FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We generally start out with a free phone consultation to discuss your idea, goals and strategy so we can better tailor our estimate to your specific needs. Having developed hundreds of products over the years we have a wealth of knowledge on the different strategies and requirements for both developing a product and bringing it to market. We are happy to share that knowledge with our clients and help in any way we can. You can sign up for a free consultation at the bottom of our home page.

Really, whatever you have. We always say, “the more information the better,” but many times we can get started with a simple verbal or written description or hand sketch. If you have additional details that will give us a better understanding of what you are looking to do, the more accurate and detailed our estimate can be.

We take our clients’ confidentiality extremely seriously and would never share or use any information provided without a client’s express permission and knowledge. We are happy to a sign Non Disclosure Agreement to ensure your information will never be compromised. We are proud of our record of 20 plus years in business, and we have never had a complaint from a current or previous client about our handling of their confidential information.

No. We offer our services on a "work for hire" basis, so we do not retain any intellectual property rights over your product or idea. Everything we design for you is owned by you.

The process and timeline can be very different for each project as there are a huge number of variables with each product. Generally, we start out with concept development and CAD modeling of your product idea. We work with you through this process to be sure we capture your full vision for the product, both in looks and function. We then do product design reviews with each client and walk them through the virtual prototype in our CAD system to explain every detail of the design. Once you are happy with the concept, we move into the final development. This is where we put all of the fine details and manufacturability into the design. Once that is complete, we do another design review with the client to be sure they are happy with the end product. From there, we either make required adjustments or move into prototyping to prove the design and provide a physical model for testing and demonstration.

Yes, we do a great deal of what we call “Proof of Concept” prototypes. They are a lower cost option to the full development prototype. Generally, if your short-term marketing plan includes manufacturing the product and marketing and selling it yourself, you will most likely want to go through the full development and prototyping for manufacturing. However, if you are only looking for a working prototype to demonstrate to potential investors or to seek a licensing agreement, you may be better off with the lower cost “Proof of Concept” prototype instead.

A "Proof of Concept" prototype generally consists of custom designed and fabricated components integrated with “off the shelf” and/or “sourced” parts to create a working functional prototype. This is not a “Production Ready” design, but would look and function much like a finished product. This option requires another round of engineering and prototyping before moving into production. A "Production Ready" prototype is generally comprised of custom-designed and sourced components integrated to create a unit that is intended for volume production. The design contains all information necessary to manufacture the product in volume. The prototype is built to as closely represent the production level product as possible and tested for “form, fit and function”.

After the initial estimate, OSE Product Development will provide a formal quote and product development agreement for your review. When you are ready to move forward, we will ask you for signed copies of the estimate and agreement, along with a deposit, in order to get started.