Hardware Entrepreneurs: A Big Picture Mentality
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Hardware Entrepreneurs: A Big Picture Mentality
Developing a Preliminary Design Plan
Planning ahead is always a good idea when it comes to building a hardware product and launching a startup. A preliminary design plan is a good first step to help you get a firm grasp on the “big picture”. With a preliminary design you clarify budgets and timelines—which leads to better decision making as you head towards commercialization.
“A preliminary design (pre-design) focuses solely on the decisions that impact the big picture for your product. This includes your product’s cost, profit margin, performance, features, development feasibility and manufacturability. A pre-design ignores any details that don’t impact the big picture for your product. You can worry about those later. After you complete the pre-design you need to accurately estimate all of the costs required to launch your product. This includes the cost to develop, prototype, certify, scale, and most importantly the cost to manufacture your product. Knowing these costs ahead of time will allow you to plan the best strategy forward” (Predictable Designs).
The Benefits of Planning Ahead for Your Hardware Startup
By starting with a preliminary design, you will be able to focus on the big picture and the overarching goals you have established for your startup, as well as:
Take the time now to plan ahead—your startup will thank you in the end.
Have questions about your preliminary design plan? We are happy to help. Please send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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Exploring 3D Printing Technology for Business
While, 3D printing is taking off for businesses and industries around the world, it isn’t exactly movie magic. Just like with any other tool or instrument, you need to have background knowledge and an understanding of CAD and 3D printing technology to successfully develop and print a 3D object. If your startup is interested in exploring the technology further, we have gathered a few of our popular 3D printing blog posts and listed them below.
3D Printing: Competitive Advantage of the Technology
Prototyping to Production—What’s 3D Printing Used For?
The Transformation of 3D Printing Technology
Improving Medical Devices Through 3D Printing
Three Areas Where 3D Printing Shines
Have additional questions about 3D printing? Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com. Interested in receiving a 3D printing quote? Head on over to our Quote Request page.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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3D Academy STEM Enrichment Camp (Update)
3D Academy STEM enrichment camps are a great introduction to STEM education. No prior engineering classes or skills are required to attend a camp. We start with the fundamentals and help students build upon those.
Our STEM Enrichment Camps align with the Hawaii Public School calendar and occur during school breaks (i.e. Winter, Spring and Summer break).
If you have a student that would be interested in attending a 3D Academy STEM Enrichment camp, we share all camp details and registration information over on our 3D Academy website as well as on the 3D Innovations Facebook page. If you have questions about our STEM camps, please send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
STEM education teaches valuable life skills: problem solving, innovative thinking, teamwork, and organization skills to name a few. Read more about “The Long-Term Benefits of a STEM Education”.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
3D Academy STEM Enrichment Camps
3D Academy, a Division of 3D Innovations specializes in developing and integrating industry technologies with STEM programs and education. 3D Academy promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education programs that integrate 3D Technology into K–12, as well as university classrooms. Using hands-on and project-based learning strategies, we have been effective in providing students with opportunities to excel in the areas of STEM and to integrate industry applications into their learning experiences.
STEM Enrichment Camps
Throughout the year our 3D Academy hosts frequent STEM Enrichment Camps for students. Our final camp of the summer is coming up in less than a week, 3D Printing & CAD Design with Legos®. In this enrichment camp, co-hosted with Bricks4Kidz, students will learn the fundamentals of 3D Design, 3D Printing, CAD Design and Spatial Environments to create their own custom Lego design and part while learning about the various principles that integrate with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Students are introduced to the world of 3D Printing, CAD Design, Engineering, and prototyping all while being in an immersive STEM learning environment.
3D Academy STEM enrichment camps are a great introduction to STEM education. No prior engineering classes or skills are required to attend a camp. We start with the fundamentals and help students build upon those.
Our STEM Enrichment Camps align with the Hawaii Public School calendar and occur during school breaks (i.e. Winter, Spring and Summer break).
