Product Development FAQ

Mechanical engineering and industrial design are very similar, but they differ in function. Industrial designers develop aesthetically pleasing designs that can be useful. Mechanical engineers take those designs and make them mechanically sound.

VPI’s Mechanical engineers take several factors into consideration when designing a product including:

• Environment – The conditions the design will be subjected to because of its surroundings (Heat, cold, dust, water, sand, radiation).
• Application/Use – This factor considers how the design will be used. For example, a hammer would need to be designed differently than a feather duster.
• Thermal Effects – Thermal effects can include temperatures created by the design’s environment, but also can be produced by the design itself. Some products require thermal analysis to ensure that the heat is managed appropriately.
• Human Factors – When engineers consider human factors they must account for intended and unintended effects that the product may have on the end-user. Great products are easy to use, ergonomic, intuitive, and safe.
• EMI/EMC – Mechanical engineers create designs that account for electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). Designs that do not account for this can produce harmful electromagnetic noise or experience problems caused by noise from other electronic devices. Electronic designs must comply with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), conformité européenne CE, Industry Canada, and/or other regulations that dictate the amount of noise they can produce and how resistant they must be to other electromagnetic noise. This is called electromagnetic conformity (EMC).  Mechanical engineers design measures that help designs conform to regulations. VPI also has certification and testing capabilities for EMI and EMC.

Design for Manufacturability

Designing products for manufacturing is sometimes what sets mechanical engineering apart from mechanical or industrial design. Mechanical designs can be aesthetically pleasing, but they must also be manufacturable. Current manufacturing technologies can produce incredible results, but there are limits. Knowing those capabilities and limits allows an engineer to choose appropriate methods for component fabrication. Our engineers are familiar with proven and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques and can create designs that are compatible with them. Production costs and impacts on a product’s bill of materials (BoM) are also taken into consideration, which, if not properly managed can be prohibitive.

Machining

Machining is a subtractive manufacturing process, which means a solid piece of material is cut into the desired shape. Machining is a traditional manufacturing technique and current technologies allow for quick turnaround times.

VPI has experienced engineers who design CAD models that can then be sent off to reputable machine shops that will produce the part you need.

Cutting

A few common cutting techniques include die, laser, water jet, and plasma cutting. Laser cutting and plasma cutting use heat to melt the material they are cutting. Laser cutting uses concentrated light energy to melt materials. Plasma cutters use a combination of electrical heat and compressed air to heat and then remove material. Water jet cutting uses a thin, high-pressure stream of water to blast through the desired material. Our engineers can help you choose the correct cutting process for your project.

Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing includes a variety of modern manufacturing techniques that have become possible through recent technology.

One of the first techniques that come to mind, related to additive manufacturing is 3D printing. It has become popular since 3D printers are relatively inexpensive and readily available to the public.

Other additive manufacturing techniques include fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), direct metal deposition (DMD), and selective laser sintering (SLS).

Casting

Casting is often used to produce metal components. It is similar to injection molding in that molten material is poured into a form.

Stamping

Stamping uses extreme pressure to form components. It is an efficient process and can be used for high-volume production runs.

Injection Molding

Injection molding is a commonly used manufacturing technique that produces precision-formed components. The process involves injecting molten material into a form, then letting it cool and harden into the desired shape. It is an effective technique for mass-producing components from easily melted materials like plastics.

VPI’s engineers carefully select the materials used both for the product and for the mold. A mold’s composition varies based on the number of components that will be produced using it, the material that will be injected into it, and your budget. More durable molds tend to be more expensive, but they are not always necessary if only a few components are needed.

Selecting the right materials to use for your project can be difficult. Today’s technology offers manufacturers an almost unlimited number of materials.

Our engineers work with and research materials daily. They can select materials that will perform correctly for any design. They choose materials based on the fundamental mechanical engineering factors listed here: environment, application/use, thermal effects, human factors, and EMI/EMC compliance.

