{"id":75,"date":"2022-02-02T10:08:52","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T15:08:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/valor-dfm-solutions\/?p=75"},"modified":"2026-03-27T09:44:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T13:44:42","slug":"what-is-new-product-introduction-npi-and-how-does-it-apply-to-pcbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/2022\/02\/02\/what-is-new-product-introduction-npi-and-how-does-it-apply-to-pcbs\/","title":{"rendered":"What is New Product Introduction (NPI) and How Does it Apply to PCBs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

New product introduction<\/a>, or NPI for short, is a structured process for transforming a product idea into a complete end-product that can be fully reproduced. In the electronic manufacturing process, refining a printed circuit board (PCB) design to the point it is production-ready is enormously demanding. It can be time-consuming and expensive, involving multiple iterations and requiring intense collaboration between the PCB designer and manufacturer. A robust NPI strategy reduces much of the complexity in designing a production for manufacturing and can save significant costs and time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In general, regardless of the industry, NPI typically follows a six-stage process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Ideation \u2013 Identify the challenge or need and explore ideas for the solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Definition \u2013 Define the product concept and requirements, evaluate potential market size and revenues, analyze feasibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Design \u2013 Create a detailed design and a bill of materials<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Testing \u2013 Build prototypes, test overall functionality and evaluate strengths and weaknesses<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Pre-production \u2013 Confirm that the product as designed can be manufactured on the production line at the required quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Volume manufacturing \u2013 Produce sellable products and refine manufacturing to improve yield<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    While the phases are followed in order, there\u2019s also a lot of back and forth \u2013 each stage of the process impacts, and is impacted by, the next one. For example, discoveries in testing and pre-production can prompt a return to the design stage. As the product progresses through each stage of NPI, the costs of changes and fixes rise. Most importantly, issues uncovered in pre-production (or worse, in manufacturing) are the costliest, as late-stage fixes waste significant time and materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The growing importance of NPI for PCBs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The pace of PCB new product introductions<\/a> has increased exponentially over the past few years \u2013 and with it the need for a proper NPI process. It\u2019s not just that PCBs are used in more and more products across numerous industries; it\u2019s also that more PCBs are needed in those products. For example, consider how many PCBs are used in even the lowest-end cars today versus how many were used years ago. As new-model cars become increasingly connected to online services, the need for PCBs will continue to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In parallel, increasing competition around electronic products like smartphones, TVs, home appliances, electric scooters, and bikes means manufacturers need to get to market quicker, with more product versions. The upshot: more PCB new product introductions in less time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While contending with increased product variety and reduced lead times, PCB manufacturers also need to keep costs as low as possible to preserve their profit margins. With 80% of the costs of manufacturing is determined in the design and development phase, proper NPI can make a huge difference to a product\u2019s commercial viability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How are NPI principles applied to PCBs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    NPI spans PCB design and manufacturing<\/a>, providing value for new boards as well as improved versions of existing ones. It involves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n