried out to make sure that it functions and performs as expected. The prototype is used in all the possible ways it is intended to be used. The general public and potential customers are also allowed to use the prototype; this way, valuable feedbacks from them are taken and implemented before the product is sent for mass manufacturing.

Step 6: Hazard Analysis

The hazard analysis is performed throughout the product development process. It is, however, finalized before the product is sent for production. The purpose of hazard analysis is to identify any possible safety issues that may surface by the product, in the future. If possible, the safety issues will be addressed by the change in the product design. If not, it will be addressed by the accompanying product manual and safety warning labels.

Step 7: Mass Manufacture & Release

The final step of the product development is placing the product into production. If the capital is not the constraint, then own production facility can be set up. If it is the constraint, then outsourcing the production is the sensible and economical way.

Once the product starts to roll out in larger quantities, it can be taken to the market, into the hands of potential customers.

Product development is indeed a time-consuming, mentally-challenging, and exhausting task. For individual inventors, it is next to impossible to realize their dream products on their own. Fortunately, there are product development companies, like GID Development Corporation, that can help inventors with product development.

GID Development Corporation is a leading product development company in the US. Based in California, it offers swift, agile, economical, and top-quality product design, product prototyping, and product development services to inventors throughout the United States and across the globe.

With their vast experience, professionals at GID Development Corporation can help develop large, complex products, products with embedded software, sports products, products with electronics, electromechanical products, and other unique products. No product development project is too big or too small for them; these professionals at GID Development Corporation will “GET IT DONE!”

Have any product development-related questions or queries? Just call Jim Grimes at 714-323-1052 between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST, for a FREE 15-minute telephonic conference. He will answer various questions regarding new product development.

Steps in the New Product Development

Steps in the New Product Development

New product development may seem as simple as forming an idea for a revolutionary product, manufacturing it, and putting it on the market, bringing it to the customers. Well, the reality is that new product development is a complex process, which involves contributions from many skilled individuals. New products should not only be useful inventions that can be mass manufactured and sold for profit, but they should also be safe to use, protected by intellectual property rights, and more importantly, be easily marketable.

Here are some steps, explained by GID Development Corporation, a product development company in California, USA, which are involved in new product development.

Germinating Ideas

The primary stage of a product development is coming up with a fantastic idea for a new groundbreaking product. Oftentimes, new products are introduced in the market by first recognizing a specific need in the market and then developing a product to satisfy that need. Sometimes, revolutionary product ideas also occur just by chance or an unusual incidence that triggers the concept in the mind of the innovator.

Researching Plausibility of the Idea

The next stage of the product development is finding out the plausibility of the idea. In other words, the innovator needs to find out the degree of acceptability, usability and the value of the conceived new product. Knowing how well the potential customers will receive the new product is vital. It prevents a lot of time, money, resources and efforts on the development of products that are worthless to the potential customers.

Concept Development

Development, or rather, enhancement of a concept is the essence of new product development. It includes, but not limited to getting a grip on the basics, such as market research, material selection, material costs, product design costs, prototype development cost, overall manufacturing costs, potential profit, target regions, target customers, and so on.

Actual New Product Development

Actual new product development is the stage where the conceived idea and all the researched and concept development data are amalgamated and put into action. A product development company starts with the creation of new product design, using researched data. After the creation of a definitive product design, the company moves on to the development of prototypes. Then, the prototypes are tested, and changes are made until an idealized new product is realized.

Bulk Manufacturing

After realizing an ideal new product from the conceived idea, the product is bulk manufactured. Usually, it is affordable to outsource bulk manufacturing. If the budget is not the constraint, your own production facility can also be set up to bulk manufacture the new product.

Commercialization

The commercialization stage of new product development involves packaging, branding, logistics, warehousing, as well as rolling out the advertising and marketing campaigns. In short, commercialization is a stage of bringing new products to the market and to the potential customers.

New product development is a complex, time-consuming, and arduous process. An innovator cannot tackle the new product development process on their own. Luckily, product development companies, like GID Development Corporation, are established that can help innovators with the entire product development process.

GID Development Corporation is an American product development company based in California. Utilizing their vast experience and the most advanced technologies, like Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which includes product design and product development apps, such as CATIA V6, ENOVIA, 3DVIA, SOLIDWORKS, and more, the veterans at GID Development Corporation assist innovators in every stage of new product development. Whether it is the development of medical device products, mechanical products, electrical products, electromechanical products, products with imbedded software, or any other types of products, GID Development Corporation will always thrive.

To learn more about GID Development Corporation, visit https://www.gidcompany.com/.

GID Development Corporation is currently offering a free 15-minute telephonic consultation. Anyone who is interested should just call Mr. Jim Grimes, one of the pros at GID, at 714-323-1052 between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST.

