Posts tagged: case study

Background

An OEM approached us with a component that had been designed to meet dimensional requirements. On paper, the design appeared complete and manufacturable.

However, before moving into production, several practical challenges needed to be addressed to ensure reliable field performance.

The Challenge

A successful product must do more than match a drawing.

The component needed to:

• Perform under actual operating temperatures
• Withstand working pressure and mechanical loads
• Be easy to assemble on the customer’s production line
• Maintain consistent performance during repetitive use
• Be suitable for volume manufacturing

Without validating these factors early, the project risked delays, redesigns and higher production costs.

Our Approach

Our engineering team reviewed the design from both a manufacturing and application perspective, taking an agile, iterative approach to development.

The evaluation included:

• Material suitability for the operating environment
• Manufacturability of the component geometry
• Ease of assembly during production
• Critical tolerances affecting functionality
• Process capability for repeatable production

Where required, we applied iterative design cycles, using additive manufacturing to rapidly produce and test prototypes. This enabled faster validation of design changes and reduced development time.

In cases where design intent needed refinement or clarification, reverse engineering techniques were used to better understand functional requirements and optimize the component accordingly.

Multiple prototype iterations were developed, tested and refined before finalizing the production-ready design.

The Result

The final solution delivered:

✔ Improved manufacturability

✔ Better assembly consistency

✔ Reduced production risk

✔ Confidence in real-world application performance

✔ A smoother transition into scalable manufacturing

Key Takeaway

A drawing defines dimensions.

Engineering ensures performance.

By combining application validation with iterative design, additive manufacturing and reverse engineering where needed, product development teams can reduce delays, improve reliability and accelerate successful product launches.

How Achievo Adds Value

At Achievo Engineering Components, we help OEMs bridge the gap between design and production through:

• Design support
• Rapid iterative prototyping
• Additive manufacturing
• Reverse engineering
• Application validation
• Design for manufacturing and assembly
• Scalable production

Helping customers transform engineering concepts into reliable, production-ready products.

Many product development projects start with a promising concept and a well-thought-out design. Yet, despite the best intentions, delays often occur during the transition from design to production.

Interestingly, the challenge is rarely the design itself. The real challenge lies in converting a design into a manufacturable, scalable and reliable product that performs consistently in real-world conditions.

1. Frequent Design Changes

As prototypes are tested, new requirements emerge. Engineers identify improvements, users provide feedback, and components need refinement.

Design changes are a natural part of product development. The ability to rapidly incorporate these changes through iterative prototyping can significantly reduce overall project timelines.

2. Limited Manufacturing Involvement

Many products are designed first and handed over to manufacturing later.

This often results in:

• Difficult-to-manufacture features
• Higher production costs
• Longer lead times
• Unexpected quality issues

Early involvement of manufacturing teams helps identify potential challenges before they become expensive problems.

3. Prototype-to-Production Gap

A prototype that works successfully in testing may not always be suitable for mass production.

Material selection, tolerances, tooling requirements and process capabilities must all be evaluated before scaling production.

Bridging this gap requires close collaboration between design and manufacturing teams.

4. Managing Multiple Technologies

Modern products often combine rubber, plastic and metal components within a single assembly.

Coordinating multiple suppliers during development can increase complexity and extend timelines.

Working with partners who understand multiple manufacturing technologies can simplify development and improve speed.

5. Assembly Challenges at the User End

Even when components are manufactured correctly, issues can arise during assembly at the customer’s facility.

Common challenges include:

• Components that are difficult to assemble or require excessive force
• Misalignment due to tight tolerances or inconsistent dimensions
• Lack of clarity in assembly procedures
• Increased assembly time leading to higher operational costs

Designing with assembly in mind—often referred to as Design for Assembly (DFA)—helps ensure that products are easy to handle, fit and install in real-world conditions.

6. Overlooking Application Parameters

A design that performs well in controlled testing may fail when exposed to actual operating conditions.

Critical application parameters are sometimes underestimated or not fully validated, such as:

• Torque requirements
• Temperature variations
• Pressure conditions
• Friction and wear behavior
• Non-flammability or safety requirements

Ignoring these factors can lead to premature failures, performance issues or compliance risks once the product is deployed.

Early validation of these parameters during prototyping helps ensure that the final product performs reliably in its intended environment.

