Mass production sounds simple. Just make a lot of units. But turning a prototype into 10,000 fully functional products is where most teams hit a wall.
This guide breaks down how to mass produce a product the right way, especially for electronics. Whether you’re building a connected device, a sensor, or a piece of industrial hardware, here’s what you need to know.
Step 1: Finalize a Design That Can Be Manufactured
Your prototype might look great, but that doesn’t mean it’s ready for mass production. You need to redesign it for scale. This is called Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
What to watch out for:
- Components that are hard to source or obsolete
- Mechanical tolerances that slow down assembly
- Overdesigned enclosures that require expensive tooling
Titoma Insight: Involve your manufacturing partner early. At Titoma, our engineers work with production teams from day one to avoid expensive redesigns later.
Step 2: Plan for Tooling and Setup Costs
Before production begins, you’ll need tooling like injection molds, SMT stencils, and test jigs. These can cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars depending on complexity.
Typical costs:
- Plastic injection mold: $10,000 to $50,000 or more
- PCB test fixture: $3,000 to $10,000
Titoma Insight: Skipping or underbudgeting tooling leads to delays and quality issues.
Step 3: Secure a Reliable BOM and Supply Chain
Your Bill of Materials (BOM) is the backbone of your product. During mass production, any single unavailable part can halt the entire line.
Key tactics:
- Choose components with multiple suppliers
- Localize BOMs where possible to shorten lead times
- Avoid unusual parts unless absolutely necessary
Titoma insight: We help clients create BOMs with fallback options and validate sourcing before a single unit is built.
Step 4: Test Early, Test Often
Testing isn’t just a checkbox. It’s what prevents yield loss from eating your margins. Use the EVT, DVT, PVT process:
- EVT (Engineering Validation Test): Validate core functionality
- DVT (Design Validation Test): Validate form, fit, and compliance
- PVT (Production Validation Test): Validate mass production readiness
Titoma Insight: Poor yield means wasted parts, labor, and shipping.
Step 5: Handle Certifications and Compliance
If you want to sell your product in the US or Europe, you’ll need:
- FCC for wireless or electronic devices in the US
- CE for Europe
- UL or other safety certifications
Titoma Insight: Each of these requires testing, documentation, and sometimes design changes. Start early. You can learn more about the FCC certification requirements on the official website.
Step 6: Choose the Right Assembly Location (FATP)
Final Assembly, Test, and Packaging (FATP) is the last step, but where you do it matters.
With US tariffs on China at 145 percent for many electronics, moving FATP to lower tariff countries can save significant costs. For reference, see the current list of US tariffs on electronics imports from China.
Examples:
- China for components and PCB assembly
- Colombia or Taiwan for FATP to reduce tariff exposure
Titoma Insight: We coordinate hybrid strategies like this to reduce tax impact without overcomplicating logistics.
Final Thoughts
Mass production is not just about pressing go on a factory. It is a series of detailed steps that require planning, coordination, and experience. Most delays and overruns happen because teams underestimate the complexity.
If you’re serious about scaling hardware, partner with a team that understands both design and manufacturing. That is what we do at Titoma. We bridge the gap between prototype and full scale production.
Want help getting your product into mass production? Get in touch with Titoma.
