Use existing electronic modules, particularly for wireless functions

A module is an electronic circuit that has already been manufactured for integration into other products. Modules are available for various functions, from Bluetooth to GPS to video encoding. Most products still require some custom circuit design. But if you can push the more complex functions to an already designed module, you will save thousands.

There are two major downsides to using modules. Although they lower your development costs, they also increase your product’s unit cost, so your eventual profits will be reduced. This means that by the time you reach high-volume manufacturing, you’ll need to switch to a full custom-circuit design. Secondly, if your product is ultra-small (wearable tech, for example), modules may be too large for anything other than a proof-of -concept prototype.