With an R&D team comprised of telecommunications and industrial engineers, as well as graduates in physics and computer science, whose main motto is teamwork and knowledge sharing, the company invests time and money in experimenting and innovating. In some of its designs, Fibernet is using components considered "alpha" products by its suppliers, who have complete confidence in the company to finalize their development.
Fibernet is currently preparing to incorporate photonic designs into its products.
These new elements enable advanced functionalities for both optical transmission equipment and sensor and telemetry applications, as well as compacting the standard optical circuits, which are based on discrete components, resulting in improved reliability and size.
Miguel Ángel García, Fibernet's R&D Director, explains, based on the company's own experience, the steps a company must take to achieve excellence in Innovation and Development.
1) Involve the customer in new products or developments.
It is essential to constantly work on expanding the range of equipment and systems, while also keeping in mind the goal of continuously improving their features, leveraging technological advancements. Ask your customers what they want. Encourage them to be creative.
If there is one thing that would make their lives easier, their businesses more efficient, what would it be?
2) Invest in alternative approaches.
It is crucial to innovate and constantly introduce new techniques and formulas that ensure and maintain the technological advantage necessary to stand out from the competition. For this, flexibility in allocating funds for innovative projects is essential.
3) Create an atmosphere of idea exchange within your team
. Facilitate communication and the sharing of ideas within your team. Encourage dialogue. Offer your team the freedom to explore new areas and take risks. Look for thoughtful and creative members within your team.
4) Continuing Education:
R&D departments must foster highly qualified teams; the level of training that companies provide to design engineers in this sector must be very high to fully develop their skills. Investment in personnel should be considered an investment with a delayed return.
5) Commitment to the project
If you decide to develop a new project, set objectives, allocate a budget, gather your team and involve them one hundred percent in achieving the final goal, defining beforehand the roles and tasks of each team member.
6) Resource optimization
A fundamental part of the process involves increasing performance through the reuse of techniques and devices, strategic analysis of projects, appropriate training and focusing work on the assigned task.
7) Define and maximize profitability.
Companies in this sector produce goods for mass production, not experimentally for a few units. This latter point influences the process and highlights the importance of establishing objectives and specifications beforehand for project development.
8) Alignment with Business Objectives:
Consider whether the solutions or developments you are working on align with the business plan, business objectives, and future of your company. Upon completion of this new product, will your company gain added value in the market?
