Product Development

The Simcro Research and Development team specialise in working closely with clients to provide an innovative solution for their particular application. Solutions can range in complexity from a simple adaptation of an existing product through to completely new customised product/s.

We encourage clients to involve our experienced R&D team early with their product development programme to ensure the final packaged product is of the highest possible standard, functionally robust, cost effective and completed on time and within budget.

We are able to provide all necessary information to assist the client in assessing the viability of a new product, including indicative product pricing and product development lead times. Additionally, we are able to supply photo quality 3D images of the proposed product, an invaluable visualisation tool to assist with product evaluation.

Client and product confidentiality is assured throughout the entire project evaluation and development process.

A Simcro R&D Project Engineer will be allocated to your project to ensure the product development phases are smoothly executed. Typically, the product development phases will consist of:

• Product Specifications

Detailed specifications are obtained to ensure all design criteria are agreed to prior to commencing detailed product design i.e. application constraints, environmental conditions, operator safety, packaging, etc.

• Project Design Brief

A complete project design brief is prepared, detailing all necessary information pertaining to the project i.e. scope of supply, safety and regulatory requirements, product design, packaging, application requirements, etc.

• Conceptual Designs

Initial conceptual designs are forwarded to the client for feedback and to determine the ultimate product/system design concept. Conceptual designs can be in the form of sketches through to 3D animated computer images (e-drawings).

E-drawings have the advantage of being easily and effectively used for visual presentations. They can be emailed to the client and require no additional software for full animated viewing.

• Product Design

The new product is designed on industry standard 3D CAD modeling software. From these 3D models, photo realistic 3D renderings (images) are produced, which are ideal for marketing applications or visual presentations. Product design includes all components required to assemble the final product.

• Prototype Development

We use stereo lithographic modeling, an industrial process that uses data generated from the 3D CAD product model to generate a physical three-dimensional prototype. Stereo lithographic models can be used in some situations to produce a fully functional prototype, which allows tremendous visualisation of the final product prior to committing the design to component tooling.

Alternatively, product prototypes can be machine fabricated using metal components.

• Product Development

This includes the management of all injection moulding, blow moulding and metal casting tools and dies through to the development of client specific product packaging.

• Product Testing and Evaluation

The assembled product is rigorously tested for functionality, reliability and safety. These tests are initially performed in the R&D laboratory and, once the product has preliminary R&D approval, will then progress through to extensive field testing.

Field testing is generally done in conjunction with the client. Prior to signing-off on the final product, some component tuning may be required resulting from feedback obtained from field testing.