Concept Reviews

Concept reviews, when conducted at an early critical stage, identify design concept shortcomings before committing additional resources to development and manufacturing. A concept review is the first step in a formal "stage-gated" process. Subsequent reviews should occur with prototypes, proof testing, tooling build, and production release, to maximize program success.

APEX has extensive multidiscipline experience in concept reviews for a wide range of products and industries.

WHY APEX:

• Identify problem areas at an early stage
• Gain independent and impartial feedback
• Obtain a multidiscipline review - design, materials, manufacturing
• Reduce product development time
• Avoid common design pitfalls
• Proceed with confidence that knowledgeable industry professionals reviewed the design concept

APEX CONCEPT REVIEWS INCLUDE:

• Verification of design to market requirements
• Review of sketches, 2-D drawings, and 3-D solid models
• On-site meetings to provide immediate feedback
• Conference calls, on-site presentations, and written reports
• Brainstorming to stimulate additional product ideas, features, and concepts

EXAMPLES OF APEX CONCEPT REVIEWS:

• Eliminated four of six modular jack design concepts
• Proposed an alternative joining of three switch components
• Reduced a chip carrier component count by redesign, for insert molding
• Critiqued six card edge contacts
• Suggested a design modification to reduce the cost of a sensor connector
• Suggested improvements for the ergonomics of mating features