Tag Archives: NPI

Last updated: May 29, 2026

QC During NPI: Build Quality In Before Mass Production [Podcast]

Quality control should not start when finished products come off the line. By that point, the design may already be frozen, suppliers selected, components approved, tooling made, work instructions written, and the production process set up. A final inspection can … Continue reading

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Why Working Prototypes Fail in Production, Part 2: The Failure Patterns and Fixes [Podcast]

A working prototype can make a product feel almost ready for production. The design works. The team has seen it function. The customer may already be thinking about launch dates, tooling, production quantities, and delivery schedules. But a working prototype … Continue reading

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When Early Orders Backfire: The Worrying Cost of Skipping Part Qualification [Podcast]

When a prototype works well, it can be tempting to move quickly toward mass production. The product works. The concept is validated. Customers are waiting. So the team decides to save time by ordering components early and preparing for production. … Continue reading

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One Thing You Need To Do BEFORE You Start Mass Production! [Podcast]

The Sofeast Group’s head of New Product Development, Andrew Amirnovin, joins Adrian to warn you about the ONE THING YOU MUST DO BEFORE GOING INTO MASS PRODUCTION! We won’t give it away here – you’ll have to listen to the … Continue reading

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The NPI Process: Trouble Awaits If You Skip Its Steps! [Podcast]

After we hit 10,000 downloads we promised we’d revisit New Product Introduction ~ here we go! We’ve written before about the complexity of the New Product Introduction process, and this can be off-putting for entrepreneurs and SMEs who’re new to … Continue reading

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8 Ways To Get Funding For Hardware Startups

Aside from the R&D costs, sourcing materials and components, mold fabrication, paying your supplier, and shipping costs, entrepreneurs have the worry of finding funding for hardware startups to pay for all of this, long before a product starts manufacturing and … Continue reading

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Why The New Product Design & Introduction Process Is More Complex Than You May Think [Podcast]

Sofeast’s CEO Renaud Anjoran is joined by an experienced British product designer and friend of the podcast Andy Bartlett to discuss the NPI process and product design best practices for new and unique products, with a focus on the early … Continue reading

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Getting To Grips With Non-Recurring Engineering Costs (NRE) [Podcast]

In this episode of the podcast, we discuss Non-Recurring Engineering costs for manufacturers. As the name suggests, these costs are usually one-off and are what it takes to get your product into production. These costs are perhaps better known as … Continue reading

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Why You Need Mature Product Designs BEFORE Working With A Chinese Manufacturer!

As part of our design support service, we have been speaking with many inventors planning to manufacture their new products in China about the importance of starting with mature product designs. What many don’t understand is that several steps just can’t … Continue reading

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Toy Safety Tips: The Right Mindset for Inventors & Designers

Let’s get into a list of toy safety tips that will help you get into the right mindset to build safety into your toys from the start of the process and avoid anything as drastic as a safety recall. Inventors … Continue reading

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