Mechanical Product Design: Challenges and Cost Simplification.

Mechanical product design is a creative process through which technical problems and requirements are solved using physical solutions. Mechanical design involves the analysis of structures, materials, engineering of parts, and determining how they interrelate.

The criteria for evaluating the mechanical design of a product are related to the simplicity of the solutions and their functional effectiveness.

In other words, the best mechanical design is not the most complex one, but the simplest. A mechanical design with fewer and less complex parts—while still meeting all functional requirements—is far more cost-effective and therefore more likely to succeed in the market.

Mechanical design is one of the key disciplines in the prototype development process. However, it's important to understand that purely mechanical solutions are neither simple nor inexpensive.

Costs of Mechanical Product Design

There is a common misconception: if a product doesn’t include programming, AI, sensors, or any software, then it must be a simple product. 

It’s essential to understand that these disciplines exist precisely to optimize purely mechanical solutions. Therefore, even if we see electronic solutions as being beyond our capabilities or reach, they are often much simpler and more cost-effective than products based solely on mechanical product design.

Examples of Products with Complex Mechanical Designs

At Let’s Prototype, we have designed and developed numerous prototypes with high mechanical design complexity: the padel ball launcher, gravity-drop pacifier, step drawer with legs—just a few among nearly a hundred prototype examples that, in one way or another, incorporate a degree of complexity in mechanical product design.

Tool to Reduce the Cost of Mechanical Product Design

Designing mechanical solutions for products can require significant time and investment. Achieving the best mechanical design option involves extensive concept testing, reducing the number of components, and continuously simplifying the design to lower manufacturing costs—among other necessary steps to arrive at a mechanical design for a truly competitive product.

Magic Doesn’t Exist, but Electronics Do. 

Although there are prototype cases where the use of electronics is not advisable, it is also true that in many instances, it is avoided simply due to the preferences of designers and inventors. In most complex challenges related to mechanics for product development, solutions can be simplified through the inclusion of electronic components.

Below are some examples of challenges related to mechanical design that can be simplified with electronic solutions:

diseño mecánico de productos

Simple Mechanism Design

For product development involving alternating movements or force conversions, multiple components are often required, such as gears, cams, mechanical transmission systems, and more. The mechanical design of these solutions is significantly more expensive and complex than using stepper motors and linear actuators, which can be easily controlled through basic programming environments.

Space Constraints in Mechanical Product Design

In logistics, storage, and even on the client side, space is a critical factor. Therefore, dimension optimization is essential in most products. In this regard, electronic components are highly effective in simplifying complex mechanical designs. The use of sensors and peripheral components can replace complex mechanical systems that would otherwise require more parts, space, and assembly complexity.

Wear and Maintenance Requirements of Mechanical Systems

Another clear example of how electronics help simplify mechanical product design challenges is the ability to minimize wear and maintenance requirements. In the case of complex mechanical designs, friction-related wear often demands ongoing maintenance, lubrication, etc. In contrast, the integration of optical sensors, basic components such as limit switches, or even magnetic solutions significantly reduces these common issues in mechanical prototypes and products.

Tolerance Management

One of the most complex challenges in mechanical product design is achieving precision within the system. Tolerance management in mechanical systems requires highly costly iteration cycles until proper calibration of the manufacturing tools is achieved. Moreover, even the slightest error—often invisible to the human eye—can jeopardize the functionality of the mechanism.

There are very affordable and accessible electronic solutions to mitigate the risks associated with tolerance management in mechanical product designs. These systems allow for software-based calibration through intuitive platforms that enable a high level of automation in controlling such potential errors.

The ability to integrate multiple disciplines within the product development process is undoubtedly the main competitive advantage that an innovative product development company can offer. Mechanical product design is—and will continue to be—the backbone of most innovative prototypes and products. However, having expertise and access to other disciplines within the same team and lab supports and, in some cases, determines the product’s chances of commercial success.

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The time to bring your ideas to life is now. We accompany you throughout the entire process: from idea to product.

 

 

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