If you have a student that would be interested in attending one of our STEM Enrichment camps, we share all camp details and registration information over on our 3D Academy website as well as on the 3D Innovations Facebook page. If you have questions about our STEM camps, please send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
STEM education teaches valuable life skills: problem solving, innovative thinking, teamwork, and organization skills to name a few. Read more about “The Long-Term Benefits of a STEM Education”.
Meet Lulu of 3D Academy
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
Marketing Your Hardware Product
Below are three reasons why you should be thinking about marketing throughout the early stages of product development.
Receive Customer Feedback
Feedback is critical during product development. You aren’t going to know if you are on the right track without feedback from your target market; thus, you are going to want people in your target market to test your product (not just family and friends). It is helpful to get feedback that is both honest and actionable.
By creating an inexpensive prototype and gathering feedback from it, you will be in a much better position as you build your product. This feedback loop is important until the final design is ready.
Build a Community
Around every successful product is a community rallying around it. In today’s global competitive marketplace, having a strong network and community interested in your product cannot be overlooked or overstated. A community will share your product launch information, help you create a buzz and end up being your first customers.
Crowdfunding has grown to be extremely popular because of the sense of community it gives hardware startup founders. Using a crowdfunding campaign for your startup lets you build this community before you even have a product ready to be shipped. While crowdfunding does have its drawbacks, its ability to build a community and rally support is a primary benefit for your hardware product.
Create a Buzz
Have you ever found yourself on a website that said something along the lines of, “Launching soon! Join our mailing list to be the first to know about our launch”? We all have the desire to be the “first to know” and inevitably add our email to the mailing list. This is an example of a startup building their community and creating a buzz. Creating a buzz gives customers a sneak peek about what’s to come and builds that sense of anticipation.
When you use customer feedback early-on, you start to create a buzz with your product testers. From there you want to build on this interest and loyalty. Social media is a great way to start creating a buzz for your product.
Thinking about your marketing strategy early-on, and developing a marketing plan, will help ensure that you have a supportive community by the time you launch your product.
Have additional questions about product development or marketing? We are happy to help. Please send an email to info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
3D Printing: Competitive Advantage of the Technology
Today, you can head to any number of business related websites and are bound to stumble across at least one article mentioning 3D printing or it’s impact on the entire manufacturing industry. While we don’t doubt that 3D printing is a revolutionary technology—the fact remains that the technology still has a long way to go before it changes manufacturing as we all know it.
As the technology stands today, its strength, its competitive advantage and its usefulness remain in the realm of prototyping. Visual and functional prototyping are imperative when designing a product and this is where 3D printing really excels.
Visual Prototyping
“When it was invented, 3D printing was referred to as rapid prototyping, a method for automating and reducing the labor required to create a prototype model for design validation. Since then, it has found use in a number of other applications, but the technology is still widely implemented to create visual models and functional prototypes. (Engineering)”
A visual model of your product lets you get a better idea of how the product will look and feel. With the rapid expansion of 3D printing materials and colors available, you have more options than ever when it comes to product design materials. Most hardware entrepreneurs start with a visual model and then move forward with a functional prototype for design validation and testing.
Functional Prototyping
A functional prototype allows you to test the form, fit and functionality of your product. Testing and validating your product design with a functional prototype is highly recommended so that any potential errors can be fixed before heading into manufacturing.
The benefits of a functional prototype extend beyond your design. With a functional prototype you can also gather critical market feedback, rally financial support as well as file for a patent.
A major misstep that can derail any hardware startup is to skip the development of a functional prototype.
There is no doubt that 3D printing is changing the manufacturing landscape and is proving to be a useful tool for makers and professional alike.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
STEM Education: Keeping Your Child Engaged During Summer Break
Summer break is here, and many parents are trying to find ways to keep their child engaged and learning while outside of the classroom. We understand the importance of nurturing your child’s inquisitive mind while fostering a growth mindset during these valuable summer months.
