When you are manufacturing any product en masse, there are various design and engineering factors to take into consideration. That is why it is essential to have a competent and experienced product design engineer to oversee things. Along with being responsible for the development of the product, the engineer will ensure that it is functional and ergonomic.

Since the right engineer will make a crucial difference to your product manufacturing enterprise, you must put a lot of thought into hiring someone.

Things to keep in mind before hiring a product design engineer.

Before hiring someone who fits your requirements, here are a few things that you might want to keep in mind:

• A product design engineer is not the same as an industrial designer. While the latter handles the aesthetic look and feel of the product and its usability aspects, the engineer is more concerned with meeting the product’s performance and packaging standards.

• It is essential to conduct market research on the proposed product and find out about the market demand for the product. You should also research different product manufacturing processes. Even though you will be hiring competent people to handle the manufacturing process, you must know and understand what is involved.

• It is crucial to get a realistic estimate of what the product manufacturing process will cost you. Then you can arrange for the necessary funds in advance and avoid manufacturing delays due to financial issues later on.

• You must be clear about the type of product you want and must be able to explain its specifications in detail to the engineer. It will be a good idea to draw rough sketches of the product with its estimated dimensions.

• You should also prepare a list of the materials you are likely to need to make the product. Additionally, it will help to write down a list of the product features you want. For instance, you might want the product to be waterproof, rustproof, and heat tolerant.

Things to look for before hiring a product design engineer.

To find out if you are hiring the right person for your product, it will help to consider the following:

• Does the engineer have a website? Is it well-designed and aesthetically pleasing? You can get a good idea of the engineer’s design sense and understanding of design usability by visiting his or her website.

• Does the engineer have good communication skills? You want someone who can clearly explain everything you want to know about the project.

• Is the engineer willing to listen to your ideas and suggestions? Since it is your product, you must have a say in its development. If the engineer is dismissive of your inputs and adamant about doing everything his or her way, the partnership is not likely to work..

Questions to ask before hiring a product design engineer.

Before hiring an engineer, here are some questions to ask:

• Is the engineer willing to work on a work-for-hire basis? It is essential to make it legally clear that the product the engineer will be working on will be the property of you and your company and only you will have full rights to it. The engineer will receive appropriate payment for their work, but will not have any rights to the product.

• Will the engineer sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)? It is a basic business practice to have this legally binding document to establish a business confidential relationship and protect intellectual property rights as well as your sensitive business information.

• Does the engineer have specialized training and certification in design for manufacturing, industrial design, or mechanical engineering? Some engineers may know all three.

• Does the engineer has previous professional experience with manufacturing products similar to yours? Has the engineer used similar manufacturing processes in past projects? If the engineer has successfully handled similar projects previously, the chances are high that yours will be executed smoothly as well.

• Is the engineer available and agreeable to responding to your questions and concerns about the project once you begin working together? You should receive regular and timely reports to stay well-acquainted with every step of the manufacturing process.