7. Scalability Considerations

Many development projects focus on proving the concept.

However, production success requires answering additional questions:

• Can the design be manufactured consistently?
• Can quality be maintained at higher volumes?
• Can lead times remain predictable?

Considering scalability early in the development process reduces future risks.

Conclusion

Successful product development is not just about creating a functional design. It is about creating a design that can be validated, manufactured, assembled and scaled efficiently under real-world conditions.

Organizations that integrate design, prototyping, application validation and manufacturing expertise early in the process often reduce development time, improve product quality and accelerate commercialization.

At Achievo, we support OEMs through design support, rapid iterative prototyping and scalable manufacturing solutions, helping bridge the gap between concept and production.

During the peak demand for ventilator systems, we were entrusted with the development and manufacturing of a critical pump assembly used in ventilators.

The assembly included:

• POM-C precision plastic components
• Silicone rubber bellows
• Aluminium assembly plate
• Multi-part engineered assembly

This was not a standard production project.

The product design was evolving continuously, with multiple incremental changes from the customer during the development phase. The challenge was not only manufacturing the components, but also supporting extremely fast design iterations while ensuring functionality and assembly reliability.

Our Approach

At Achievo, we worked closely with the customer’s engineering team and established a rapid-response prototyping process.

• Design revisions were converted into prototypes within hours
• Multiple iterations were developed and tested continuously
• Tooling and assembly adjustments were carried out in parallel
• Cross-functional coordination helped accelerate validation cycles

This collaborative and agile development approach enabled the customer to finalize the pump design successfully under demanding timelines.

Final Outcome

✅ Successful development of the final ventilator pump assembly
✅ Supply of 2000 complete assemblies within 2 months
✅ Reliable performance across multiple production batches
✅ Smooth transition from prototype stage to production execution

Key Learning

In critical applications such as medical devices, success depends not only on manufacturing capability, but also on:

• Speed of prototyping
• Flexibility during design evolution
• Process discipline
• Ability to manage multi-material assemblies under time pressure

At Achievo, we support OEMs from concept to production across rubber, plastics, metals, and engineered assemblies for critical applications.

#MedicalDevices #Ventilator #RapidPrototyping #OEM #Engineering #Manufacturing #ProductDevelopment #Healthcare #MedicalEngineering

One of the biggest challenges in OEM development is not capability, it is an ability to iterate quickly without slowing down the process. This case study demonstrates how focusing on speed, flexibility, and practical design improvements can significantly impact outcomes. 

The Scope

We were engaged to develop:
• 2 pressure cooker safety components (whistles / pressure valves)
• 2 rubber components (including one for a hot kettle application)

Pressure Valve Development (Ongoing)

This is a safety-critical component, where precision is non-negotiable.

• Completed 2 rounds of iterations
  • Introduced minor but critical design improvements for:
  – Safety
  – Optimum pressure control
  • Latest batch (10 pcs) currently under testing
  • One more iteration expected

In many OEM setups, such iterations become slow and expensive due to internal administrative layers.

In this case, the customer trusted us to:
✔ Move quickly
✔ Suggest improvements
✔ Execute iterations without delays

Rubber Component, Fast Track Approval

For the first rubber component:

• Initial samples developed and submitted quickly (FOC)
  • Feedback → minor hardness adjustment
  • Second round submitted → Approved

Result: Order received for initial lot
Next step: 100-cavity mold for mass production

Rubber Component (Hot Kettle Application)

• Developed using a 2-cavity mold
  • Submitted samples

Approved in the first attempt
Now awaiting production order

Key Insights

OEM development is not just about manufacturing capability.

It’s about:
• Speed of iteration
• Willingness to absorb early-stage effort
• Ability to suggest practical design improvements
• Reducing the customer’s internal burden

Our Approach at Achievo

We focus on:
✔ Quick prototype turnaround
✔ Practical, engineering-led design inputs
✔ Supporting multiple iterations without friction
✔ Ensuring smooth transition to mass production

This project reinforced successful OEM partnerships that are not built during mass production, but during the development phase. Speed, flexibility, and a proactive approach to problem-solving ultimately define long-term collaboration. If you’re working on new product development and need a responsive partner for rubber or critical components, we are happy to connect.

#OEM #ProductDevelopment #RubberComponents #Manufacturing #Engineering #PressureCooker #MakeInIndia #Innovation #B2B