Do Inventors Need a Product Engineer?
By Fred Heys
A product engineer is a person that can design, develop, and manage new product ideas for corporations or individual inventors. Being an engineer is not always required, but the person must be familiar with all phases of the Product Development Cycle, and keep up with the latest technologies. Also, the designer has to combine technical knowledge, human factors, and creativity in order to make a product successful in the marketplace.
The responsibility of a Product Design Engineer is to take an idea and develop it so that it can be produced and sold. He or she must select the materials, type of prototyping, tooling, and manufacturing methods that are cost effective and meet the Product Definition. This person should also be able to generate drawings and 3D models that will be used for tooling, Prototyping, patents, marketing, and manufacturing. Some engineers even help with branding, packaging and testing as needed.
A unique set of conditions comes with each Product Idea. These include, but are not limited to finances, time lines, and goals. Product Designers consider these to be normal, and deal with them routinely. A design engineer is often a person who is curious about how things are made, and how they function. By nature, they are creative, artistic, and have vivid imaginations. These attributes, as well as others, provide them an advantage in designing products that appeal to consumers.
If you're reading this because you are an inventor, you are basically a product engineer. You have a new idea, or believe that you can make an improvement to an existing product, right?
Now you can be the product engineer by taking control of your invention and going through The Product Development Cycle. You may choose to skip phases when possible, spending time and money on areas that are practical for your invention. If you have already paid for a Patent and you believe people are wasting your money on marketing, regain control of your idea. You can develop it yourself, or hire someone else to do it.
The responsibility of a Product Design Engineer is to take an idea and develop it so that it can be produced and sold. He or she must select the materials, type of prototyping, tooling, and manufacturing methods that are cost effective and meet the Product Definition. This person should also be able to generate drawings and 3D models that will be used for tooling, Prototyping, patents, marketing, and manufacturing. Some engineers even help with branding, packaging and testing as needed.
A unique set of conditions comes with each Product Idea. These include, but are not limited to finances, time lines, and goals. Product Designers consider these to be normal, and deal with them routinely. A design engineer is often a person who is curious about how things are made, and how they function. By nature, they are creative, artistic, and have vivid imaginations. These attributes, as well as others, provide them an advantage in designing products that appeal to consumers.
If you're reading this because you are an inventor, you are basically a product engineer. You have a new idea, or believe that you can make an improvement to an existing product, right?
Now you can be the product engineer by taking control of your invention and going through The Product Development Cycle. You may choose to skip phases when possible, spending time and money on areas that are practical for your invention. If you have already paid for a Patent and you believe people are wasting your money on marketing, regain control of your idea. You can develop it yourself, or hire someone else to do it.
