Posts

Partnering with Electrical Engineer Steve French at Volt Vision

Volt Vision President Steve French has been designing electronics for over 25 years. Along with his vast experience and expertise, Steve also brings a deep passion for electronics with every project.

According to the Volt Vision website:

“Volt Vision masters modern Electronic Design with a specialty in LED lighting and intelligent control systems.  We design products and systems for many businesses.  From defining new intelligent products to improving existing products. Volt Vision leverages today’s technologies which are more efficient, more intelligent and make the world a better place.”

Volt Vision & Galileo University

As a circuit board designer as well as an LED expert, Steve keeps current with cutting edge technology in electronics. Steve is also an outstanding teacher as well.

For example, every year Steve travels to Guatemala to share new techniques in electronics at the Galileo University (check out here https://www.galileo.edu/). Steve cherishes his visit each year with the amazing students and professors at Galileo University.

In addition, Steve says even though he goes to Galileo University annually to share his knowledge, he definitely brings back more than he could ever expect with each visit. Click here to learn more about FIT 2018 at Galileo University.

Steve French at Volt Vision

Volt Vision & LED Lighting

As an electronics custom manufacturer for since 1985,  our team at Falconer Electronics finds partnering with experts such as Volt Vision pays big dividends for our company.

Successful new product development requires time, patience, persistence, determination and skill. Sometimes a little luck and a few prayers help as well.

However, teaming up with a seasoned professional to walk you through the journey of new product development is critical.

Having the privilege of working with Steve on numerous projects provides a front row seat with the challenges during the birth of a new product.

Steve is tenacious. He designs, develops, creates, as well as tests each product to meet his high standards.

Volt Vision works tirelessly on a number of different companies in various industries. Steve’s projects include LED truck lighting, LED concert lighting, handicap accessible vehicles, and LED horticulture lighting.

Above all, we deeply value our conversations and collaboration with Steve. To sum up, we strongly recommend working with Steve French on your next project.

Wrapping It Up

Thank you for reading our post. To learn more about Falconer Electronics, check out these helpful links below:

Lastly, let’s get social! We would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

 

/0 Comments/by
Prototyping

Prototyping = Lower Risk & Increases Profit Potential

New Product Success with Prototyping 

As we continue discussions on the steps for New Product Development, taking your idea to market requires numerous steps. Today we discuss Prototyping.

Once you have perfected your product on paper or with a CAD drawing, the time has now come to take action. Creating a working prototype is the next step to prove the concept for your new product. Prototyping pays big dividends.

Starting with a prototype provides the opportunity to test your new product. Work out the bugs and kinks. Prove the functionality. A prototype also minimizes your initial investment thus reducing your level of risk. Therefore, drastically increasing the opportunity for profits and success.

Can you make the prototype yourself? Do you have the necessary equipment, experience, skills and resources to produce a prototype?

If making a new product requires machinery and equipment that you do no possess, partner with  a custom manufacturer to assist you. Click here for tips on how to select a custom wire harness manufacturer.

Teaming up with a seasoned company creates a tremendous advantage for you. You reap the benefits of utilizing the resources from the manufacturer which includes their staff, experience, tools, and equipment. This eliminates the need for you to make the heavy investment that the manufacturer already has in place.

In addition, keeping your fixed expenses as low as possible frees up cash flow. This allows you to let the experts make the product while you focus on product design and most importantly, sales and marketing.

Prototyping proves the concept of the product. However, revenues determine how the market values your product. Finding a customer base willing to pay you for your product justifies all of the time, energy and money invested into your new venture.

Prototyping ATM MachinesPrototyping

One exciting project that our team recently worked on included prototyping a brand new state-of-the-art ATM machine.

A local manufacturer that specializes in precision metal fabrication contacted Falconer Electronics to create all wire harness assemblies for the prototyping project.

Attempting to assemble the wire harnesses themselves was not cost effective and proved terribly inefficient for both the ATM business as well as the metal fabrication company.

This is a perfect example where outsourcing the wire harness manufacturing process created a healthy profit opportunity. Pulling wire harness manufacturing off their plate allowed the customer to zero in on what they do best.