Plastic Product Manufacturing – Tips to Find the Best Product Development Company

Plastic Product Manufacturing – Tips to Find the Best Product Development Company

If you are dealing in plastic products or parts, then you don’t need to manufacture those parts or products on your own. You can hire a plastic product manufacturing company to design and develop custom plastic parts for the optimum functioning of your business. There are product development companies in the United States and beyond the borders of the United States to help inventors and businesses with what they require and how much they require.

However, not all product manufacturing companies are reliable and professional when it comes to manufacturing plastic products from scratch. It will be in your favor if you choose a plastic product manufacturer with adequate experience, workforce, and technology to transform your idea into a money-making product. Here are a few tips to help you find a plastic product manufacturing company that will fulfill your budding plastic parts demand.

If you are a startup, then you should focus on the type of materials the company uses. Every product development company is different from each other, similarly not all plastic product manufacturers are going to make use of all types of raw materials to develop plastic products. Some manufacturing companies may possess expertise in creating plastic products using raw materials such as polyurethanes, whereas others may prefer polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides (nylon), polyvinyl chloride, etc. to develop new plastic products. Every raw material has its characteristics, each suitable for a specific purpose; hence, partner with a company that can recommend and handle the specific plastic material that you want for your parts or products.

Some plastic product development companies offer additional services to help inventors. The supplementary services can help you overcome any unwanted product development blunders. Some product manufacturing companies may also assist with rapid prototyping to help you test the feasibility of the concept. Partnering with such a versatile product development company can be worthwhile for you.

Whether you are a startup, a mid-sized business, or a big brand with an international presence, teaming up with a reliable plastic product manufacturing company procures tons of benefits for you. These include plastic products for vivid industries such as agriculture, transportation, medical, sports equipment, automotive, and retail to name a few.

If you are in search of a reliable plastic product manufacturing company in the United States, then the GID Development Corporation is worth considering. Propelled ahead by the team of the most skilled and experienced industry professionals, GID offers exceptional designing services, prototyping, manufacturing, and services in between. Call Jim Grimes at 714-323-1052 8 am – 5 pm PST for a free consultation.

Product Design – 3 Reasons Why Second Opinion Design Review is Good Before New Product Development

Design Review

New product development being a complex and critical process, it’s always a good idea to get a second opinion product design review before you opt for product development. Whether you are looking forward to develop products with electronics, electro-mechanical products, products with imbedded software, medical device products or anything else, a second review certainly helps you save your time and money.

The GID Development Corporation shares with you some of the reasons a second opinion is a smart move when it comes to custom / new product development.

Big Brands Always Get Second Opinions on Product Development:

It’s a universal fact that a new line product hitting the shelf is reviewed by dozens of engineers and clears multiple quality checks. To avoid any manufacturing complications, big brands across the globe ensure that all engineers designing new products get lots of second opinions from other designers.

In the product design and development industry, second opinions are termed as design reviews. To ensure a fruitful second review, design engineers are required to present their new product design to other designers. This step certainly helps the designer to identify minor design issues that could lead to a major error.

Another reason why large companies emphasize on the second opinion design reviews is because electronic products, products with imbedded software and other modern day products are complex in nature, and regardless to the engineer, mistakes are almost made when designing anything complex. Therefore, it is in our favor to take every possible step to minimize the risk of design mistakes.

Second Opinions Will Reduce Your Prototyping Costs

Product prototype development is yet another expensive step involved in the process of new product development; therefore, being a responsible entrepreneur / inventor, we need to make sure that the design is accurate before prototyping.

Most product manufacturing companies prefer at least three revisions to get products ready for market; however, the number and severity of the changes required will be considerably decreased with design reviews. A second opinion design review before prototype development is one of the best ways to reduce manufacturing cost and time.

Your Wireless Design is Likely to Be Junk Without a Second Opinion

Manufacturing wireless products like WiFi, Bluetooth, or GPS is a job of high precision, and unfortunately, 75-85% of engineers get it wrong when it comes to designing wireless parts. Some mistakes are so major that the prototype may not work at all or may function in a very limited fashion.

Designing multifaceted products with imbedded software, electro-mechanical, electronic parts or something similar is quite different than ordinary products. Therefore, if you are planning a product with multiple functionalities, then you should get a second opinion.

To Conclude

The advantages of second opinion design reviews carry over into all the aspects of designing and manufacturing a new product. The opinion of multiple design veterans is always a smart move.

When it comes to new product development, hiring a product development company with years of experience and teams of engineers having specialization in different engineering fields is a wise move.

If you just had that your eureka moment, then the GID Development Corporation can certainly help you bring your ideas to life. Being one of the leading product manufacturing companies in the United States, GID offers A-Z services, from industrial design services to taking the new product to the consumers and everything in between. They have an in-house team of engineers, product designers, prototype developers, and other professionals that can help bring any idea to reality.

