Our Approach
RPDK delivers work across our unique 7 stage process that minimises risk and reduces both cost and time to market
Following our unique process saves our clients time, development cost and mitigates risk. By choosing us as your engineering partner, you are ensuring that knowledge is not lost when moving through each stage.
We offer a full suite of engineering disciplines; but are flexible and accustomed to integrating and working alongside your engineering team.
Discovery
Setting out the specifications that define what a product will become
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This phase dedicates our full project team resources to understanding the work done to date, and the provided information.
We will set up the documentation that controls the project and ensures future certification compliance. This process is essential to guiding the development properly, reducing time and costs for the rest of the project.
We’ll spend time with you, your team and with your current technology to fully understand the requirements.
We’ll build these into:
A Functional Spec - to capture what a solution needs to do
A Draft Technical Spec - the plan of how we will technically solve your functional requirements
A Test Spec - to specify how prototypes and products will be tested against the spec
A developed Project Plan - confirming the project timelines and costs, based on our detailed understanding of any additional requirements that may be disclosed
A regulatory landscape - analysing the required certifications for your product, in your intended operating areas
A Production Planning Outline - analysing expected volume and cost, specifying the type of design limitation these production methods result in
Feasibility
Validating ideas to establish the science that forms the basis for a project
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This stage focusses on validating technical unknowns or solutions that help de-risk a development program or support your project with our technical expertise. It will be built around necessary studies to validate areas of concern, resulting in either written reports or basic validation prototypes of specific technology areas.
Concept Development
Prototyping process to tackle the most audacious areas of a product
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The concept development process allows us to re-design the device from the ground up.
We’ll highlight the systems that have been identified as successful and suitable, integrating these into the systems that need further development. We’ll always work backwards from your production forecast - designing components and systems based on the expected production line and unit cost requirements.
This stage will often result in several prototypes - usually divided into proof of concept for various sub-systems.
A full assembly may be possible, although it may be larger than the intended final device. This will be confirmed following the discovery analysis of existing technical information.
We’ll begin making regulatory compliance considerations from the start of concept development. All engineering work is compliant to ISO13485, with client shared technical dossiers.
Engineering Development
Detailed engineering to bring prototypes to life with all of their features
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The development stage covers a range of prototype deliveries to you with our own internal testing and development.
We’ll aim to optimise and integrate the proven critical functions, and work with you on operational testing. We may isolate particular design risks to develop in parallel.
We’ll then move to develop those basic functions with the additional required features, and miniaturisation of systems for the final design. Throughout this process we will aim to make sensible DFM decisions to minimise later rework requirements.
RPDK focusses heavily on testing against the agreed test plan, to develop ECNs throughout the development process.
We will make design decisions according to the required certification. We may also carry out early pre-certification validation of these design decisions.
By the end of the development phase, we aim to have a fully working product prototype that can be tested reliably in realistic circumstances. Within this stage, it may be possible to begin pre-certification testing with certified bodies. This will be confirmed during the discovery stage.
Design for Manufacture
Optimising every component for production cost and efficiency
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Following field testing, with the development prototypes, we’ll move into production optimisation. We’ll begin by gathering all field-testing results that have been unearthed, and integrating these into the development plan.
We will focus on the optimisation of the design for production costs and efficiencies - according to your production volume ambitions from discovery. This may include testing multiple materials, production methods or substitute components.
We’ll work with you to establish accurate manufacturing costs, and identify where we may reduce these costs further with spec and design.
DFM stages will usually have further prototypes as we iron out final features, and test the changes that help optimise for production process and cost. We will complete the majority of certification paperwork - ready to carry out lab testing and approvals with future production samples - once in manufacturing.
This stage will result in a final set of prototypes that can be approved by you and consumers to begin opening production tooling.
Production Setup
Developing all of the production processes and assets required to begin manufacturing
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The production setup stage prepares your product and the associated supply chain for manufacturing. This stage is critical to moving into production, either with RPDK or other manufacturing solutions.
We’ll create all of the required documentation to help a manufacturer begin producing the product. RPDK will design all of the production line stages, and processes, with documentation for line workers. We’ll also use this documentation to develop the required jigs and tools for assembly and testing, on the production line.
At the end of this stage, you will be equipped with everything you need to begin manufacturing. We may also be able to begin parallelising some manufacturing set up tasks, like tooling production, in this time.
Manufacturing Management
Managing your supply chain and Quality Control processes as product hit shelves
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The Manufacturing Management stage involves the management of all manufacturers involved in the delivery of a production line and resulting products.
RPDK will operate procurement for all components, production processes and services involved in the development of a product. We will implement our QA/QC and assembly programs, providing on-site management and overview.
As part of this service, we also evaluate the suppliers that we work with, to provide confidence to RPDK and our clients of the quality of work and business they provide.
Get in Touch
To find out more about how we can help you drive innovation and manufacturing in your business, get in touch.