Entrepreneurs and large companies launch more than 30,000 new products every year.
It’s a remarkable number of products, but most of the products themselves are unremarkable. You want to make sure that your product idea is outstanding.
The one thing that makes a great product idea come to life is the manufacturing material you use to make the product. In a world of supply chain issues, selecting the right material becomes more important than ever.
Do you want to know how to select the right materials for manufacturing a product? Read this guide to find out how to choose the best product materials.
1. Decide Your Business Model
Before you scour the planet for raw materials, you have to know your business model. That narrows down your options for gathering raw materials.
You might just need a manufacturer to produce the product idea. They provide the raw materials. You might have to find different suppliers and provide the materials to the manufacturer.
Drop shippers manufacture products already in existence. They produce products on demand and handle shipping and logistics.
2. Product Priorities
What are the most important qualities of your product? Do you need to have sustainable materials? Is price the most important factor?
You might need to prioritize the performance or the feel of the product. In that case, aluminium might be a good fit for your product.
Decide the most important items of your product to select the right material.
3. Material Specifications
Check out the material specifications from each supplier. You’ll get a firm understanding of how one material works compared to another.
This is very useful if you’re working with products that you’re not familiar with. It helps you figure out which material fits your vision for the final product.
4. Get Production Samples
Once you have a few materials in mind, get production samples of them. You’ll be able to see potential manufacturing issues and defects in the final product.
Look for things like warping, weaknesses, lines, and imperfections. You may be able to resolve the problems in the manufacturing process or you have to find new materials.
5. Test Different Manufacturing Material
As you get samples of manufacturing materials, you should test them in your product prototypes. This gives you a feel for the product.
Put yourself in the shoes of the end-user of the product and think about the functionality and usability of the product.
6. Work With Your Manufacturer
The manufacturer has a wealth of expertise that you should utilize. If you’re working with new materials, manufacturers often help troubleshoot issues.
They have data on a lot of different types of materials. They can help you decipher which choice of material fits with their manufacturing process.
Selecting the Right Material for the Manufacturing Process
When it comes to creating innovative products, your choice of manufacturing material matters. The steps in this guide show you how to select the right materials for your product.
If you enjoyed learning about the manufacturing process, you’ll enjoy the other articles on this site. Check them out today!