Q1

What can Orion Product Development do for me?

We offer a full range of tailored Product Development services from initial concept design, through the full engineering design process right to production and commissioning of a successful product. We can also train your team in the best practice tools and techniques related to product development and technical management.Full details are on our Services page, please Contact us to arrange a free no obligation initial discussion so we can understand your requirements and demonstrate we have the experience and expertise to assist you.

Q2

There are so many Design Agencies around, why should we choose you?

Product Development is a big investment in time and money for all parties and you need to be sure you will be able to rely on your partners 100% to deliver what you need.We are not your usual design agency – we are professional engineers offering the full range of product development support from creative idea generation, through engineering design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning etc. We will fully engage in your project, working efficiently and effectively to help you achieve your goals, and won’t charge you the Earth for it. You can even trust us to lead your project, liaising with your customers and suppliers if required.This is why 100% of our customers have come back to us and are happy to recommend us.

Q3

You don’t have examples of similar products to mine on your website, can you help me?

We are a professional consultancy with 25 years’ experience gained across a number of industries and product types, from consumer products to heavy industrial solutions. We have the skills and experience to develop innovative and successful solutions for almost any product development and we relish a challenge to work on something new. Our Case Studies show a selection of work we have done but if you don’t see what you want please Contact Us and we can give you an honest appraisal of how our capabilities can help. In the unlikely event that we can’t assist we’ll tell you so, and may be able to point you in the right direction.

Q4

How does the development process work and how long does it take?

Please Contact Us to arrange a free initial no-obligation consultation, during which we will be able to fully understand your idea and your commercial goals. From there we have the experience and expertise to advise you on a realistic and achievable plan that will give you the results you need. Typical projects can range from 2-3 months for simple products up to 18 months for very complex projects with multiple iterations and testing phases.

Q5

What type of customers do you work with?

We are comfortable working with the full range of clients from private individuals to large blue chip international organisations.

Q6

I think I have a great idea, is it worth developing?

That is the question! (and a difficult one to give a general answer to!)We use customer focussed techniques throughout the product development process to help you answer it, which starts at your free initial consultation. For example we would focus on who your target customers are, what need are you fulfilling, does something already exist, what does your idea do better, how much you could sell it for, which global markets are attainable, how do you get it to market etc. From there we can help you to build the business case.

Q7

What protection and reassurance can you give me?

We operate under the Codes of Practice of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and the Engineering Council, and maintain a strictly confidential environment to protect your interests. We will plan and measure each stage of the project and agree deliverables with you, together with associated costs, working to a mutually agreed design specification and project scope from the outset to make sure you get exactly what you want, precisely when you want it.We are also happy to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) from the outset and can provide one upon request. Please email info@orion-pd.com for details, including your name, business name if relevant, and registered trading address

Q8

How much will it cost to develop my product?

We can help you with a fully costed plan once we fully understand your requirements in our initial consultation. We have a highly competitive rate structure considering the added value we can bring to your project, with typical fees of around £1000-2000 for a simple product design. Additional costs such as prototyping, testing and manufacturing support will increase this figure. Product Development should be considered as a longer term investment, however we pride ourselves on being fully effective and efficient, and will tailor our process to match your needs and budget and help demonstrate a strong return on your investment.We will also match any like for like quote.Please Contact Us to arrange a free no-obligation consultation where we can give you an honest appraisal of your project

Q9

Is funding available to help?

We are registered with a number of organisations that might be able to support the project with matched funding. Please Contact us if you would like further information

Q10

How much does a prototype cost?

This depends on the complexity of the prototype and what you need it to do - the more “realistic”, the higher the cost. We can help you devise a prototype and testing strategy that maximises your return on investment, which is likely to be upwards of several hundreds of pounds for a basic representation. We unfortunately cannot give an exact cost until we have the 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) data to review.

Q11

What will happen at my free initial no-obligation consultation?

We would first like to meet you and fully understand your new product idea and your goals and aspirations. We can then discuss how we can use our 25 years’ of experience and extensive knowledge to help you make your dream a reality in the most cost effective and efficient way possible.We are happy to give you an honest opinion, outlining expected timings and budget costs, and will leave you to make a decision freely and without obligation, or otherwise advise you further if required.

Q12

Should I protect my idea and how do I do it?

We would advise you to first work with a professional consultant under a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA), to resolve and optimise your idea(s) to cover as many scenarios as practical. The consultant may suggest improvements or important considerations that you had not yet addressed and add value to the design. It is arguably more cost–effective to look at protection at that point, and there are several options, depending on the nature of your product.Please note: It is not always the best option to protect your idea from the outset. For example, as soon as you apply for a patent it becomes public domain. Patents are potentially expensive, territory specific and can be circumvented if not fully resolved, and we would therefore definitely recommend you seek professional advice under NDA before considering this journey. We are happy to direct you to one of our associates who would be happy to advise on the best route for you.

Q13

Do you work on joint venture projects?

We may consider this depending on the individual opportunity. We cannot however work for free, but might consider a reduced fee in exchange for a legally bound stake in future revenue.

Q14

I’m not near you, is this a problem?

We work happily with clients all over the UK and overseas and in the digital communication age we can speak face to face even from remote locations. We would of course be happy to meet you person, no matter where you are based, and you are also welcome to visit us in the North East of England. We don’t tend to have fixed hours and will work with you across time zones wherever needed, communicating regularly with you via e-mail, telephone and video conference.

Q15

How can I be sure you will deliver what I need?

We pride ourselves in understanding what you want and agreeing a detailed specification, budget, scope of work and plan from the outset. We operate under the Codes of Practice of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and the Engineering Council, and in the unlikely event that we are not confident of delivering 100% customer satisfaction we won’t take on your project. Please make use of our free no-obligation consultation to get to know us and our capabilities, and feel comfortable that we are the right project partners for you in your own time and without obligation.



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