From prototype to mass production, the journey of an EGO multi-camera is far longer than most people imagine. A product that works stably, passes reliability validation, and achieves manufacturing consistency is not simply about putting a few camera modules together. The process is not usually measured in mere months; it depends on the depth of iteration and the coordination of the supply chain. A typical timeline can range from half a year to over a year, or even longer, depending on specific requirements and the maturity of the earlier stages.
During the prototyping phase, the focus is on answering the question, "Can it be done?" Calibration accuracy, image synchronization, hardware structural design, heat dissipation, and power consumption—each of these needs repeated verification. The first version of a prototype is often hand-assembled and plagued with issues: image misalignment, timestamp jitter, housing interference—these are all common. Engineers need to debug round after round, patching gaps at the principle level. Progress at this stage is often the most uncontrollable, because problems tend to appear where unexpected.
Once the prototype is basically stable and moves into small-batch trial production, the challenge shifts from technology to engineering and supply chain. Can the selected components guarantee long-term supply? Can the assembly process on the production line ensure consistency for every unit? Is the factory calibration of the camera fast enough and accurate enough? Solving these issues requires collaboration across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software teams, along with feedback from production line workers, and repeated polishing. Any single step—such as the anti-loosening treatment of a screw or a flex cable's bending endurance test—can stall the project for weeks.
When approaching the stage of mass delivery, the true test lies in testing and management. Multi-cameras need to undergo stringent tests for high and low temperatures, vibration, and aging to ensure no errors in the field. At the same time, documentation, BOM, production processes, and after-sales support systems must all keep up. Otherwise, even if the product is manufactured, long-term stable supply cannot be guaranteed.
So when customers ask, "How soon can you deliver?", we prefer to honestly discuss the actual state of the project. If the prototype has been fully validated and the supply chain is ready, large-scale delivery can be accelerated within a few quarters. But if starting from scratch, one must leave ample room in their expectations for time. After all, speed, stability, and reliability will always be an art of trade-offs.