TJ. 001

25/11/2025 - FIRST POST!

Up For Debate - How much front-loading and upfront engineering design is optimal for a truly new piece of equipment, before the first build begins?

I've pondered this question extensively whilst working on a completely new piece of automated equipment for niche business sector (undisclosed!). A modern approach, whether you're using V-model, Agile or iterative type processes follow a similar principle of design, test, inform, repeat but the first step can be the hardest to get right, because - there's no feedback on the first instance.

This particular build has heavily informed subsequent design modifications and changes. Lessons learnt have been logged, and process structure tweaked for next time!

Here we have the disassembled 2-axis motion platform, DC powered and controlled with a Raspberry Pi Pico running Micropython for a quick and efficient prototype.