Product Requirements

• The first step is to define product requirements
• We work with the customer to define the product in quantifiable terms that can be confirmed later during product validation
• User may supply PRD or Symbient’s PRD template may be used
• After completion of the initial draft of the PRD, customer will review and approve the document.
• PRD does not need to be complete at this phase. Missing information will be identified with place holders that will be completed during development.
• Download the Symbient PRD Template

Concept Development

• Symbient will create an array of concepts that meet product requirements
• Concepts will be sketches or simple CAD models with minimal detail. The intention is only to present the concept in this phase.
• Concepts will be summarized with advantages, disadvantages, risks and relative costs
• We meet with the customer to review concepts and decide together which concepts will continue to the next phase

High Risk Functions Loop

• In the Concept Development phase, Symbient will identify high risk functions for each concept.
• For concepts that are selected for further development, Symbient’s approach is to isolate and develop each high risk function independently.
• From experience we have found that removing as many variables as possible and isolating each high risk function allows us to compress the overall development timeline.
• We start with design and analysis, then we prototype and test each high risk function. This loop continues until each high risk function meets requirements specified in the requirements document.

Design Integration Loop

• After all high risk functions have been individually developed and proven to meet product requirements we then integrate the high risk functions into a complete design
• Since we have already met product requirements for the individual high risk functions this step is a much lower risk exercise. If issues do occur there are fewer variables involved which makes identifying root cause and resolution much easier. Also, any issues that do occur are much better understood due to our earlier work.
• The integrated design usually begins with machined or SLA prototypes and then progresses to prototype injection molds. The prototype injection molds will also typically integrate industrial design features which are developed in parallel.
• The loop of design and analysis followed by prototyping and testing continues until we meet all product requirements for the integrated design. At that point the product is ready for a formal design verification protocol as a final step prior to transfer to manufacturing.

Transfer to Manufacturing

Coordinate all necessary manufacturing transfer activities such as validation, assembly and test methods, drawings, training, regulatory documentation, etc. We are experienced with manufacturing transfer to our customers as well as third party contract manufacturers