Stage 02 — samples tested against the specification, in my own setup.
Stage 05 — batch QC at the line, before the container leaves.
OEM projects go wrong when money moves faster than verification. Every stage here ends with a document you approve before the next one starts — and a defined point where you can walk away cheaply.
| 01 | Feasibility Sprint 3–4 weeks · fixed fee | We define the product in writing: target market, competitive benchmark, required protocols, certification route, landed-cost model and a supplier shortlist with audit notes. Output is a decision document — proceed, change the product, or stop. Stopping here is a valid and cheap outcome. |
| 02 | Sample & validation 4–6 weeks | Samples are provided to the specification — production-intent, not hand-finished demos. I test them in my own setup: KNX bus behaviour under load, thermal margin, acoustic noise, firmware version control, enclosure fit and finish. You receive a comparison report, not a folder of photos. |
| 03 | Design freeze & tooling 6–10 weeks | Mechanical design, moulds, silk screens, fixtures and packaging. Tooling is invoiced at cost, documented, and formally transferred to you with cavity records and maintenance notes. Nothing goes into production before the golden sample is signed. |
| 04 | Certification & pilot batch 4–8 weeks | Test lab booking, EMC and safety testing, technical file assembly, DoC drafting. Certification support is included in the program — and for many products, several standard certifications are covered at no extra cost. A 50–100 unit pilot batch comes off the line and is inspected against the same protocol that mass production will use. |
| 05 | Mass production & QC Ongoing | Batch inspection before shipment with a written test protocol and photo record: 100% functional test, sample-based reliability checks, packaging and label verification, container loading photos. Problems are found in Shenzhen, not in your warehouse. |
Stage 02 — samples tested against the specification, in my own setup.
Stage 05 — batch QC at the line, before the container leaves.
You decide whether to continue. Nothing has been spent on tooling yet.
You approve the specification and the factory. Tooling deposit is released only after this signature.
You approve the golden sample and the test protocol. Mass production starts on your written go-ahead.
Batch inspection report and photo record land in your inbox before the balance payment is due.
Commercial model: fixed fee for the Feasibility Sprint, then a per-unit program margin on production. Tooling is invoiced at cost and belongs to you. I take no commission or rebate from factories — if a supplier offers one, it goes into your unit price, not my pocket.
Three to four weeks, fixed fee, and an honest recommendation at the end — including the option of not building the product at all.