Outsourcing manufacturing and production now allows this ATM company to focus on engineering and software development. In addition, their staff works relentlessly on marketing and sales to create a steady pipeline of revenue.

Partnering with these professionals at the ATM company as well as the dynamic team of metal fabricating manufacturer has been a fantastic experience for all of us at Falconer Electronics.

Prototyping played a critical role with the process to bring a viable product to market. Especially with this particular ATM machine. This ATM brings a high level of sophistication to users. Properly functioning machines in the field play a critical role to the success of our customers.

Let’s Connect 

To learn more about Falconer Electronics, you can check out information on our American Made Ground Straps and Wire Harness Assemblies.

Also, need an instant estimate or quote for your prototype? Check out our Wire Harness Estimator and our new Ground Strap Express!

Lastly, please connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

 

 

/0 Comments/by
8 Outlet Commercial Power Strip

Helpful Tips for New Product Development

Developing a new product brings a wide range of emotions such as excitement, frustration, encouragement, depression, and exhilaration (not necessarily in that order).

The bottom line: Developing a new product brings hope. Hope that the product works and works extremely well. In addition, the hope that customers welcome this new concept. Most importantly, the hope that customers will eagerly part with their hard earned money and purchase your new creation.

Profits = Sustainability

Profits bring sustainability for your new product as well as your company. Yet, before profits flow in, you need to make sure you produce a quality product. Furthermore, a quality product that (at the very least) meets and preferably exceeds customer expectations.

Proof of concept is critical. However, saying something works versus actually demonstrating that your product works, delivers an entirely new level of credibility.

Here is an interesting video from Steve Jobs on product development:

New Product Development and Prototypes at Falconer Electronics 

Having a number of proprietary products ourselves, we also fully understand the challenges faced with new product development as well as creating a functioning prototype.

For example, our proprietary product line includes Magnetic Work Lights, Commercial Power Strips and LED Flashing Lights.

We also produce numerous prototypes for clients by building Wire Harness Assemblies, Ground Straps and Printed Circuit Boards.

10 Steps for New Product Development

Below includes a list of steps when developing your next new product:

  1. Idea
  2. Create Concept
  3. Drawing & Schematics
  4. Product Requirements
  5. Create Prototype
  6. Test
  7. Revise & Enhance
  8. Product Production
  9. Product Launch
  10. The final and most important step: Sell TONS of your new product. Then you and your family go out and celebrate. See how easy that was! (See our blog series on marketing new products).
Additional Resources To Help With Your New Product Development 

new product

Check out these outstanding articles on developing new products and creating prototypes:

Let’s Connect

Thank you for reading our blog on new product development.

Also check out these helpful blog posts:

Lastly, please connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/0 Comments/by
EEVBlog

The EEVBlog: “No Script, No Fear and All Opinion”

Do you love electronics as much as we do? Do you also have a wicked sense of humor? Enjoy watching awesome videos on electronics as well? In particular, videos delivered with a contagious enthusiasm? Well we have the answer for you. Due to popular demand, you need to tune in to the EEVBlog! (Click here)

What is the EEVBlog? EEVBlog stands for Electronics Engineering Video Blog. A place where there is “No Script, No Fear and All Opinion.”

EEVBlog Host Dave Jones 

The EEVBlog is insanely popular. Host Dave Jones fiercely entertains and educates on everything electronics. The EEVBlog is “an off-the-cuff Video Blog about Electronics Engineering, especially for engineers, hobbyists, enthusiasts, hackers and Makers.”

Dave Jones, from Sydney Australia brings 25+ years of experience as an electronics design engineer.

In addition, his wildly successful YouTube Channel boasts 534,000 subscribers with over 80,000 daily views. Another impressive stat, the EEVBlog Youtube Channel has over 110 million views in total. Wow!

Dave targets a worldwide audience of engineers and electronic enthusiasts. As well as nerds too. Check out this video:

As a manufacturer of electronics, we therefore find the EEVBlog an extremely valuable resource. Especially for our customers designing and developing new products in electronics.

