Got a napkin sketch, but need some help working out the details? We’ll help you work out the function and form of your product so it performs to specification, looks the way you want, and fits your budget. We’ll draft design concepts, iterate with you, and measure performance. Our expertise spans consumer devices, medical devices, industrial equipment, and more.
Prototyping, Ideation, and Testing
CAD Modeling And Simulation
Computer-Aided Design is a critical step in hardware development because it allows designers, engineers, and manufacturers understand how parts look, how they behave together in a system, how they perform under stress, how they will be manufactured, assembled, and maintained, and much more. Using DfMA principles, we ensure your parts don’t just look good, but they are built from the ground up tailored to the best manufacturing method. This way, designs cross from the digital to the physical world with less friction.
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We use a CAD/CAM software program called Autodesk Fusion for our 3D models, renders, and more. As part of our clear communication endeavor, we use this program so you can easily check your digital designs to make sure they meet your expectations. You can see and interact with your digital designs in real time as we update and modify them. This includes rotating the model(s) in 3D space, zooming, showing/hiding parts in assemblies, checking part dimensions, making comments, and more.
3D Printing
Cutting-edge 3D printing technologies help us rapidly iterate plastic parts. Using FDM and MSLA technologies, we use a wide range of materials with different aesthetic and mechanical properties. Known as additive manufacturing, these processes build parts by extruding plastic through a nozzle or curing liquid resin to build a part up layer by layer. This way, you can flush out ideas before investing in higher volume production like injection molding.
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Technology: FDM
Printer Volume: 10 × 10 × 10” (256 × 256 × 256mm)
Resolution: 0.004" (0.1mm)
Materials: Thermoplastics (ABS, PETG, PLA, Wood-particle PLA, TPU, and more)Technology: MSLA
Printer Volume: 8.3 x 4.6 x 9.4” (211 x 118 x 240mm)
Resolution: 0.001" (0.03mm)
Materials: Thermosets (various acrylate-based photopolymers including ABS-like, flexible urethane-like, and plant-based)
CNC Milling
Computer Numerical Control allows us to precisely and repeatably cut parts from stock material according to the CAD model. This technology allows us to build large parts from a wide variety of materials including plastic sheets, wood, and some metals. Contrary to the ‘additive’ nature of 3D printing, milling is ‘subtractive’, in that material is essentially removed from a larger piece in very precise ways.
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Technology: 3-axis Gantry
Typical Applications: Large prototypes and parts with 2D geometry
Mill Volume: 30.0 x 12.0 x 3.0" (762 x 305 x 76mm)
Resolution: 0.004" (0.1mm)
Materials: UHMW, Acrylic, Polycarbonate, plywood, soft metals, and more
Metal Fabrication
With our growing array of metalworking equipment, we can make prototypes, jigs, fixtures, and even production parts. This includes custom sheet metal trays, covers, and enclosures, large structural parts that are subjected to significant mechanical loads, and custom rotary parts.
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Bench mill
Bench lathe
Disk and belt grinders
4’ (1.2m) 16ga box and pan brake
Shear
Band saw
Sand blaster
Electronic Systems Design
We have years of experience designing complex electronic systems and enclosures. This includes sensor enclosures for medical scanning equipment, photography equipment, and more. We prototype low-voltage equipment using Arduino, design user interfaces, and build custom enclosures.
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Soldering station
Crimping equipment
Protoboard and breadboards
Arduino and Raspberry Pi
Circuit analysis and diagnostic equipment
Advanced Engineering Design
Critical designs need rigorous engineering in order to make sure they perform according to specifications and endure tough environments. When you need a design backed by sound engineering, CPD has the expertise. We work with a variety of design, safety, and testing protocols including NCAP, ISO, ANSI, and ASME.
Industrial Maintenance and Continuous Improvement
We feel at home working in research, testing, and production environments. Whether you have an isolated problem that needs a mechanical solution or you’re looking to optimize overall processes, we’ll consult with you to quickly identify bottlenecks, reduce downtime, and maximize quality.
CPD [Green]: Circular Product Development
CPD [Green] is our research and development initiative focused on environmental sustainability from an industrial product development perspective. We'll use our expertise to make your products more sustainable, whether you are improving your current design or building from the ground-up. We function as a consultant, contractor, or anything in between.