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Talk Intermediate

Building Hardware: Prototype to Production

Approved
Session Description

In my last talk at IndiaFoss 2024, I introduced the Mecha Comet and how we are building a handheld Linux Computer. This year I would like to talk about decoding the path from prototype to production. Since my interaction with the community, I have understood that a lot of capable folks in the FOSS united community know how to design hardware, they know how to work around design build fully functional prototypes - but they lack visibility into moving to production.

This talk will breakdown the entire process, using real-world experience while building the Mecha Comet and provide critical inputs in making your hardware project into a real product. Areas that I will be covering are -

  1. Prototyping stages - EVT, DVT, PVT and what is required at each stage.

  2. Designing enclosure and parts for production - understanding different ways of producing parts at low costs

  3. Producing PCBs at scale - How to go about optimizing your Bill of Materials (BOM), PCB fabrication and assembly.

  4. Certification and compliances - Kind of compliances needed for your product and how to get them

  5. Open Hardware Licensing & IP protection

  6. Supply Chain - Optimizing your import and export supply chain

  7. Government Incentives - Different government programs that exists in building hardware

  8. Building visibility - Spreading the word out, the right doors to knock and building a buzz

  9. Fund raising - What are the options, weighing advantages and disadvantages

  10. How can Mecha help - Access to our partners, insights and resources.

Key Takeaways
  • Understanding processes involved in building hardware products at scale

  • Lean and optimized way of building

References

Session Categories

Engineering practice - productivity, debugging
Which track are you applying for?
Main track

Speakers

Shoaib Merchant Founder | Mecha Systems

Shoaib Merchant is the founder of Mecha Systems and is working on building the Mecha Comet, a handheld Linux computer from India. Shoaib has multi-disciplinary experience in building software and hardware products altogether. The Mecha Comet has been a sleeper hit at CES 2025, and has garnered interest from world over.

Shoaib Merchant

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