After designing your new product and validating is numerous elements comes the stabilization phase, which is no trivial matter. Stabilizing the production processes is viewed by manufacturing experts as the most fundamental element for creating high-quality products. At the end of the day, a great idea will never become a great product if it cannot scale properly. This is where stabilization makes all the difference.
The theory is that, under the right conditions, the right process will reproduce itself indefinitely. Results can be easily predicted, costs anticipated, and the next process can be built upon it, making the whole production chain reliable and cost-effective. Stabilizing each step of the manufacturing process is in itself a stepping-stone for another key element of the whole business: optimization.
Making things simple
Entrusting the manufacturing of content-rich hardware to cheap assembly plants requires you to make every step of the process as simple as it can be. Low-skilled workers will be in charge of putting all the right parts at the right place, at the fastest pace possible. If the stabilization phase is overlooked, there is a high risk of increasing the numbers of defective or non-compliant units produced, which will increase the costs of the whole operation.
Some defects might not appear until the products have shipped and customers have been using it for a little while. Think about those cars whose windshield is glued too tight to the frame and crack after only a few miles on the road…
There are alternatives to relying on overseas manufacturing facilities. Electronics and hardware companies rely on robots and automatization to build their products at an affordable cost, while employing local or higher-skilled workers, or in order to be compliant with certain specific high-level requirements, such as ESG standards.
It is all about the first impression
Creating a positive first impression on the market does not only mean you have to build a great product, it also means you have to think about how it is packaged. You might want the box to look good without being ruinous, to be made of specific materials, and to ensure the hardware it protects is, indeed, well protected. No one wants to unbox a product and see the contents have shifted during shipping…
You might also want to think about where the packaging ends up. Is it recyclable? Is there a lot of excess materials you will have to get rid of? How does it affect the cost of the product?
These questions need to be taken into account at this step of the process. It is the most efficient way to make sure your customer is happy. Because the stabilization phase is all about efficiency.