Why Hardware Design Is (Sometimes) Difficult

December 14, 2020

Hardware design can be difficult, but it is not as hard as you may think. Recent advancements in the market have made it easier for people to launch a new hardware product. While development does require a certain degree of technical knowhow and capital, there are steps that you can take to facilitate the process.

Here, we will discuss hardware design and some of the recent advancements that have allowed it to become more accessible to entrepreneurs and startups.

Outsourcing

Today, many companies take advantage of the myriad of benefits that freelancers provide. Launching and developing products require such a wide array of skills that it is virtually impossible for one person to take on all tasks.

Currently, an entrepreneur can gain access to millions of freelancers from around the world and from all walks of life. Simply find a reputable team of freelancers that will charge rates that are within your budget and that will meet your deadlines.

You Don’t Need to Develop Custom Components

Most electronic components are broadly available today. You don’t need to develop custom components unless you really want to. In fact, we would suggest that you pursue a different product if your current one requires custom components.

Of course, having a significant amount of capital and a large development team may bypass such issues, but most companies do not have such resources.

Wireless Radio Modules

In the 1990s and 2000s, you would need to make a custom wireless radio if you wanted to design a device with wireless features. However, designing a wireless circuit is not child’s play. The amount of specialized knowledge needed to build one from scratch is beyond the reach of most electrical engineers.

Trying to build a new wireless circuit will involve plenty of trial and error, something many startups cannot afford. They will also need to be tinkered and configured to the nth degree to achieve optimal performance. Tuning will also necessitate the use of very expensive and sophisticated equipment that many companies simply do not have access to.

FCC certifications costs will also be incurred if you want to build a custom radio. This is because new electronic gadgets will require FCC certification in order to be launched. For example, a custom wireless circuit will cost a minimum of $10,000 in order to certify. However, if you decide to use a pre-certified module in order to create a wireless function, then your FCC certification cost will only be about $1,500.

Today, wireless radio modules are the norm, as they drastically reduce the amount of risk, time, and complexity involved in the development of many wireless products.

You Don’t Need to Set Up Your Own Factory

In the past, a person who wanted to bring a physical gadget to the market would need their own factory in order to do so. Many entrepreneurs would need to save up a significant amount of capital in order to build their own factory, or would need to qualify for large loans.

Now, entrepreneurs use contract manufacturers in order to get the job done. As long as your product matches the capabilities of your contract manufacturer, they should be able to fabricate your product.

So, we would recommend that you partner with a contract manufacturer that specializes in consumer electronic products in order to facilitate the process.

You Don’t Need as Much Capital

Companies can now use pre-certified wireless modules and contract manufacturers in order to develop their hardware. Most don’t need to develop custom electronic components either, and millions of freelancers are available to help meet development goals.

All of this translates to smaller amounts of capital needed to develop hardware. There are also more ways to raise capital in order to meet company objectives.

More Ways to Raise Capital

Many modern entrepreneurs will turn to crowdfunding in order to raise capital. Some will also take advantage of crowdfunding in order to obtain market feedback that can make or break their enterprise.

In the past, businesses would need to get their manufacturing off the ground before they could obtain actual sales data. However, crowdfunding allows companies to receive feedback before they even begin manufacturing their actual product.

More Ways to Sell and Market Your Gadgets

Trying to get a product in retail chains is much easier said than done. You will first need to accumulate sufficient proof that your product will sell. In the past, most startups would have no choice but to begin selling in small mom-and-pop establishments.

Today, however, such small shops are nearly extinct, so they are not a viable option. The good news is that entrepreneurs now have the power of the Internet to help market and sell their products.

You can obtain preliminary sales proof for your product before launching it via the Internet. Many companies will also sell their products through their own website. This will help maximize your profit margins, as only your manufacturers will be sharing your proverbial pie with you.

Obtain maximum control and profits by designing, launching, and managing your own website. You will also be able to enjoy the best market feedback by creating your own site, as you will be communicating with your customers directly.

You can also use the Internet to market your products while spending very little capital in the process. Take advantage of search engines optimization and social media in order to advertise your products without breaking the bank. Additionally, learn about hardware design and development, as well as marketing, manufacturing, 3D printing, and entrepreneurship for free using the Internet and how-to videos.

Circuits Central

If you would like to learn more about hardware design, then please visit our website. We specialize in hardware design, as well as pre-manufacturing, manufacturing, and post-manufacturing of electronic components.

We can also be reached at 1-888-821-7746 if you would like to discuss your design needs over the phone with our hardware designers.

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