Consider hardware lead time when deciding when to start the mechanical design on a development project. Software can be iterated almost instantly. Electrical can be prototyped by PC Express boards. Stuffed boards can in place in a week with minor expediting fees. Not so for mechanical parts—Especially for complex mechanical parts. But with product development cycles being squeezed so does time for quality mechanical contributions. Unquestionably mechanical hardware production remains the long pole in the product-realization tent. So recognize the challenges and develop a plan to address it.
Thankfully, some mechanical prototype times have decreased with rapid prototype techniques. Today you have SLA, SLS, Urethane Castings, 3D printing and more. These are become more economic with higher quality ands precision. In fact, some of these processes are now reasonable low volume production solutions. But these methods are limited to size and materials. And they must be considered up front as a development budget expense.
Machined or sheet metal parts take four to eight weeks. Bad for a project of 6 months or less duration. Shops are candid about not liking to diverting from volume opportunities. Also, the NRE and risk cannot be ignored. So the costs can go through the roof.
Injection molds can take eight to twenty weeks. Revisions and iterations can take months due to the complexity of rework and queuing. Again, this is a huge chunk in and development schedule. Project managers struggle to make at-risk decisions. Project risks are increased.
Remember that now ubiquitous 3D design tools have led to more appealing, complex, and smaller systems and products. Mechanical engineering complexity and risks have risen proportionally.
The solution for management is to engage the mechanical person at the start of the project. Have them help you layout a general approach, time estimates, and risk. Back out milestones from the critical dates. Then allow the time and capacity to get the job done right.