Material Properties

Some of the major factors considered in materials selection are strength, wear and corrosion resistance, thermal properties, UV stability, and optical properties.

Types of Materials

We work with standard and exotic metals, thermoplastics, elastomers, and composites. These materials have their advantages and disadvantages. Metals tend to be hard and resistant to environmental factors, but they are heavier than other materials. Composites like carbon fiber can be lighter and stronger than other materials, but more expensive. Our engineers choose materials that fit each design’s need as well as your budget.

Finishing

Another important factor in materials selection is finishing. Finishes can alter and/or enhance a design’s look, feel, and performance. They can be purely cosmetic or essential for strength and corrosion resistance. Typical finishes include coatings, plating, and surface treatments.

Some designs can be analyzed using simple formulas. Others require detailed analysis, simulation, and testing. VPI Engineering conducts static, dynamic (drop, shock, and vibration), thermal analyses, simulations, and testing. The results of which allow our engineers to create designs that will hold up to the needs of our customers.

Static and Dynamic simulations are performed using finite element analysis (FEA). This process takes into account the physical characteristics of the design, the materials used, and the environment and loading related to normal use.

Thermal analysis is conducted using FEA and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. These simulations allow our engineers to determine how heat impacts the design, how it is transferred within the design, and how the design is affected by internal and external fluids, such as flowing air or water.

A PCB design schematic can be described as a circuit diagram or the functional diagram of electronic circuits. Symbols are used to represent components and show how they are connected electrically. This graphical representation of the electronic circuit is created before the actual design layout of the circuit.

Drawing up a schematic is an important step in the early stages of an electronic product’s development.  Knowing what the various components and interconnects are and how they are linked to each other helps to create a successful PCB layout and working design.

Automation and motion control can be used in machinery, automotive applications, manufacturing, and other applications. Automation and motion control design includes designing products that use electric motors, hydraulics, pneumatics, and linear actuators.

When designing an automated device, engineers look at the device’s intended use and design based on the fundamental factors discussed earlier on this page, under ‘Why do I need more than an industrial designer?’.

We have experience creating devices using the following motors and their associated controllers.

• AC Brushless
• DC Brushed/Brushless
• Direct Drive
• Linear
• Stepper
• Servo

Most people use electronics every day. VPI Engineering designs electronics for a wide variety of clients. We have experience designing digital and analog electrical systems, imaging systems, battery and power systems, networking systems, antennas, infrared systems, electrical prototypes, RoHS-compliant systems, radiological detection systems, and sensor-based systems.

Electrical Engineering spans a broad spectrum of services. Our engineers have the education and experience to choose the correct components and create electrical designs that are reliable and safe for users.¹

Every electronic product requires electrical systems engineering and design to ensure that its electrical components are properly connected and will interact well together. Our goal is to help you create a product or system that fits your customers’ needs and performs to your expectations. Your success is our success.

Currently, VPI is IPC-7711/7721 CIT certified. “The IPC-7711 Rework of Electronic Assemblies and the IPC-7721 Repair and Modification of Printed Boards and Assemblies are the Electronic Industry’s manuals for the guidelines on re-installing or replacing electronic components and repairing circuitry with minimum impact on quality and reliability.” – Blackfox Training and Certification

Alternating Current (AC) and direct current (DC) describe the electricity used to power electronics. In the U.S., many household devices use AC power.

Battery-powered devices and European electronics often use DC power.

VPI Technology designs both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) powered systems.

Electrical systems come in two flavors, digital and analog. Digital systems use incremented inputs and outputs, 1s, and 0s to communicate information. Analog systems accept inputs and then output information as they sense it from the outside world.

To understand the difference between digital and analog systems, compare digital and analog clocks. Digital clocks are updated electronically as opposed to analog clocks which use motors and gears to move hands that point to numbers on the clock face.

VPI designs analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog systems, which convert inputs into a format that the system can use.¹