The design and manufacturing of a device goes through several stages before it can be a mass produced final product. Throughout each stage, the design and prototypes are checked for quality control issues, feature issues and tooling issues in the manufacturing process. When creating a new product, it is important to know what stages are involved and what happens at each stage.
Product Design and Specification Description
The first stage in the new product creation process is designing the product with the desired specifications. This will define what the product looks like, the components necessary to accomplish the objective and how the product will be assembled. There are several ways this can be accomplished and compiled. For the new design, a build of materials will list what components are necessary for the features of the device.
Utilizing the build of materials, the engineers can calculate the component placement for the device. Placement will help the design of the chassis of the device. CAD software allows a visual representation of how the device will look, including the location of I/O ports and functional design specifications.
Once the design of the device has been finalized and the engineering team has confirmed that the components will fit, a prototype can be created. The prototype shows the initial build and design in real life. Some instances of a prototype can have working parts or it can be a sample of the chassis. It can be expensive to create a prototype depending on if it is 3D printed or molded.
Engineering Validation Testing (EVT)
The engineering validation test (EVT) phase brings the prototype to manufacturing. This early version of the product uses the materials and process that will be used during mass production to create test units. These units are evaluated by the engineering team to discover any defects in the components or manufacturing process that can be corrected.
Since the EVT units will be using the components used in production, the engineering team will be able to evaluate if any parts are not performing correctly or if there is an issue with the chassis. If there are too many defects, there may be an additional EVT phast.
Design Validation Testing (DVT)
As the product moves to the design validation test (DVT) phase, the tooling and manufacturing procedure is perfected to prepare the product for mass production. During this phase, more cosmetic and functional parts of the units are reviewed. In many cases, items like the chassis, port covers, and component fit are checked to make sure they will be ready in the next phase.
The DVT units are tested for regulatory certifications and environmental protections. Waterproof capabilities and drop testing is done during this phase. The battery and electrical components are also tested. The DVT phase is intended to prepare the product and manufacturing methods for mass production.
Production Validation Testing (PVT)
The production validation test (PVT) phase is the beginning of mass production. The first runs of mass production are taken from the manufacturing line to test the quality of the product and manufacturing process, including the tooling. The objective of this testing is to verify that the tooling and procedures will be ready to produce the remaining volume of product without issues.
The products produced during this phase are ready to be used by the end customer. If there are no issues in this phase, the product is ready to be produced at volume.
Estone technology manages the EVT, DVT, and PVT schedules closely with each of our customers. Our expert engineers develop an estimated timeline that is adjusted according to modifications and production changes. Contact us to begin planning a new product development cycle.