Palomar Technologies, a manufacturer of automated high-precision assembly systems for broadband communications, introduced its new process development and prototyping services. Palomar established this service to meet the needs of companies looking to develop or validate new products, but who require the design, engineering, prototyping, assembly and automation expertise, and/or metrology resources to bridge the gap between product concept and automated production.
Palomar has expanded its applications engineering division and test facilities and has increased the process development and prototyping services staff to better service customer needs. For example, Palomar can take a company's idea for an optoelectronic package, design the entire automated line to produce that package including dispense, first level interconnect, fiber align, fiber attach, and test, and produce prototypes of the package. The new process can also be used to simply help the customer in proving the package design for automation.
According to Palomar's process development supervisor, Michael Fabel, "Building prototypes in-house on manual equipment is not a true test of whether that product can be successfully produced in volume. Automated production requires additional considerations that must be designed into the process. Contract manufacturers usually won't produce small quantities of a product for prototyping purposes. Having Palomar integrate the automated assembly line and create the prototype allows a company to anticipate manufacturing requirements and discover any problems before production begins."
Start-up or established companies can benefit from the services. Start-up companies can use the service when they lack the initial resources to go from concept to product. Established companies can use the engineering services if they've been downsized, have a new product and don't want to take resources from an existing product, or need help to build a device that's not their core technology. Palomar's applications can be used in the broadband, military, aerospace, or medical markets.
"Venture capitalists today are asking for working prototypes and validation before they invest in a new company or product," explained Kevin Kron, applications manager for Palomar. "Producing the prototypes with the equipment and processes needed to manufacture it at high volume in a real world setting demonstrates the viability of the product."
For more information about Palomar Technologies (Vista, CA), visit the company's website at www.palomartechnologies.com or call 760-931-3600.