Ovie Smarterware has developed a product line of LightTags that connect to any food storage container in your refrigerator. LightTags reduce food waste by enabling consumers to quickly see what food is in the fridge and how long until it expires, thus enabling smart food storage. The product has received recognition from Huffpost, CNET, Built In Chicago, and many more!
The Ovie team approached Hatch looking for a domestic partner who could produce their existing product design while delivering a high quality product that has already received significant interest. With some successful prototypes under their belt, Ovie wanted Hatch to finalize some design elements and make improvements for large scale production.
The Hatch team started with the existing CAD data to review the design and its manufacturability. Hatch was able to improve the tactile feel of the buttons and also improve the LED brightness. Furthermore, by finding streamlined ways to design the parts, the team was able to simplify the steps needed to manufacture the small device.
Once the design was set for manufacturing, the engineering team did a production validation test (PVT) build of units. This phase enabled the engineering team to prove out the manufacturability of the product while also optimizing the assembly process. The team completed this build in Hatch’s Contract Manufacturing space so that the factory would be prepared for a larger manufacturing phase in parallel with the prototyping phase.
“The Hatch Team has delivered our dream product. This has been our passion for years, and we are thrilled that the team was able to efficiently refine the design while preparing to mass produce Ovie LightTags.”
Dave Joseph | Co-Founder & CDO of Ovie
The PVT build was critical to set Ovie up for success in manufacturing in three ways. During this build, acceptance test procedures were implemented, tested, and reviewed for the first time. This phase also allowed the team to optimize processes by creating fixtures that simplify the assembly process. For example, Hatch developed a custom fixture for applying a food safe adhesive pad, saving on labor costs. Finally, the PVT build gave the team an opportunity to ensure excellent quality control during the assembly process.
The design/build process from Hatch’s cross-disciplinary team makes for a seamless transition between the design and production phases. By optimizing the processes for building a small device in the PVT build, the overall manufacturing cost can be reduced while delivering a high quality product.
“I’m ashamed to admit that these leftover minefields in my fridge lead to way too much food waste on my part. Which is why I’m intrigued by the Ovie food tags. Mike Wolf describes Ovie’s tech pretty accurately as ‘Tile for food.’”
Chris Albrecht | The Spoon
