1. Start With Requirements

• What does the device need to do?

• What sensors, features, battery life, and connectivity are required?

• What safety or regulatory standards must it meet?

This becomes the “blueprint” for the whole project.

2. Create the Electronic Schematics

• Engineers draw the “wiring diagram” of the device.

• It shows every component (MCUs, sensors, power systems), and how they connect.

• This stage ensures the electrical design makes sense before any physical build.

Think of schematics like an architect’s floor plan.

3. Lay Out the Circuit Board (PCB Layout)

• Take the schematic and place physical components on a board.

• Route copper traces to connect everything.

• Consider signal quality, heat, radio performance, and safety spacing.

This is where the “floor plan” becomes a real building layout.

4. Mechanical Design of Enclosure

• Industrial designers and mechanical engineers model the outer shell.

• They fit the PCB, sensors, buttons, display, and battery inside.

• Ensure durability, waterproofing, shock resistance, ergonomics, and manufacturability.

Electronics and mechanical teams must adjust each other’s designs to fit perfectly.

5. Build the First Prototype (“Engineering Sample”)

Usually done by quick-turn manufacturing:

• The first PCB is produced.

• Parts are soldered on.

• The first enclosure is 3D-printed or CNC-machined.

• Teams assemble it and start testing:

  • Does it power on?

  • Do sensors work?

  • Does everything fit?

This prototype never works perfectly—and that’s expected.

6. Iterate, Fix, Improve

Based on test results:

• Adjust the PCB layout

• Change component choices

• Improve enclosure fit or airflow

• Tweak antenna placement

• Solve power issues or noise issues

Often labeled as Rev A → Rev B → Rev C, until the design becomes stable.

This is where 70–80% of learning happens.

7. Build a Full “Design Verification” Prototype

Once the design seems solid:

• Build multiple units using near-production methods.

• Run systematic tests:

  • Electrical performance

  • Gas sensor accuracy

  • Battery life

  • Drop tests, vibration tests

  • Water/dust ingress (IP rating)

  • EMC/ESD testing

  • Intrinsic safety pre-checks (if applicable)

The goal is to prove the design meets requirements.

8. Prepare for Regulatory Testing

For safety-critical devices (like gas detectors), this is major:

• UL / CSA

• ATEX / IECEx

• FCC / ISED

• EMC

• Environmental

• Intrinsic safety

• Chemical compatibility

Before sending the device to official labs, companies run pre-certification tests to avoid expensive failures.

9. Move Into Manufacturing Setup

Parallel to certification:

• Create test fixtures for production testing

• Finalize assembly process

• Order tooling for injection molding

• Prepare documentation, work instructions, QC plans

• Do a pilot build to validate the line

This ensures the product can be built reliably and repeatedly.

10. Mass Production & Final Verification

• Begin large-scale build

• QA checks units from every batch

• Monitor yield rates

• Track early failures and fix issues quickly

Once stable, the device is released to customers