From Engineering Prototype to Stable Production

New Product Introduction bridges the gap between product development and manufacturing.

Our NPI process identifies design, manufacturing and testing risks early, helping customers move from prototype to stable production with greater confidence.

Start Your NPI Project
NPI engineering workspace with PCB panels and workstations

Engineering Review

Before production begins, our engineers review the complete product package.

  • BOM
  • Gerber files
  • Assembly drawings
  • Component specifications
  • Test requirements
  • Manufacturing requirements

The goal is to identify potential issues before they reach the production line.

Engineering review worktable with documents and a PCB

DFM Review

Our engineers evaluate whether the product is optimized for actual manufacturing.

Component Spacing
PCB Design
Soldering Requirements
BGA Assembly
Stencil Design
AOI Accessibility
Testing Access
DFM design review desktop with a PCB

Prototype Build

The first production build focuses on learning and validation.

The prototype build helps verify:

Design
Assembly
Components
Manufacturing Process
Testing
First-article prototype PCB assembly on a workbench

Engineering Validation

Prototype units are evaluated through:

Assembly Validation
Electrical Validation
Functional Testing
Test Process Validation

Issues identified during validation are fed back into engineering and manufacturing.

Engineering validation bench with a prototype PCB

Pilot Production

After prototype validation, the product moves into a controlled pilot run.

Typical objectives include:

  • Validate production processes
  • Measure production yield
  • Identify recurring defects
  • Confirm cycle time
  • Validate testing procedures
  • Confirm material readiness
Small pilot production run on a conveyor line

Process Optimization

Pilot production data is used to optimize:

SMT Parameters Reflow Profile Solder Paste Process Assembly Process Testing Process Work Instructions
Process optimization station with a reflow oven

Production Release

Once the design and manufacturing process are validated:

1Prototype
2Validation
3Pilot Production
4Process Optimization
5Production Release

The product is ready for volume manufacturing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NPI and why do we need it?

NPI (New Product Introduction) gradually turns a design and prototype into a repeatable, stable, mass-producible manufacturing process — the stage where risk is closed before volume production.

What happens during NPI?

Typical stages: engineering data review, DFM, prototype build, process validation, pilot run, issue closure, process parameter freeze, quality validation, then transfer to mass production.

What is a pilot production run?

A small-batch trial that validates equipment, programs, materials, process parameters, test, and personnel flow before full production starts.

How do you know a design is ready for mass production?

Through production validation — pilot runs and process data confirming the line, fixtures, test, and control plan can repeatedly produce conforming product at the target quality and takt time.

What is design freeze?

At a given stage the product design is frozen and production follows the approved revision. Any subsequent change goes through a formal engineering change process (ECN/ECO).

Reduce Risk Before Mass Production

A controlled NPI process helps shorten the transition from engineering to manufacturing while reducing costly production issues.

Start Your NPI Project
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