Furthermore, videos and content from Dave Jones are consistently helpful and educational. Most noteworthy, Dave delivers outstanding information with a deep passion that viewers find thoroughly entertaining.

Here are a couple of our favorite videos:

How to Set Up An Electronics Lab

Also “What Do Compliance Logos Mean”?

Tutorials 

Are you a beginner just starting out? Another significant benefit with the EEVBlog are the number of tutorials that Dave produces. If you are looking for how-to videos, Dave Jones also offers an outstanding selection. Below includes numerous key videos for beginners:

Forum 

The EEVBlog also provides an extremely vibrant forum. A place to chat for engineers, product developers and electronics enthusiasts. Topics include beginners, projects, repairs, manufacturing, crowdfunding and much more.  Most noteworthy, this forum engages a world wide audience.

Let’s Connect

Thank you for reading our post on the EEVBlog. This post continues our blog series on New Product Development and Wire Harness Assembly. When you have a brilliant idea for a new product, you need to rely on engineering expertise such as Dave Jones.

By the way, this is our second blog on a friend from “Down Under“. Aussies Rule!!

Also, check out our blog series on B2Bmarketing to help market your new product.

Finally, please connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

Wishing you an ELECTRIC DAY!

/0 Comments/by
Bald Engineer

James Lewis: The Bald Engineer Delivers Electrifying Information

As electronics geeks, we thoroughly enjoy following James Lewis (aka: the Bald Engineer). James delivers outstanding  information, tips and product reviews on his electronics blog. If you are an electronics junkie like us, you will find his information invaluable.

The tagline on his website: “Electronics tutorials in plain simple English. Our goal is to add the engineer to nerd to create a world of Enginerds.” Otherwise as James simply states, “Electronics Stuff for Enginerds.”

Actually my affection for James Lewis runs deep for two reasons. Not only due to our mutual passion for electronics but also being fellow bald guy.

The Bald Engineer

The Bald Engineer Covers Electronic Basics 

Just a beginner in electronics? Need to learn the basics? No problem!

James provides an incredible arsenal of helpful information on electronics basics: (https://www.baldengineer.com/category/tutorials/electronics-basics).

My personal favorite is his post on LED basics: LED Tutorial – Learn the basics

More Electronic Basics

In addition, below includes several informative blog posts covering more “Electronic Basics”:

AC/DC – More Than Just a Killer Band

James has a fantastic video library on YouTube that serves more than 80,000 subscribers with millions of views.

For example, in this video below James explains that AC/DC is much more than a legendary rock band. Which honestly came as a big surprise to me. Growing up in the 80’s, I just figured that electricity must have been named after the rock band. James clears things up for us AC/DC fans.

Newsletter and Free eBook 

You can join the nearly 90,000 subscribers when you sign up to receive the Bald Engineer newsletter. Just recently, James sent out a cool post on: “Oscilloscope Probes Primer – Why so many types? Compare Passive, Active, High Voltage, and Current Probes”.

 You can also receive a FREE copy of his eBook, “On the Bald Engineer Electronics Bench”. This book is an excellent resource and offers helpful tidbits.

Product Reviews 

Searching for electronics product reviews? The Bald Engineer has you covered there as well.

Since we do plenty of soldering, we particularly enjoyed this review on “Fume Extraction Unit for soldering applications” (found on Element14.com).

Here is another great review on “Pi Cap Hands On Review: My first impressions of a Raspberry Pi capacitive touch hat”.

Let’s Connect 

Thank you so much for reading our blog post on James Lewis and his alias, the Bald Engineer.

As we continue our blog series on helping clients with New Product Development, the Bald Engineer website is an excellent resource.

For those adventurers into creating new electronics requiring a wire harness assembly, check out our new Wire Harness Estimator for a Fast & Easy Estimate.

In addition, as you work on bringing new products to market, check out our blog series on B2B Marketing to help market your new products.

Lastly, we would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

Wishing you an ELECTRIC DAY!

/0 Comments/by