Anyone who’s brought a product to market knows that completing a final product design is only the beginning. At The Metcalfe Group, we’re committed to working with you throughout the entire product lifecycle. Consider the services below as a partial list of what we can do, because if it needs to be done, we’ll get it done.

IP Search and Documentation

If you are creating something new, novel, and beneficial, you need to protect that idea. We strive to create the broadest coverage intellectual property (IP) in our product design process. Our staff can help you determine what needs to be protected and help you create the necessary documentation, such as patent drawings.

Conversely, you never want to infringe upon somebody else’s patent or other IP. You’ll either waste money developing something you can’t produce, or potentially find yourself in litigation. We are not patent attorneys, but we can help determine the patent landscape and find potential landmines that could derail your project. We regularly interact with several intellectual property law firms, and can connect you with them at the appropriate time.

Manufacturing/Product Sourcing & Support

Having a hard time getting someone to make something for prototype or production quantities? Looking for an off-the-shelf component but can’t seem to find it? We are here to assist. Throughout a project we will find and utilize available components you can later purchase in the needed quantities to manufacture your product.

We can help you find molding, machining, or any other manufacturing resources to bring your product to life.

From obtaining quotes to working with the manufacturer to ironing out all the final product design details, we’re with you every step of the way. Whether the source is around the corner, in another state, or around the world, we can help using our many years of experience. We have traveled to many domestic and international offices and factories and have experience sourcing from Asian countries since 1992.

We know that even after a manufacturer starts running your parts, you cannot become complacent. Quality control is extremely important, and it’s beneficial to have the original design team involved in order to ensure that quality is obsessively controlled. We can provide help with detailed measurements, material analysis, screw strip/pull-out tests, designing and building test fixtures, or whatever else is needed to guarantee a quality product. Should you need us even years down the road, we’ll be here to ensure your brand is not tarnished by substandard quality. Our detailed evaluation of quality is trusted by prominent brands, and has been for years – so you can put your trust in us for your next project.

Marketing Materials

The best design in the world is no good if you don’t market and sell it, and we’re here to help. If you need photographs of your finished product, take a look at the photos on our site — almost all of them were taken by us, and we can deliver that same quality for you in an effort to make your product shine.

If you don’t have a finished product ready yet or are put off by the costs of a photo shoot, we offer high quality, photo-realistic computer rendering. Our imagery can help you gauge consumer interest, pre-sell your product, or create packaging graphics.

We also offer graphic and package design to promote your product and finish its presence on store shelves. Having us involved through this stage allows consistency in style and can make for a more considered integration of product and package. In addition, we have video and sound recording and editing capabilities for whatever you may need.

Eco Analysis

We don’t consider environmentally responsible design to be a fad or afterthought, and aren’t interested in greenwashing a product. What we are interested in is making informed decisions about what can be done to lessen the negative impact your product has on the environment. We use sophisticated tools to determine the impact of product design decisions and find alternatives when something falls out of bounds, and we know that it’s the early decisions that have the most impact, not tweaks at the end.

“Green” design has gone from a fringe notion to hot buzzword to now being considered one of many important considerations for consumers. These days, if you want good product design, you need to consider its effect on the environment.

At The Metcalfe Group, we truly are full-service. From idea to launch, we offer a variety of services that help you to achieve success. How can we help you bring your ideas to life today?

Additional Support Services We Offer

Manufacturing Support

• Technical Drawings & Documentation
• Manufacturing Method Recommendation
• Product Cost Development & Reduction
• Material Identification and Analysis
• Domestic and International Sourcing (molds, components, assemblies)
• Supplier/Vendor Selection & Qualification
• Agency Approvals (UL, CSA, ETL, NSF)

Quality Assessment

• Part Inspection
• Quality Control
• FMEA & DFMEA Studies
• Test Fixture Design & Build (Mechanical, Fluid, & Electromechanical)

Marketing Materials

• Graphic Design
• Package Design
• Professional Photography
• Photorealistic Rendering
• Product Animation

Other

• IP Documentation (Patent, Trademark, Copyright)
• Project Management
• Electronic System Design (PCB, LED Lighting, Powered Systems)
• Reverse Engineering
• Eco Analysis
• BIMs – Building Information Models