A prototype answers important questions about a product. Moving to a larger build introduces a different set of questions: can everyone work from the same files, source the right parts and assess each unit consistently?
Freeze the revision you intend to build.
Keep the BOM, board files, drawings and assembly instructions together. Identify the version that is approved for the build and how any later change will be reviewed.
Review the material plan.
Discuss part availability, supplier responsibility and the approval process for alternatives. A proposed substitution is a decision to review, not a silent replacement.
Make assembly instructions usable.
Document the details that matter: component orientation, cable routing, mechanical fit, fastening and any handling requirements. Photos and drawings can make ambiguous instructions easier to resolve.
Agree a test and acceptance plan.
Decide which checks are required and what evidence will be supplied. Where a test needs customer firmware, fixtures or specialist equipment, confirm availability and ownership before scheduling the build.
Define the next decision point.
For a pilot run, agree who reviews the results and what must be resolved before a larger order. Capture open issues, required changes and their effect on cost and timing.
Planning a pilot?
Tell us what your prototype has already demonstrated and what you need the next build to prove.
Discuss the next step ↗