Guide: Product Development Advice for Contract Manufacturing

Jeff Stoltenow is the Director of Engineering at Hankscraft. He has 25 years of experience in contract manufacturing. He understands what makes some projects succeed while others do not.

Here’s some of his expert advice to guide you through the product development process. 

Understanding the Scope of Product Development

Before taking crucial steps forward in manufacturing a product, it’s essential to conduct thorough product development. This stage sets the foundation for every aspect of production, determining the quality, cost, and success of your product.  

What is Product Development?

Product development usually refers to the steps needed to prepare a product for mass production. It involves planning, specifying, testing, prototyping, and beyond.

It’s important to plan. This helps the product meet regulations, stay within budget, maintain quality, and arrive on time.

Steps in the Product Development Cycle

The main challenge in product development is understanding what’s needed before it becomes apparent or causes issues. The solution: Partner with experienced professionals who can guide you to the optimal result.

At Hankscraft, we take a comprehensive approach, including:

1. Concept Design: Working closely with you to refine product ideas.
2. Feasibility Analysis: Assessing design manufacturability and suggesting improvements.
3. Prototyping: Creating prototypes to validate the design and functionality.
4. Testing & Certification: Ensuring products meet industry standards and regulatory requirements.
5. Production Planning: Developing a detailed production plan for cost-effective manufacturing.

The Importance of Product Development

Many companies underestimate the importance of product development. Overlooking certifications, compliance, or detailed specifications during this phase can derail a project later on.

“Planning a project fully and effectively creates the trajectory for the entire product development process,” said Jeff.

Poor planning can lead to increased costs, wasted time, and the need for rework.

Wanting to be the first in the market is normal. However, it’s crucial not to hurry the process and miss important phases. Not thoroughly vetting the specifications and project plan can result in mistakes that require backtracking, leading to further delays.

TIP: Avoid prioritizing speed over thorough planning. It is a common pitfall to view the planning phase of development as non-value added.  This is untrue.  While being first to market is valuable, it can be costly if it results in errors that require fixing down the line.

How Hankscraft Can Help: With a history of more than 100 years, and 75 years incorporated in Reedsburg, WI, Hankscraft knows the right questions to ask during the product development phase. We can help you identify guidelines, specifications, and the best manufacturing options for your specific needs. Contact us today to launch your product development.

Understanding the Best Options for Manufacturing

No matter if you are new to making products or have been doing it for a while, you will always need to make choices to improve manufacturing.

Selecting the right combination of suppliers, manufacturers, materials, assembly locations, and logistics is essential for success.

The best combination of options depends on many variables. You’ll need to consider how your product is designed and built and have a knowledge of the options available in that realm. You’ll also need to understand the material types and options available. Additionally, the volumes you hope to produce play a factor.

“As a customer, you’re focused on the market, marketing, sales, and distribution,” said Jeff. “The last thing you need to know is if you’re going to do compression molding, or some other type of thing.”

How Hankscraft Can Help: Our experts analyze each project’s unique variables to recommend the best manufacturing solutions. We then manage the details, providing seamless project management as your single point of contact.

Balancing Cost, Quality and Time to Market in Manufacturing

In manufacturing, there’s a delicate balance between cost, quality, and time to market. This is referred to by Jeff as the “Cost, Quality, and Time Triangle.”

For example, let’s say you make a lot of a product and want to lower the cost of each unit. You can invest more money and time at the start to create better tools. This will help you produce more efficiently in the long run.

However, if your production volumes are lower, it may be better to pursue a less tool-intensive approach.

Balancing this equation is where the expertise of a contract manufacturer is helpful.

It’s challenging to know and analyze all the options available to you to manufacture most effectively. The solution is to partner with a full-service contract manufacturer like Hankscraft. They can help you choose the best combination of manufacturing options tailored to your needs.

How Hankscraft Can Help: Our team evaluates your project’s variables to recommend the most efficient solution. We can help optimize production costs, ensure top-quality outputs, and speed up time to market. We manage the entire process, ensuring seamless communication and execution.

The Importance of Communication in Contract Manufacturing

Good communication—or the lack thereof—can make or break a project.

“Errors in communication on a project can send that project down a different path than what you as a customer are looking for,” said Jeff.

What is Good Communication in Contract Manufacturing?

Effective communication involves regular meetings and follow-up. A good contract manufacturer works hand-in-hand with customers to ensure alignment at every stage of production.

“My team and I strive to be partners to our customers. If you’re a partner, you’re constantly communicating,” Jeff explains.

Hankscraft is more than a vendor. By prioritizing open, transparent communication, Hankscraft ensures that projects meet customers’ expectations and reach the market on time.

Partner with Hankscraft for Your Product Development and Manufacturing Needs

Successful product development and manufacturing hinge on thorough planning, expert guidance, and constant communication.

When you work with Hankscraft, you get a team that will help you through every step of the process.

About the Expert:

Jeff Stoltenow is Director of Engineering at Hankscraft Inc. He manages a group of engineers and project managers and works with customers to bring their products to life. In his 25+ years of career experience, he’s surmounted a wealth of knowledge in product development, design and contract manufacturing operations. Jeff uses his experience and perspective to treat customers with the utmost consideration and deliver the most optimal results with their projects.

Contact us today to discuss your project needs and explore how Hankscraft can assist you. Our team acts as an extension of your team. We’re dedicated to providing personalized solutions and seamless project management. Let us simplify your workload and improve your project outcome with our expertise and resources.