Contract Manufacturing - CMD Prototyping

CONTRACT MANUFACTURING

What is it?• A relationship between your startup and a supplier of your

product.• Not an equity based partnership, but a financial agreement

for volume production.• Likely to be one of the largest and most important

relationships in your company.

Prototype Testing Manufacturing Certification Volume

IntellectualProperty

Types:• Injection Moulding• PCB Production• Product Assembly• Metalworking• Post-Production Modification• Packaging



Global Example:• Apple Inc.– Well known as a software & hardware company.– Software is developed in-house, and is the primary

focus.– Hardware is actually manufactured by Foxconn.– Foxconn is also the contract manufacturer for

Blackberry, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony.



Are You Ready?• Working prototypes are not necessarily ready for

manufacturing.• Many unexpected pitfalls in this stage of development.• Common cause of delays and additional cost for

crowdfunded products.• Clear intentions of product scope.• Serviceable or disposable?



Prototyping• 3D Printing is a useful tool, but there are some

considerations:– Cost – Tolerances– Different “rules of design”– Structural Integrity– FDM vs SLA



Prototyping• Injection Moulding– Specific Design Considerations:• Draft Angles• Material• Wall Thickness• Part Complexity• Structural Concerns (Ribbing)

– Hardware Inserts



Prototyping• Metals

– Specific Design Considerations:• Material• Manufacturing Method

– Casting– Extrusion– Bending

• Structural Integrity• Complexity• Post Production



Prototyping• Composites– Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass & Smart Materials– Specific Design Considerations:• Cost. Is it necessary?• Interior Core• Layer Requirements• Material• Strength



Prototyping• PCB Production– Specific Design Considerations:• Layers• Mounting Holes• Trace patterns (do NOT exceed 45°)• Component Footprints• Silkscreen Layer



Prototyping• Product Assembly– Component Sourcing

• Digikey• McMaster-Carr

– Remember that your product has to actually be assembled.• Components

• Hardware sourcing• Automated or Hand-

Assembled?• Unexpected and

expensive cost• Custom Cables



Manufacturing

• Identify appropriate manufacturing methods• Choosing a manufacturer based on location,

experience, portfolio, quality and cost.• Component providers and supply chains



Injection Moulding

• Most common manufacturing process• High upfront cost• Low per part cost• Local example:– North Bay Plastics



MetalWorking

• Wide array of processes:– Casting– Extruding– Bending– Welding

• Post-Production

– CNC Machining– E-Coat– Case Hardening

• Local Example:– Sudbury Stainless



PCB Production

• High low volume cost• Low high volume cost• Production deals & considerations• Populated or not?• Local example:– Crest Circuits



Product Assembly

• PCB Population• Hand Assembly• Automated Assembly Line• Ease of Assembly• Outsourced vs In-House



Packaging

• Packaging– Vacuum Formed Packages– Pre-Made Boxes– Off-the-shelf or Direct-to-Consumer– Custom Inlays



Intellectual Property

• Patents• Non-Disclosure Agreements• Non-Compete Agreements



Testing & Certifications• Environmental Testing

and Ingress Protection Code (IPXX)

• Engineering Stamp– Liability– ASTM/ASME

Compliance

• Electro-Magnetic Certification

• Abiding to applicable codes and standards



Volume Production• Upfront vs Per Part• Low Volume vs High Volume• Schedule Reliability• Maintaining Stock• Realistic Quantity Expectations



Quality Assurance• Oversight• Sampling• Manual vs Automated• Destructive vs Non-Destructive• Documentation



Questions?• Come see the Fortin Discovery Lab for examples• Email us at [email protected]• Find us on twitter @cmdprototyping



Contract Manufacturing - CMD Prototyping

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