Along with the above mentioned reasons to partner the GID Development Corporation for your next product development venture, the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) policy of the company is quite impressive. The company and its people are highly committed towards the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and protect their client’s intellectual property rights for their new product idea prior to their disclosure of any pertinent information. At the GID Development Corporation, a Non-Disclosure Agreement is placed at the apex of their product design and development process.

A Non-Disclosure Agreement covers customer-centric points such as;

  1. A complete contact information of both parties involved.
  2. Definition of Confidential Information
  3. Ownership of Confidential Information
  4. Phased Release of Discloser’s Confidential Information
  5. Term of the Agreement
  6. Termination Terms and Conditions
  7. Injunction relative to Recipient’s failure to perform
  8. Changes must be in writing and agreed to by both parties
  9. NDA does not constitute a partnership or joint venture
  10. NDA will be governed by the laws of a given State of the United States of America
  11. Brief Description of the idea and/or product
  12. Dated Signatures of both Parties

Armed with a properly crafted and executed NDA, the inventor can now freely divulge their idea and discuss it in detail while revealing their expectations for its success. Being a competent and professional design & engineering Firm, GID Company always proceed in this manner by insuring the client is protected at the start of Design & Development Process for a new or improved product idea.

To know more about NDA or to discuss your product idea, Dial 714-323-1052 and ask for Jim Grimes or visit their website https://www.gidcompany.com/.

Common Mistakes During New Product Development

Common Mistakes During New Product Development

The success of a business enterprise entirely depends upon its products and innovations. Good products and innovations arise from efficient product development strategies. Numerous new products hit the market every week, but not many actually yield the kind of return that the enterprises had expected. So what seems to be the problem?

Most businesses often miss out on several important aspects of the product development process, which ultimately factors to the failure of the entire project. Consequently, they end up overspending and missing the predetermined launch date only to introduce a new product that isn’t precisely the best. In order to avoid this pitfall, what can businesses do? Well, they should avoid the following common mistakes:

Not Performing the Market Research

Prior to the new product development, failing to carry out thorough market analysis and research is one of the biggest mistakes that businesses make.

Not performing the research leads to the failure of the entire project, as businesses have no vital information about what the consumers actually want, how they can meet their demands, and how they can address the prevailing problems.

While every business has deadlines to meet, it is essential to make a habit of performing extensive market research before moving on with the new product development process. This way, businesses can escape any likely mistakes and create a decisive plan that will lead the way for better future product developments.

Not Planning for the Future

A new product development is all about bringing new innovations for the future. Product designers and product developers spend a considerable amount of time in creating solutions that will not only give a respectable return in the present, but also in the future. Not planning for the future factors directly toward bad product development. It will also affect future product development endeavors.

In order to avoid this, ensure to design your new product for the present as well as for the future. This way, you will be able to devise simple, yet useful products with superior features that can also address the future needs. Therefore, when you have a solid idea, ensure to analyze and visualize how it will function and perform in the future with the advent of new technological advancements.

Not Focusing on Product, But on its Benefits

Most businesses believe that a successful new product should offer a number of benefits to its potential consumers. While it is an excellent approach to product development, it may raise several issues and problems in situations where the new product actually cannot provide what was suggested or quoted. Remember, the focus of the product development team has to be on the development of the product itself instead of the benefits offered. Eventually, the consumers will purchase the product for its benefits, but if you do not focus on the limitations of the product, the final result would be an exceptional new product that maybe no one would want to buy.

Pricing it Too Low or High

One of the main objectives of every business is to gain maximum return on the new product they bring in the market. Nevertheless, if the price of the new product is too high, the consumers will not buy it and if the price is too low, the business will fail to make the profit. Therefore, the price of the new product has to be on par with the advantages or benefits it offers. The business also needs to consider the purchasing power of the target market while setting the price for its new product.

Remember, if the price is high, the consumers will probably ignore the new product, and the product will remain on the shelves, leading to a big loss. Therefore, a business needs to ensure to price its new product based on the price its competitors charge.

If you want to learn more about new product development or if you want to create a successful new product, GID Company can help. GID Company, a new product design and product development company in California, USA, has vast experience in designing and developing successful new products for its clients. Utilizing the latest technologies, like Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, the professionals at GID Company even help develop new product prototypes at reduced costs. Aside from new product design, product development, and product prototype development, GID Company also helps with product branding, product packaging, manufacturing, inventory management, and more. To learn more about GID Company, just visit https://www.gidcompany.com/.

Currently, the new product development expert in the US, GID Company is also offering a free 15-minute telephonic consultation with one of the veterans, Jim Grimes. You can call Jim at 714-323-1052 between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PST.