Two endings, one OEM electronics project.
A prototype that works can make a product look finished. The design review is closed, the unit runs on the bench, and on paper the project looks ready. But a prototype proves the product can work once. Production has to prove it can work every time — across components, operators, temperature and process.
Download the one-page PDF (no form) →Why a prototype that works is not a product ready for production
The gap between the two is rarely a design problem. It is a production problem: repeatability, sourcing, pass/fail criteria and variation. The same OEM electronics project can end two ways, depending on when those questions are asked. APQP brings them forward, before the first batch, so the risk is found early instead of in production. This is also what to check in a supplier before you design a part in: whether they can prove it, or can only say it works.
Starting point
Prototype works. Design review is closed. On paper, the product looks ready.
Two endings of the same OEM electronics project
| Production signal | Ending 1 — risk found in the first batch | Ending 2 — risk found early |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Manual prototype logic | The prototype worked because skilled people adjusted it. The process was never checked for repeatability. | What made the prototype work is documented and translated into repeatable assembly and test steps. |
| 02 BOM approved for function | Components worked technically, but availability, lifecycle, compliance or assembly constraints were not fully challenged. | The BOM is reviewed against sourcing risk, target markets, assembly method and long-term supply. |
| 03 Test criteria still unclear | Functional checks existed, but production pass/fail criteria were not ready before the first lot. | What must be measured, how it is measured and what counts as pass/fail are agreed before series launch. |
| 04 Variation appears late | Small changes in components, assembly, temperature or process affect the result after production starts. | The design is reviewed against expected production variation before the first batch. |
| 05 First lot becomes the test | The first production batch reveals whether the product can be produced repeatably. | The first lot confirms a controlled process instead of discovering the risk. |
Ending 1 · Outcome
Delayed launch. Extra rework. Higher cost of correction. Unstable first lot.
Ending 2 · Outcome
Earlier correction. Clearer control plan. Fewer late surprises. Safer move to production.
An electronics design and manufacturing partner for OEMs
KELD is an electronics design and manufacturing partner for OEMs in HVAC, ventilation, motors, pumps and refrigeration. We apply APQP from the early stages of a project, so production risks are found early — when they are still easy to fix. See how we work with OEM teams.
Why APQP
APQP brings production questions forward. The goal is not more paperwork. The goal is fewer late surprises.
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