If we talk about any manufacturing process, to put it shortly, it is an integration of all in-house resources with outsource and in the end, assembling of all components. What resources we need ?
- First of all, an art designer who can draw a nice-looking product including image of packaging.
- Next – an ID (industrial designer) who should draw a 3D-model of the product for its further realization. So, we see a drawing of our product, what’s next?
- If this accessory is designed specifically for some new device (like new iPhone or Samsung Galaxy), the device itself must be scanned, so that the accessory could fit it properly. So, the next resource is a 3D-scanner that allows you to get a precise graphic shape, all sizes and locations of all buttons and slots.
- Then, if the product has built-in electric parts, like audio, Bluetooth, and so on, we need a resource (a factory) that could develop and produce the components necessary for your accessory.
- Now we select the materials – leather, textile or any other – in any case you need a supplier with a broad range of materials.
- If a product has plastic or silicon parts, you need a tooling factory that could do a plastic injection mold or a silicon press form.
- For different procedures you may need cutting tooling or laser equipment to cut every part accurately.
- For putting a logo on, there are also different options: heat press, emboss tooling, silk print or cutting the logo with laser.
- One more important thing is a coating. In manufacturing you may need rubber coating with matt finish, shiny or glossy finish coating, etc.
Let’s make some conclusion
As we see, all the described components are extremely necessary in manufacturing. And we can definitely say that there are no factories which have all the equipment for the manufacturing processes listed above.
For example, product and details coating. It is actually a chemical and very dangerous procedure because paint is flammable, so you need all the required licences for such a simple procedure. That’s why it’s more beneficial to have outsource do it. The same with a scanner that you’ll use only once or a plastic injection molding machine, and so on. These all are big investments.
Therefore, to make a product, there’s no need to do every process in one factory. That would be very counter-productive because you’d have to hire many specialists. Summarizing the above, we’d like to point out one more time that accessories manufacturing requires an integration of different resources and suppliers.
So if you want to produce a case for an iPhone, a charger for an Apple Watch or a bag for your MacBook, don’t forget that the first thing you need is initial investments even for making a sample. If you have any creative ideas about designing your products but you faced difficulties, please, write us using our contact form.
