Just like with virtually any other service, there’s competition between industrial design companies. If you’ve decided that you need to hire such a company to provide an assist with your latest product, then you may find yourself at a loss trying to figure out which one matches up well with your goals. But never fear; choosing the right one is not as insurmountable of a task as it might seem. Here are three questions you can ask of an industrial design company that will help you narrow the field.
Is Manufacturing Assistance on the Table?
Your goal is to get your product from the concept to the prototype and then to the stage where its ready for mass production. But how experienced are you with this stage? Whether your production calls for low, medium, or high volume, you need help from a team that has been there before.
The ideal industrial design company for you is the one that has access to the proper distribution network. They’ll have the contacts already and be able to reach out to them for you. This way you can avoid the bother of trying to strike up these relationships on your own.
What Prototyping Services Do You Offer?
You’ll also want to locate and engage the industrial design company that offers assistance with the prototyping phase. 3D printing is a popular option these days, so the firm you choose should be at the forefront of using that technology.
However, they should possess both the capability for a mockup prototype for certain aspects of testing and also an entirely functional version for user-group testing. The firm that offers you multiple options is the best one to choose in this area.
What About Analysis Services?
An aspect of product creation that is sometimes neglected is analysis. There are different analytical stages as the design process moves forward, and the best industrial design companies offer all of them.
At a minimum, the agency you choose should offer tolerance analysis of your product, structural analysis, engineering, and failure analysis as well. They should also be able to make the adjustments to your product deemed necessary depending on the outcome of each of these phases.
Now you’re all set to interview some industrial design firms. The company you choose should be as enthusiastic about your product ideas as you are. You want to partner with individuals who want to see you succeed just as much as you do.