It turns out that summer is a perfect time to introduce your child to the fun side of STEM subjects. In the summer months, students have more time to focus on what really interests them. They can dig deeper into subject matter, which helps them not only grasp concepts better, but gives them a better understanding of the world around them.
Below are a few suggestions of how you can keep your child engaged in STEM subject areas throughout the summer.
Build Together
Even the youngest family member can get in on this activity. Pull out the wooden blocks, Legos, Tinker Toys and anything else that lets you design, create and build. While it might seem that you are “just playing”, what you are in fact doing is creating and showing your child that they can create anything their mind envisions. After all, play is the work of childhood. Building together lets children practice their fine motor skills while thinking like an engineer.
Introduce a Design Program
Children love to create. There are so many design programs out there for different age groups that you are bound to find something that will grab your child’s attention. Even if you, yourself are not an engineer or familiar with design, we still encourage you to do this. You are showing your child that you are never too old to learn something new.
Enroll in a STEM Enrichment Camp
A STEM focused summer camp will give your student a structured, hands-on approach learning. Your child will be surrounded by peers with similar interests to their own and teachers that want to foster their love of learning STEM subjects.
Our 3D Academy hosts and participates in many STEM Enrichment Camps throughout the year. Head on over to our 3D Academy calendar to view our upcoming camps.
Get Outside
Head outdoors and into nature. The National Parks Service hosts Junior Ranger programs at all of their parks, which encourages students to explore, learn and protect. The Junior Ranger program provides activities and educational booklets to help your child learn about what they see within the park.
If you don’t live near a National Park, try going for a hike or taking a walk around your city to view the engineering marvels that surround us every day.
Monthly STEM Education Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes are a fun and easy way to foster your child’s love of learning. With the rise in popularity of subscription boxes, there are now quite a few focused on various STEM subject areas now. These boxes arrive monthly and contain activities for you and your child to do together. One month you might be engineering a mechanical claw and the next you are building the solar system together. These boxes provide a great opportunity for hands-on learning.
STEM education teaches valuable life skills that carry over into all aspects of daily life. This summer, keep your child learning and engaged with some fun hands-on activities.
About Our 3D Academy
3D Academy, a division of 3D Innovations, specializes in developing and integrating industry technologies with STEM Programs and Education.
3D Academy promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education programs that integrate 3D Technology into K–12, as well as university classrooms. Using hands-on and project-based learning strategies, we have been effective in providing students with opportunities to excel in the areas of STEM and to integrate industry applications into their learning experiences.
Our core program utilizes 3D CAD and takes students through the entire design process (design, prototyping, manufacturing, etc.). When integrated into the school curriculum, our STEM education programs provide students with opportunities to solve real world design problems, engage with industry standard technology, and transform concepts into reality.
Education programs are available statewide and have been integrated with many robotics programs such as FIRST, UROV, BotBall, and First Lego League. Programs are both customizable and scalable to meet various applications and grade levels.
Interested in a personalized hands-on approach to STEM education in your classroom or school? Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com so we can talk further about your program needs and how our 3D Academy can assist you.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
Building a Hardware Startup Isn’t a ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Process
Below are three challenges that first-time hardware entrepreneurs don’t always foresee.
Importance of Customer Feedback
Feedback is critical during product development. You aren’t going to know if you are on the right track without feedback from your target market. You are going to want people in your target market to test your product (not just family and friends). It is helpful to get feedback that is both honest and actionable.
By creating an inexpensive prototype, and gathering feedback from it, you will be in a much better position as you build your product. This feedback loop is important until the final design is ready.
Long Lead Times
Developing a hardware product takes time. Product development doesn’t happen overnight, especially if you are gathering customer feedback along the way and making the necessary adjustments. Depending on your product, product development could take months or even years before you are confident that it is ready to head into manufacturing.
Manufacturing is another area that has a long lead time. Whether you decide to manufacture locally or internationally, you are going to be playing the waiting game. The thing with long lead times is that if you know they are coming, expect them, and plan accordingly, they are less likely to derail your journey to success.
