BitBox is used to entrepreneurs with often crazy ideas. Some, howewer, are founded on needs-based opportunities. With the requirement to chip certain pets, our client saw the opportunity to go to market with a scanning tool to help Vets with their every day tasks. 

The Challenge

Pet-ID, a leading provider of pet microchips, had started to suffer problems with their easy-to-use handheld scanners. Hoping to cut costs, they had ventured offshore for volume manufacturing, but issues with the Asia-based supplier soon became unmanageable. BitBox was apprioached to provide issue resolution and UK based manufacturing for the next batch of products. The request seemed straight forward: find the problem, fix it and manufacture some new products. 

Through careful analysis and testing, our in-house electronics and software engineers discovered that the original manufacturer had significantly altered the product design without permission and source code was missing. This meant that it was not possible for BitBox, or anyone, to 'just' replicate the existing model.

The challenge changed; now it was to deliver a solution quickly enabling our client to continue to provide the scanners, thus minimising financial loss and preserving the company’s reputation.

The BitBox approach

We worked closely with MD Jo Briault to recover Pet-ID’s investments and get reliable products back on the market.

Our design team:

• Reclaimed as much of the existing design as they could
• Refined the design to be more suitable to volume manufacturing
• Added simpler yet innovative ARM® chip and firmware to improve usability
• Ensured components chosen were suited to the expected product life cycle
• Ensured the intellectual property of the design remained with Pet-ID.

Our manufacturing team then:

• Used BitBox's proven approach to controlled manufacturing quality, including in-line Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) to identify any potential issues early in the process, saving time, money and preventing production delays
• Implemented advanced testing to prove product quality and reliability
• Installed the assembled boards in to enclosures supplied by the client and then in to final customer packaging, ensuring our client received a ready-for-sale solution, not simply the electronic components.

Results

Within three months of receiving the order, BitBox had redesigned, prototyped and begun volume manufacturing the new, high quality Pet-ID scanners. In addition, BitBox's manufacturing team are now proactively managing the product life cycle and monitoring components for any potential obsolescence issues to ensure the product remains current. Pet-ID and their customers have access to quality products with full confidence in our BitBox Return Merchandise Authorisation warranty.

To explore taking your idea to market or bringing a product back to the UK for issue resolution, please contact us.