AlphaWave

What We Can Do For You

Update An Existing Product

One of the easiest ways to increase profits and grow your business is to refresh an existing product, be it a cosmetic (visual) upgrade or a technological upgrade to improve your existing product range. We can help you identify opportunities for updating your products, we can carry out a Value Engineering (VE) survey and suggest cost savings to maximise profitability by taking a professional, independent view of your existing products and production methods. So, to conclude, depending on what you want to achieve and how much you want to spend, we can offer a solution from a simple review of your current products to an in-depth audit of your product design and manufacturing process’. As we are independent we have an unbiased view and can see things from a different prospective - maybe one you’ve not considered before.

Concept Design

It is now we think about the product, the materials, the tooling and production options in order to find the best solution in terms of form, function and cost. There are often two phases to this stage 1 . A broad look at various design and development routes, covering a wide range of ideas that may ‘push the boundaries’ on what could be achieved. 2 . A more detailed look at the most suitable options taking into consideration cost, specification and timescales. We will then share our ideas with you and then refine the options down to one solution that will form the basis of the final product design. We can then present the concept design in sketch form, as 3D CAD models or a 3D printed models as required.

Prototypes & Testing

Prototyping and testing are essential parts of the process, they ensure that your new product is ready for tooling and production. Prototypes can take many forms, ranging from functional test rigs to a fully featured one-off product. We can advise on the best form of prototype for you product and choose the most cost effective methods to make the parts you need. We can also suggest test labs to help with the testing of your prototypes to ensure that your product will function as you expect and meet the needs of your customers, as well as meeting all relevant standards and safety requirements. We'll also make sure they are economical and ecological to manufacture. Finally, we can work with you and any 3rd party vendors to guide you and your product successfully through the process.

Research

Researching what is currently on the market - your competitors - can be a great asset and can expose any technical and legal issues that may affect your product. When designing any new product, we consider a wide range of issues such as its position in the marketplace and how best to add value and unique selling points. We will also look into your branding to ensure that any new product is identifiable as part of your range. We will also investigate production methods and servicing issues and come up with product design that benefits your business. We will strive make your product look fresh, stylish and current whilst at the same time keeping the design as simple as possible.

Development

We want to make sure that your product is not only great to look at and a pleasure to use, but also fit for purpose and economical to manufacture and assemble. The next stage focuses on the technical and design details that will define your finished product. We will make sure that the design works, will be economical to make, will be fit for purpose, will be easy to use and service and not to mention look great. Ofcourse, this is often the longest and most involved stage of the process and can take days, several weeks or months to complete, depending upon the complexity of your project. All our detailed technical design is completed using SolidWorks (our 3D CAD software) and development models are often built during this stage to check form, function and ease of use. The result is a detailed design that is ready to prototype.

Tooling & Manufacture

We can generate all the data you need to manufacture your product, and can also design tooling in-house if required. We can help you find the best suppliers, offering the best quality at the right price and agreeable time scales. This can make a huge difference to the project's profitability. We have been helping our clients manufacture products for over thirty years, so are well versed to advise you on the right materials, the right processes and the right suppliers (both in the UK and overseas). We can help you choose the best approach for your projected production volumes and target market. We always encourage identifying prospective suppliers as early as possible in the design process so that they can contribute their expertise as part of the design team. This will help ensure quality and minimise lead times, both of which can have a significant impact on your profitability.
AWT Limited 2019

New Product Development

We can help guide you through the new product development process, help you maximize profits and help you avoid costly mistakes. New product development is much more than just design and innovation. it’s also about marketing, research, finance and planning. We consider all aspects when tackling a new product development. We have over 30 years experience in helping clients bring new products to market and we can help you through this complex process. from researching the competition to sourcing components and vendors as well as projecting lead times and costs. The product development process is made up of a number of stages, some which can be tackles concurrently, others which need to be done sequentially. Some projects will use all the stages, and some only a few. We will discuss with you your specific requirements and lay out a plan of action.