Understanding the Product Space
To understand your market, you need to research it. What products succeed in this space? Is there a similar product to yours that has found success in this product space? What did their journey look like? Has a similar product failed? What information can you glean from other startups’ success and failure in this space?
If possible, get out and talk to people already in this product space to see what they say about it. By understanding the market, you will get a better understanding of where your product will fit into it.
Each product and each startup will face their own challenges on the way to market; by preparing yourself for these twists and turns along the way, you will be in a much better position to successfully navigate them.
Have additional questions about bringing a product to market? Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
Intellectual Property Protection for Hardware Startups
With the spread of technology and globalization, a solid intellectual property strategy has never been more critical. Copycat products are popping up at an alarming rate—which is bad for business and dangerous for consumers. Having a strong intellectual property strategy early-on or having the patent process started, is a great way to protect your invention, attract or solidify partnerships and secure funding.
Below are links to help you get familiar with intellectual property terminology, resources, and strategies.
Intellectual Property Strategies for Hardware Startups
Intellectual property (IP) protection is an important consideration for any startup, and possibly even more so for hardware startups. Patents are a way to not only protect an idea, but to also minimize competition and act as a defense mechanism against infringement claims from others. Here are four considerations for your startup’s intellectual property strategy.
FAQ: The Basics of Intellectual Property and Manufacturing
No two products are alike; therefore, a custom-tailored strategy is necessary when it comes to navigating these two areas of product development.
On the IP side, a decision must be made about what type of patent (design patent or utility patent) makes sense for the invention and budget. On the manufacturing side, everything about the design, even the smallest details, must be accounted for when selecting materials and where to manufacture the product. Having insight and answers early-on in the startup journey helps entrepreneurs understand the full spectrum of what it takes to bring a product to market.
The Benefits of a Provisional Patent Application for Your Hardware Startup
A provisional patent application early-on can be very beneficial for a hardware startup if your business goal is to either license your invention or proceed with a patent filing.
How to Prepare for Your First Patent Attorney Meeting
If you are planning to manufacture your product abroad, considering a crowdfunding campaign, wanting to speak with potential investors or find yourself constantly worrying about someone copying your invention, then meeting with a patent attorney is a great idea.
Navigating IP on the Path to Commercialization
Whether you are at the helm of a startup that plans on crowdfunding a product or a SME working on a new and innovative technology, securing and protecting your intellectual property (IP) rights to that invention is key to successful commercialization.
General Information Concerning Patents (USPTO)
Some people confuse patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Although there may be some similarities among these kinds of intellectual property protection, they are different and serve different purposes.
Have additional questions regarding an intellectual property strategy for your startup? We are happy to help. Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
3D Academy: July 2018 STEM Enrichment Camp
Bricks4kidz: City Engineers (3 hours)
Let’s build a CITY! There are many different types of engineering jobs, and building is one of the most fun! What would a city be without the architects and engineers who come up with the ideas, plans and building skills to make it all come together?
Campers will put their engineering and architecture skills to work as they build city themed models using LEGO® Bricks. The sky’s the limit when campers are challenged to use their own ideas and skills to build a skyscraper taller than their heads! They’ll have a blast using custom-built cars to move the people of the city all around town – brick by brick! What an accomplishment to be able to proudly exclaim “We built this BRICK City!”
3D Academy: 3D Printing & CAD Design with Legos® (3 hours)
Students will learn the fundamentals of 3D Design, 3D Printing, CAD Design and Spatial Environments to create their own custom Lego design and part while learning about the various principles that integrate with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Students will be introduced to the world of 3D Printing, CAD Design, Engineering, and prototyping all while being in an immersive STEM learning environment.
STEM Enrichment Camp Details
REGISTER TODAY:
Have questions about the camp? Please contact Dawn at 808.255.5522 or Dawn@bricks4kidz.com as well as Collin Kobayashi at 808.722.8667 or collin.kobayashi@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today