Prototype to Production: 7 Sneaky Pitfalls to Avoid [Podcast]

In this episode of China Manufacturing Decoded, Adrian and Renaud unpack seven critical pitfalls that hardware startups routinely fall into during the path from working prototype to mass manufacturing. They explain why these mistakes happen, the consequences they bring, and how to sidestep them.

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Listen to the episode or watch on YouTube

Show sections

• 01:19 – Why moving from prototype to production is more complex than expected
• 04:26 – The analogy of the factory as “a big 3D printer” and why it’s wrong
• 05:42 – Preview of 7 pitfalls discussed in this episode
• 05:56 – Pitfall #1: Confirming a product design that isn’t ready for mass manufacturing
• 10:02 – Pitfall #2: Going for tooling before the product design is frozen
• 13:40 – Pitfall #3: Running a Kickstarter/Indiegogo campaign too early
• 19:33 – Pitfall #4: Crowdfunding with no margin (and the debt it creates)
• 23:30 – Pitfall #5: Not preparing a test plan for performance and reliability
• 27:29 – Pitfall #6: Skipping pilot runs before mass production
• 30:07 – Pitfall #7: Failing to have the manufacturer sign a development/manufacturing contract
• 36:01 – Recap of all 7 pitfalls and final thoughts

Extra resources to dive deeper

• The New Product Introduction Process Guide
• Product Tooling: Possible To Avoid Paying for it in Full?
• Crowdfunding Failures: 4 Great Prototypes That Failed To Launch
• Prototype, Patent, then Market: A Misguided Concept
• Avoid Sending Immature Product Designs to a Chinese Manufacturer!
• How Reliability Testing Is Critical To Obtaining Great Mass-Produced Products
• Why A Pilot Run On A New Product, Before Mass Production, Is Very Helpful
• How To Create A Valid Manufacturing Contract In China To Protect Your IP

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