Connector Concept Review
Concept reviews, when conducted at an early critical stage, identify design concept shortcomings in conjunction with the business plan 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