With an on-site engineering, full-service machine shop, in-line C02 laser die cutter and clicker press, Pepin Manufacturing Inc. is able to provide product development and prototyping services that can produce functional prototypes within days, not weeks, that are built to your exact design specifications.

From assisting you with design tweaks to manufacturing prototypes in our machine shop, trust Pepin Manufacturing to handle all your product development prototyping needs with the utmost care and precision.

Product Development & Functional Prototyping — The Basics

Emphasizing consultative support — we work with our customers during the entire product development life cycle. Our team works with every customer to source materials that meet or exceed their performance expectations. Our process engineers can suggest small design changes to assist with design for manufacturability (DFM), along with creating manufacturing cells to maximize production output. Our in-house machine shop also allows us to produce custom jigs and tooling for use in downstream manufacturing to improve labor efficiencies, further aiding in reducing overall costs.

Some of our product development prototyping services include:

• Design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA)
• Short-run functional prototyping
• CNC machining capabilities
• In-Line C02 laser die cutting
• 20 ton clicker press
• Can meet most any QA/inspection requirement to meet customer’s needs
• Benchtop UV curable adhesive dispensing
• Material sourcing from various USA suppliers
• Complete assembly, kitting and packaging
• Custom machined jigs and fixtures
• Flexographic printing using various water, UV and solvent based inks

Development Process Overview

Our product development process is all about listening to our customer’s needs and applying our nearly 30 years of experience to their project. Our team applies its vast knowledge in die-cutting, multi-layer laminating, flexographic printing, contract assembly and packaging to provide our customers with a complete manufacturing solution. Our contract manufacturing business model allows us to become your manufacturing arm. Every custom product we produce is solely owned by our customers. We pride ourselves on holding proprietary and confidential information in strict confidence.

How It Works: Our Product Development Prototyping Process

When you cannot compromise on product quality and manufacturing efficiency, we can serve as a valuable resource for your business. We take the time to understand how your business operates so we can better integrate our manufacturing services into your existing production framework. Our goal is to improve the quality of your product offerings, which begins with a high-performance, functional prototype. Whether you’re planning large-scale manufacturing or wish to test a new concept, our rapid prototyping services allow you to validate your design in a timely manner.

1. Consultation

A member of our team will discuss your project goals, and product development and prototyping service needs. We want to know everything from your desired specs to the scale of your project. With this information, we can tailor our services to meet your unique project needs.

2. Quote

When we have a better understanding of project scope, we will give you a cost estimate. There are a number of factors that affect this figure, including equipment used, material selection and the size and timeline of the project.

3. Product Development Prototype Services

The best way to understand what your product will look like is with a functional prototype. Depending on your needs, we can manufacture a prototype that is close to production quality, or we can assemble a reference design that is ideal for testing before full-scale production.

4. Project completion

Once your design is finalized and ready for full-scale manufacturing, our production and quality team collaborates to create detailed work instructions and manufacturing process documentation to ensure when we mass manufacture, parts meet all of your quality requirements.

5. Continued support

Once manufacturing is complete, we want to ensure you are satisfied with your order. Your Pepin sales representative is available to address any questions or concerns you have about the components we have manufactured.

Throughout each step of this process, we can assist with many specific requirements, including:

• Conceptual drawing review
• Value-add & innovation 
• DFMA implementation
• Project outline & manufacturing schedule
• Rapid prototyping
• Product design finalization
• First article manufacturing
• Mass manufacturing & commercialization
• Continuous improvement

Through our product development prototyping services, we’ve created a wide variety of products including complex projects such as Bluetooth-enabled body-worn sensors for cardiac arrhythmia detection to simplistic ones like an eco-friendly disposable spoon for the food industry.

Additional Information