Hardware design can be difficult, but it’s not as hard as you might think. Recent advancements in the market have made it easier for people to launch a new hardware product. While development requires a certain degree of technical know-how and capital, there are steps you can take to make the process easier.
Here we will discuss the design of the hardware and some of the recent improvements that have made it more accessible to entrepreneurs and startups.
Outsourcing
Today, many companies take advantage of the countless benefits that freelancers provide. Product launch and development requires such a wide range of skills that it is virtually impossible for one person to handle all tasks.
Today, an entrepreneur can access millions of freelancers from all over the world and from all walks of life. Simply find a reputable team of freelancers who will charge rates that are within your budget and meet your deadlines.
You don’t need to develop your own components
Most electronic components are widely available today. You don’t need to develop your own components if you really don’t want to. In fact, we would recommend that you use a different product if your current one requires custom components.
Of course, a large amount of capital and a large development team can circumvent these problems, but most companies do not have such resources.
Wireless radio modules
In the 1990s and 2000s, you would have to make your own wireless radio if you wanted to design a device with wireless capabilities. However, designing a wireless circuit is not child’s play. The amount of specialized knowledge required to build one from scratch is beyond the reach of most electrical engineers.
Trying to build a new wireless circuit will require a lot of trial and error, which many startups can’t afford. They will also need to be tweaked and configured to the nth degree to achieve optimal performance. Debugging will also require the use of very expensive and sophisticated equipment that many companies simply do not have access to.
FCC certification costs will also be incurred if you want to build your own radio. This is because new electronic devices will require FCC certification before they can be brought to market. For example, a custom wireless circuit will cost at least $10,000 for certification. However, if you choose to use a pre-certified module to create the wireless functionality, your FCC certification cost will only be about $1,500.
Wireless radio modules are the standard today because they drastically reduce the amount of risk, time, and complexity involved in developing many wireless products.
You don’t need to set up your own factory
In the past, a person who wanted to bring a physical gadget to market needed their own factory. Many entrepreneurs would have to save a significant amount of capital to build their own factory or qualify for large loans.
Now, entrepreneurs use contract manufacturers to get the job done. If your product matches the capabilities of your contract manufacturer, they should be able to manufacture your product.
Therefore, we would recommend that you partner with a contract manufacturer that specializes in consumer electronics products to make the process easier.
You don’t need that much capital
Companies can now use pre-certified wireless modules and contract manufacturers to develop their hardware. Most also don’t need to develop their own electronic components, and millions of freelancers are available to help meet development goals.
All of this translates into smaller amounts of capital needed to develop the hardware. There are also multiple ways to raise capital to meet a company’s goals.
Other ways to raise capital
Many modern entrepreneurs turn to crowdfunding to raise capital. Some will also take advantage of crowdfunding to get market feedback that can make or break their business.
In the past, businesses had to start production before they could get real sales data. However, crowdfunding allows companies to get feedback before they even start producing their actual product.
More ways to sell and offer your gadgets
Trying to get the product in chain stores is easier said than done. First, you will need to gather sufficient proof that your product will sell. In the past, most startups had no choice but to start selling in small “mom-and-pop” establishments.
Today, however, such small shops are almost extinct, so they are not a viable option. The good news is that entrepreneurs now have the power of the internet to help them market and sell their products.
You can obtain a preliminary proof of sale via the Internet before the product is launched on the market. Many companies will also sell their products through their own websites. This will help you maximize your profit margins as only your producers will share your proverbial pie with you.
Get maximum control and profits by designing, launching and managing your own website. You will also be able to enjoy the best feedback from the market by creating your own website because you will be communicating directly with your customers.
You can also use the internet to market your products while spending very little capital. Use search engine optimization and social media to advertise your products without having to earn money. In addition, you will learn about hardware design and development, as well as marketing, manufacturing, 3D printing and business for free using the Internet and how-to videos.
Xekera Systems
To learn more about hardware design, visit our website. We specialize in hardware design as well as pre-production, production and post-production of electronic components.
You can also reach us at (408) 982-5851 if you would like to discuss your design needs over the phone with our hardware designers.
