You’ve Got Questions…We’ve Get you Answers.
Answering questions is a major portion of our business. We will be delighted to talk to you regarding any questions you may have. Some of the questions asked most often are covered here. If you have other questions, please feel free to contact us, we welcome your call.
What is Industrial Design?
The world of Industrial Design (ID) Product Design Engineering and Rapid Prototyping in new product development is an evolving art and science for Inventors and Entrepreneurs and large corporations. Mr. Whiteside received a B.S. Industrial Design – Product from The Ohio State University and Masters of Science M.S. Industrial Design from (Georgia Tech) Georgia Institute of Technology. Industrial Design is an applied science compliment by manufacturing art, using mechanical & electrical engineering principles whereby the aesthetics and usability of products may be improved for marketability and high volume manufacturing production. ID strives to innovate and improve attractiveness, reduce component costs, assembly and manufactured packaging costs, seeking to satisfy customer needs and capture market share and profits. The role of an Industrial Design consulting firm or Industrial Designer is to be the voice of the end users. Industrial Design supports entrepreneurs and manufactures in creating and developing new patents, inventions, concepts, technology application and specifications that optimize the function, performance, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of both users, owners and manufacturers. The coded language is 3D virtual CAD – CAM or Computer aided Design and Computer aided manufacturing.
Why focus on early stage companies?
Based on experience the earlier you get Industrial Design involved the greater the chances of business success. Early stage company development is a thrilling time to be part of something new and exciting. Creating a business plan for a start up brand with new product improvements or innovation are key reasons we got into this business. Early stage companies are typically passionate about what they are doing, and we love being part of that start-up energy. We are entrepreneurs ourselves!
Will you help fund my project?
WhiteLight Design is not an investment, venture capital firm or a funding source. We provide professional consulting services for a reasonable fee. Many of our Clients engage us to create product renderings, project plans, costing analyses, and similar collateral which they use in their fundraising presentations or crowdfunding campaigns. The 1st step is usually to create a basic business plan with color renderings or a Proof of Concept prototype to present to the investors.
What sort of experience do you have?
The WhiteLight Design team has been developing and launching products for clients for over 25 years. We have designed and developed products for hundreds of Inventors and companies, including start-ups, mid-sized companies, and very well respected brands. Our team's clients have included the Coca Cola Company, Georgia Pacific, and Hitachi to name just a few.
Does WhiteLight Design maintain relationships with investors?
Does WhiteLight Design maintain relationships with investors?
WhiteLight Design has confidential relationships with investors looking for new product ideas and businesses. Typically these investors and investor groups have very specific profiles for the types of companies and ideas that they are interested in reviewing. If you are interested in being a part of our investor network, please contact us.
How much will it cost to reach the market?
Many factors affect the costs of preproduction development including Industrial Design 3D CAD modeling and prototyping including the high cost to tooling and manufacturing unit costs in minimum quantities to reach the market: Primary the cost are associate with how complex is the product? How off the shelf or exotic are the materials? How certain is the applied technology the product is based on? How much inventory will be needed at the launch? Reaching the market with product n the package inventory can cost tens of thousands of dollars, or it can cost millions of dollars depending on the answers to these and other questions and global scale of the project. WhiteLight Design will help you understand the budgets you will need before you invest large amounts of money, or set unreasonable expectations with your investors or financial backers.
I'm just getting started. Can you still help me?
Now is a great time to bring a new product to the market and for us to help you. A good place to start is a consultation session, to answer the basic questions and we can help you map out a path forward and prioritize your next steps. A personal or team Consultation is a relative low cost way to be prudent with your time and money pursuing your concept. (Range $500 - $3,000.00)
I'm already pretty far along. Can you help me?
A lot of Clients come to us with a basic mock up prototype model but do not know where to proceed from there to get to mass production. We are here to find a viable path to support you in a successful product launch. Even if you already have a good quality prototype built, a solid business plan developed, and investors lined up, WhiteLight Design can be a cost savings resource for you. Our product development and manufacturing services are streamlined for early stage companies, meaning we work to maximize your budgets and deliver time throughout the product development and launch process.
How long does it take to get a product to the market place?
That depends on the many factors. How complex is your product? Does it involve electronics, a PCB or Controller with software and app development ? Is it a simple toy or a commercial air purifier? Even products in the same family can take different lengths of time to get to the market. We encourage through planning and patience so that nothing is overlooked or compromised trying to take short cuts. The new product development process is very detailed and we have been through it hundreds of times with a wide variety of product applications.
What if all I need is just someone to point me in the right direction?
If you need us to, the WhiteLight Design team can be a technical consultant and join you in a meeting or teleconference to review and coach you through the process. For many Inventors – the product launch business this is uncharted territory, but, for us it is common ground with a full prototype shop and 25 years team experience. We would be happy to provide you with limited consulting of our the knowledge and experience needed to reach your goal.
What type of prototypes can WhiteLight Design provide?
We create all types of models and prototypes to meet different purposes and needs. Mechanical - Mock up or a Proof of Concept Model are always a good start. We can provide you with a simple static shape model that can demonstrate to someone the basic size and shape of your product. We can make an appearance model that looks like the real product but may not function as a production unit would. Or we can make a model that is fully functional to show the efficacy of your design. Prototyping costs typically depend 3D CAD development to make shop drawing or the machine language CNC files on the level of complexity and functional completeness desired. We have made models and prototypes as simple as a knitting needle and as complex as a n automatic key making machine or robotic pillow box stuffer .
If I have a great idea & adequate funding, but I'm not ready to build out a complete company, can WhiteLight Design still help?
Part of what we offer is a full service ‘turnkey’ one stop shop operation. We can help take you from a idea sketch through to having your product in 3D CAD to a fulfillment warehouse ready to ship. WhiteLight Design can provide a local warehouse here in Georgia that will store your product for a nominal fee and ship one or a million of your products all over the globe. We help you become an virtual company so you don’t have to bear the expense of owning or leasing a ‘brick and mortar’ building or buying a fork lift and hiring a crew to handle your inventory stock.
What type of prototypes can WhiteLight Design provide?
What are some of services that WhiteLight Design does not provide?
WhiteLight Design does not directly provide the following services, but we can help connect you with other resources as needed:
Patents and Intellectual Property Strategy
Marketing or advertising services
Logos, trademarks, copyrights
Product placement
Website design
Laboratory testing
Development of Class 2 and Class 3 medical devices
Financial feasibility or modeling
What is the connection between WhiteLight Design and Product QuickStart?
We launched the WhiteLight Design – Product Quickstart partnership to provide world class consultation, Industrial Design - product development, design, engineering, rapid prototyping, and manufacturing services to inventors, entrepreneurs and early-stage and startup companies. Product Quickstart is our associate company, with a focus on Manufacturing development. We work in close alliance with the Product Quickstart team to ensure that our Clients get the results they expect in their product development programs.