Hardware Design
Hardware represents form, fit, feel and function. Thoughtful design brings purpose to a product.
Our world-class hardware design and mechanical engineering team develops integrated product solutions across medical, life sciences, consumer electronics, aerospace, and industrial markets. We transform innovative ideas into manufacturable, reliable, production-ready hardware.
From early concept and feasibility through detailed design, prototyping, verification, and manufacturing release, our Seattle-based engineers deliver robust mechanical systems that integrate seamlessly with electronics, embedded firmware, and user interfaces.
We combine creativity with disciplined engineering to ensure every assembly, mechanism, and interface is intentional, durable, and built for scale.
Our design approach is to minimize risk and ensure technical robustness, and deliver products that are beautifully built, functionally flawless, and ready for market.
Key Activities
Concept & Architecture
We translate product requirements, industrial design intent, and system constraints into feasible mechanical architectures. Early exploration focuses on technology demonstration to reduce development risk, subsystem integration, packaging, mechanical and electrical interfaces, materials, and thermal and structural feasibility. This sets the foundation for successful design execution. (proof-of-concept prototyping to demonstrate feasibility of key technologies)
Activities:
- System architecture and packaging studies
- CAD layout and feasibility analysis
- Proof-of-concept prototyping
- Feasibility of key technologies
- Thermal and structural simulation
- Materials evaluation and cost modeling
- Early design-for-manufacturing (DFM)
Detailed Design & Integration
Our engineers develop precise 3D CAD assemblies that integrate electronics, optics, sensors, and user-interface elements into compact, robust systems. We select materials and manufacturing processes, perform kinematics, fluidics, structural and thermal analyses, and ensure every detail is optimized for performance and manufacturability.
Activities:
- Systems design and engineering
- 3D CAD volume and packaging studies
- Component detail design
- Mechanism and linkage design
- Electronics packaging and integration
- Sensor packaging, electro-optics design
- Displays, audio and MEMS implementation
- Thermal, stress and tolerance analysis
- Component and material selection
Prototyping & Iteration
Through rapid prototyping and iterative testing, we validate fit, function, and user interaction. We evaluate performance, ergonomics, durability, and assembly methods. And refine the design until it meets both engineering and user-experience goals.
Activities:
- Prototype fabrication and assembly
- 3D printing and quick-turn prototyping
- Functional and environmental testing
- Reliability and life-cycle testing
- EVT/DVT/PVT build support
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
We work closely with manufacturing partners to ensure designs transition smoothly to production. This includes optimizing for injection molding, CNC machining, casting, and sheet-metal fabrication, while managing tolerances, surface finishes, and assembly strategies to achieve repeatable quality at scale.
Our team prepares production-ready mechanical designs, documentation, and supplier packages to support efficient manufacturing ramp-up.
Verification & Validation
We verify that every design meets mechanical, performance, environmental, and regulatory requirements. Our engineers lead reliability testing in areas such as drop, vibration, ingress protection and thermal cycling. We collaborate with test and quality teams to ensure compliance and robustness.
Manufacturing Transfer and Support
We support manufacturing transfer and production ramp-up. This includes release of mechanical documentation, tolerance stack-ups, assembly procedures, supplier coordination, and ongoing design refinements to improve performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
Product Development
Hardware design sits at the intersection of mechanical engineering, electronics, and user experience. Our mechanical engineers work closely with electrical, firmware, and industrial design teams to create cohesive, fully integrated products.
Our engineering team brings this end-to-end approach to product development. The result is a successful product that’s not only beautiful and functional, but built for performance, reliability, and scale; from early prototypes to production solutions.
Tools
SolidWorks
CREO
RHINO
Ansys
MATLAB
Python
DAQ and instrumentation
Why Diatomic?
Our world class hardware design team develops integrated solutions for medical, life sciences, consumer electronics, aerospace and industrial applications.