30 May From Dream to Reality: How to Make Your Own Gadget
While you might have an excellent idea for new technology, you could be unsure about the steps you need to take to make your dream a reality. However, a little bit of research could provide you with the knowledge and motivation you need to get started.
If you want to learn more about the planning, building, and customizing processes, find out how to make your own gadget below.
Create a Rough Drawing
It is likely you will have many ideas for your new gadget. Rather than keeping it all inside, you should create a rough drawing of your device to detail its design, features, and layout.
Consequently, you can identify whether you think your idea will work and fill consumer demand.
Review Patents
Before you bring your product to market, it is an intelligent decision to perform patent research to ensure your device will not infringe on another inventor’s intellectual property.
By doing so, it could prevent you from enduring legal action that could impact your company’s reputation, finances, and longevity.
Hire the Right Team
If you have next to no experience with microcontrollers or PCB design, you would be smart to hire experienced engineers to make your gadget idea a reality.
For example, an electronic engineer will not only know how to design various electronic circuits and devices, but they will also know the best tools to eliminate flaws in your gadget, such as an innovative PCB design software from Altium.
Build a Prototype
Before you invest a considerable amount of money on parts and packaging for your new gadget, you must build a prototype for feedback and market testing.
It will not only prove if a gadget matches your vision, but it will also allow you to gain feedback from potential customers, who might recommend changes or alterations to the device, such as reducing a gadget’s weight and/or size or implementing additional features.
You can then return to the drawing board to build a better gadget for your target audience.
Secure FCC Certification
Every electronic gadget sold in the United States must be certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as they will need to ensure your product doesn’t produce hazardous levels of electromagnetic radiation and it cannot cause radio interference.
If your device includes wireless features, such as Wi-Fi connectivity or Bluetooth, the price of FCC certification will be much higher.
The Manufacturing Process
Once you have built a powerful prototype and secured FCC certification, the manufacturing process can begin.
It is, however, important to carefully consider your manufacturing destination, as this can dramatically impact your profit margin.
For example, it might be a cheaper alternative to embark on offshore manufacturing to reduce your company’s initial overheads and increase your annual profitability.
Building a gadget can take a great deal of hard work, perseverance, and passion, but you can guarantee your blood, sweat and tears will have been worth it once the device makes it way to store shelves up and down the country.