The principle function of a design engineer…

My Father, who holds dozens of patents, is famous for this saying:

The principle function of a design engineer is to recognize a dead horse and bury it promptly.

We work with inventors and innovative small businesses from around the world, and nearly all of these folks have interesting product ideas. I love my job, as everyday is filled with creative people and their concepts. For all intents and purposes, it’s like being head of sales for a conglomerate that makes everything from medical devices to toys.

But a good idea is not the same as a design database. In order to proceed to tooling or manufacturing, you have to have a finished design, which is why PassageMaker has Endorsed Service Providers (ESP) for engineering. Many of our clients need assistance to bring their great ideas to life, and while we could say “come back when you’re ready”, we’d much rather direct them to a trusted ESP to keep the project alive.

Sadly, not all ideas are good ones, and that is another area where we can help, though the client may not want it. We’ve seen some real dogs and while I am happy to go forward if the client insists on paying, we don’t pull any punches either. Often seeing the costs involved to bring an idea to market, even with the savings inherent in China, is the best wake up call they ever get.