S·01
Definition
Product strategy & feasibility
Requirements, cost targets, architecture, risk review. Define the product before expensive engineering starts.
ExploreHardware engineering studio · Taiwan / China manufacturing
Product design, engineered for the factory.
Ideambox helps hardware founders and product teams turn rough ideas into engineered, testable, supplier-ready products: industrial design, mechanical CAD, electronics integration, prototypes, validation, and Asia manufacturing support.
14+ yrsDesigning for production
80+Products and prototypes shipped
30+Suppliers vetted, TW/CN
Selected companies and product teams
§ 01 — Services
Five disciplines, named together
Engineering-led product development for physical products.
The hard part is the middle: requirements, CAD, electronics architecture, prototypes, supplier packages, validation plans, and manufacturing decisions that survive contact with the factory.
S·02
Mechanical
Industrial design & mechanical
Concept design through manufacturable CAD: enclosure, mechanisms, materials, DFM, tolerance, assembly logic.
Explore
S·03
Electronics
Electronics & integration
Architecture, PCB, power, sensors, wireless, LEDs, firmware coordination. The thing hardware sites often hide.
Explore
S·04
Prototype/MFG
Prototyping & manufacturing
3D print, CNC, rapid tooling, EVT/DVT thinking, BOM, supplier sourcing in Taiwan and China.
Explore
S·05
Production
Compliance & certification
CE, FCC, UKCA, RoHS, EMC pre-screen, battery docs, test lab coordination before you write the lab check.
Explore§ 02 — Process
Three phases, three decision gates
One outcome per stage, no skipped gates.
Hardware projects move faster when each phase has a clear decision gate and a defined output. We work from definition to verification without skipping the gates.
01
Definition
Translate the idea into engineering requirements, architecture assumptions, risk register, and a development roadmap before detailed design starts.
Decision gate
Is the product defined clearly enough for engineering and supplier conversations?
Output Spec · Roadmap · Supplier brief
02
Development
CAD, electronics, prototypes, DFM. The longest, most iterative phase. Mechanical and electronics tracks run in parallel.
Decision gate
Can the design be built, tested, assembled, and improved without losing the product intent?
Output EVT prototype · BOM · Tooling plan
03
Verification
Tests, compliance pre-screen, pilot readiness. The phase that decides whether you go to a lab, a factory, or back to development.
Decision gate
Are we ready to commit tooling spend?
Output DVT report · Pilot plan
4–8 wks · light-touch
12–24 wks · iterative
6–10 wks · pre-launch
§ 03 — Offers
Three tiers, one clear ladder
Three practical ways to start without over-scoping the project.
The right first step is usually smaller than a full development contract: diagnose the risk, review the decisions, then scope only the work that should move forward.
Tier · 01 · Diagnostic
Free technical call
$0 · 30 min
A focused engineering read on feasibility, electronics, enclosure, prototype, supplier, or certification.
- One concrete next step at the end
- No deck, no pitch
- Pedro or Jorge on the call
Tier · 02 · Most signed
Hardware advisory
$500 / month
A senior engineering sounding board while you build. Review CAD, electronics, supplier quotes, prototype failures, BOM, and tooling risk before decisions become expensive.
- Monthly strategy call
- Async email questions, fast turnaround
- Mechanical · electronics · supplier · MFG
- Pause or stop monthly
Tier · 03 · Project
Discovery sprint & engineering
Custom
Full engagement when the project needs deep engineering — discovery, CAD, electronics, prototyping, supplier execution.
- Scoped sprint or retainer
- Mechanical & electronics in one team
- Taiwan supplier handoff included
§ 04 — Resources
Tools for hardware decisions
Useful tools for engineers, founders, and product teams.
Ideambox is building a practical library of downloads and calculators around real hardware decisions: requirements, prototypes, electronics, suppliers, certification, cost, tooling, and manufacturing.
Free downloads
Checklists and templates for product definition, prototype test planning, RFQs, and CE readiness.
Open resourceMechanical engineering tools
Tolerance, fit, tooling, and manufacturing calculators for practical mechanical product decisions.
Open resourceElectronics engineering tools
Battery, power, component, and validation tools for electronics inside physical products.
Open resourceSoftware engineering tools
Firmware, embedded, and app dev calculators: UART, CRC, BLE throughput, JWT, subnet, and more.
Open resource§ 05 — Work
Where things had to line up
Hardware work where enclosure, electronics, suppliers, and validation had to line up.
Each case below is written around the practical engineering decisions: product constraints, Ideambox role, production context, and what had to be proven before moving forward.
Lighting / Electronics / Rugged enclosure
Carbi Headlamp
Robust lighting product with peripheral vision
Year
2024
Stage
Production
Role
ID + ME + EE
Category
Rugged lighting
- Challenge
- The product needed a compact headlamp construction for extreme conditions, including water exposure, impact resistance, and a lighting pattern that improved peripheral visibility.
- Ideambox role
- Ideambox supported industrial design, mechanical architecture, electronics integration, prototyping, and construction refinements.
- Result
- The work moved lighting, enclosure, sealing, heat, and electronics decisions into a manufacturable rugged headlamp architecture.
E-bike / Fleet mobility / Manufacturing
VelyVelo Delivery Bike
Next-generation electric delivery bike for professional fleets
Year
2023
Stage
Manufacturing
Role
Design + MFG
Region
France
- Challenge
- VelyVelo needed a new-generation delivery bike for long-term rental and leasing fleets used by delivery professionals across France.
- Ideambox role
- Ideambox worked alongside VelyVelo to design, prototype, validate, and manufacture the next-generation delivery bike architecture.
- Result
- The project connected fleet-use requirements, bike architecture, supplier execution, and manufacturing preparation for a professional delivery product.
IoT device / Waterproofing / Plastic parts
WCSensor
Touchless toilet flush system
Year
2022
Stage
Prototype
Role
ME + EE proto
Category
IoT / Sealing
- Challenge
- The device needed to be waterproof, simple to install, and reliable while fitting inside a constrained toilet tank environment.
- Ideambox role
- Ideambox worked on mechanical design, prototype builds, plastic-part industrialization, and electronics sourcing support.
- Result
- The product architecture separated sensor, motor, and battery functions to improve serviceability and robustness.
Need an expert eye before the next expensive decision?
Book the free technical call first. If there is a real fit, we will recommend advisory, discovery, or a larger engineering scope.
§ 06 — Newsletter
Read what we send
Short, practical notes on the work between idea and tooling.
Real engineering decisions from active projects: enclosure design, battery sizing, electronics architecture, supplier conversations, and the trade-offs behind production-ready hardware. No marketing fluff.
Why your EMC pre-screen should happen before the housing is locked.
A short note on the cheapest failure mode in hardware: discovering a ground loop the week tooling is committed. What to check before geometry is final.
Electronics · ComplianceThree numbers that decide whether a plastic part is manufacturable.
Wall thickness, draft, and rib-to-wall ratio. The small ratios that quietly determine whether the part molds clean, sinks, or warps.
Mechanical · DFM