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Mouser Electronics has released the final instalment of its Engineering Big Ideas video series, presented by celebrity engineer and television presenter Grant Imahara.
As part of the company’s ongoing efforts to encourage and inspire innovation in electronics, Mouser’s Engineering Big Ideas video series provides innovators with a step-by-step guide to the process of bringing new technological concepts to life, from prototyping the design all the way through to manufacturing a final product that is ready to be sold to customers.
The series, which was sponsored by Mouser’s valued suppliers Analog Devices, Intel, Microchip Technology and Molex begins in Phoenix, Arizona with a look at how hybrid truck designers Nikola Motor Company took a leap of faith in order to bring their vision for the future of commercial transport to life.
In subsequent episodes, Imahara investigates how to build a working prototype, source funding for the product and refine the prototype for manufacturing and how to find an appropriate manufacturing model.
In the final episode of the series, Imahara visits Valley Services Electronics (VSE), a full-service manufacturer based in Silicon Valley that assembles custom printed circuit boards (PCB) and specialises in low-volume and prototype electronics.
The VSE team highlight what creators should look for in a PCB assembly (PCBA) manufacturer to ensure a smooth migration to market. The team describes how they broke through the confines of offshore manufacturing norms and states why finding a local manufacturing partner can be much more beneficial for today’s start-ups and entrepreneurs.
“We’ve walked through the innovation process, from discovery, to designing and refining a prototype, and finally manufacturing,” said Imahara. “The creator’s journey is never an easy one, but as we’ve seen in this series the tools resources and personnel are out there if you know where to look.”
As an additional resource, Mouser has released the third eBook in the Engineering Big Ideas series: Designing for Manufacturability, which is focused on the process of refining a prototype until it becomes suitable for mass replication. The eBook features practical advice from industry experts discussing a range of essential topics such as preparing products for regulatory requirements and certifications, choosing a manufacturing partner, selecting the best components, and refining designs through continuous innovation.
Mouser’s Empowering Innovation Together programme began in 2015 with the aim of providing designers with the inspiration and support they need to provide solutions for real-life challenges.
To learn more about Engineering Big Ideas and all of Mouser’s Empowering Innovation Together series, click HERE.
