Combining two established designs into a hybrid product delivered on a rapid timescale
Our client had two established product lines positioned at different points in the market. Each was performing well, but a blue-chip customer approached them with a request that did not fit neatly into either product. The customer wanted a bespoke combination of features drawn from both products, promising large orders if a solution could be delivered quickly.
This posed a commercial dilemma. Turning down the opportunity would mean losing out on a prestigious tender, but meeting the requirement required rapid development of a new hybrid product.
Challenge
The client needed a product with selected features from both their existing lines, delivered within a very short timeframe.
Internally, they had a capable software team, but to meet the deadline, they needed additional expertise and resources to collaborate on hardware, PCB design, and embedded software integration. The project demanded speed, teamwork, and the ability to reduce risk while reusing as much of the proven designs as possible.
Project Overview
DaniHar was engaged to support the development of a new hybrid product to meet the requirements of a blue-chip customer.
The scope covered hardware and PCB redesign, Linux-based embedded software updates, and close collaboration with the client’s in-house software team to deliver a fully integrated prototype.
Action
We began with a structured review of both product designs, producing a design change specification, requirements gap analysis, a risk assessment, and a costed project plan.
Once the scope was defined, we formed an integrated team including hardware engineers, PCB layout specialists, and a project manager to work directly alongside the client’s software developers. Together, we engineered a hybrid product by combining elements of the two existing designs, redesigning areas as needed, and updating schematics and PCB layout for a complex high-bandwidth system.
Meanwhile, the software team focused on the Linux-based embedded system, implementing changes to the board support package (BSP) and device drivers. Rapid-turnaround prototypes were built and tested, with our engineers supporting the client’s team in debugging hardware issues during integration.
OUTCOME
By collaborating closely with DaniHar, the client was able to bring a new hybrid product to market in a fraction of the time it would have taken using their internal resources alone. The new device expanded their product base to serve an important market gap, enabling them to meet the requirements of a blue-chip customer and secure a prestigious opportunity.
Our open and collaborative approach reduced project risk and gave the client confidence that hardware and software changes were fully aligned, ensuring a smooth path from design through to prototype and into production.