Clear Path Engineering — Ship smarter hardware, sooner

If you feel behind schedule, you’re not alone.

Suppliers won’t quote. CAD keeps changing. The clock is loud; cash is louder. You don’t need another prototype—you need the right decisions, in the right order.

Time: delays compound. Every slip pushes revenue out.
Money: late fixes & tooling changes burn thousands.
Focus: mis-scoped builds stall the whole team.

What we do instead

Lock the simplest viable path to parts
Clean DFM + tolerance scheme vendors respect
Supplier-ready RFQ pack + 2–3 quotes
Decisions over deliverables; speed over vanity

Choose your pace

Pick speed or stewardship. Either way, we protect time and money.

Application Sprint — 48–72h

Under a program deadline? We draft responses, compile materials, and ship a submission checklist. One review loop before submission.

Best for: founders racing funding/application cutoffs.

Ask about the sprint

Starter Build Plan — 4 weeks, $5,000

Week 1: Intake, risk map, one-page plan
Week 2: DFM review + tolerances (priority parts)
Week 3: RFQ pack + outreach to 2–3 suppliers
Week 4: Quote compare + go/no-go & next steps

Best for: quotes & clarity before tooling/prototypes.

Learn about the DFM review Learn about the RFQ pack

Fractional Hardware Lead — $5,000/mo, 6-month min

Weekly leadership call + decision log
Roadmap + operating scoreboard
Supplier & quote management; light reviews
Investor-ready monthly update

Best for: steady stewardship to first articles.

See how the retainer works

Recent Wins:

Prototype-stage founder building a modular plastic wash station. Deadline pressure. Confusion on wall thickness, hole sizes, and scope boundaries.

Before

Walls assumed ~20 mm; suppliers hesitant to quote
Depth/pitch undecided; geometry kept shifting
Program application looming; no clear checklist
Unclear what was included vs. change request

After

Right-sized walls to 3–4 mm (DFM guidance)
Standardized hole diameters for insert compatibility
RFQ pack built; 2–3 suppliers engaged with clear tolerances
Application Sprint: responses drafted + submission checklist
Decision Log: depth/pitch gate; change control clarified

Outcome: fewer redesign loops, credible quotes, and an on-time application—client confidence up, panic down.

Client feedback: “I have no doubt you have the ethics and capacity to work with almost anybody.” — anonymized founder

Costly mistakes without expert guardrails

No draft, uneven walls (IM): sinks/warpage → re-tooling & weeks lost
Undercuts by accident: surprise side-actions inflate tool cost
Over-tight tolerances: quotes spike; parts still don’t fit
No datum scheme: vendors can’t inspect; quality ping-pong
Part count bloat: assembly takes forever; redesign late
No supplier engaged: RFQ cycles stall; wrong assumptions linger
Certs ignored (UL/FCC/CE): late test failures → redesign

How we prevent waste

Early DFM + tolerance pass on priority parts
Deliberate parting lines, draft, radii review
Right-sized tolerances & finishes for cost/fit
DFA to reduce part count and fasteners
Supplier-ready RFQ pack; 2–3 quotes fast
Regulatory pre-check to avoid late surprises

Book your 60-min strategy call

We’ll map the simplest path, estimate ROI, and lock next steps.

Prefer to start with the quick estimator?

2–3 minutes. We score delay risk from DFM signals; share unit economics and we’ll show a rough cost-of-delay.

FAQ

What do I get in the Starter Build Plan?

A 4-week sprint to lock DFM, build an RFQ pack, engage 2–3 suppliers, compare quotes, and make go/no-go decisions.

Do you build physical prototypes?

We focus on design clarity and supplier-ready documentation. If a prototype is required, we’ll coordinate vendors; we don’t run in-house prototyping.

How fast can I get quotes?

Typically within 1–2 weeks after the RFQ pack is finalized, depending on supplier responsiveness and part complexity.

Where do you work?

We’re based in Nova Scotia and work remotely with founders across Canada and the U.S.