Top Performance Gear

Top Performance Gear came to Pretoria Engineering with only an idea and simple drawing.

Pretoria Engineering lead them from idea to prototype using Pretoria's effective process.

Top Performance Gear is now empowered by the prototype and able to promote the product to investors!

Pretoria Engineering can do the same for you. The following is a step by step example of our process.

1) Meet and Greet:

  • You will meet with one of our professional engineers either in person or via video conference to review the project.
  • Project's goals, timeline and budget will be discussed. This initial step is primarily for us to gather the information needed to identify the amount of time, man power and funding that will be required to complete this project with the highest quality and efficiency.
    • Top Performance Gear brought the image to the right to the initial consultation. This image was a rough sketch used in the Patent Application that TPG was building for their product idea.


2) Initial Consultation:

  • After we have 1-3 days to review the information we collect in our meet and greet, we will give you a call back. We will consult your team on the direction we see to be the best fit for your projects goals, timeline and budget.
  • We will listen carefully to your teams feedback. We will adjust accordingly, come to agreement and finalize our plan and how exactly on what terms we will move forward in assisting you in the project.
  • Terms and process will vary on a case to case basis and is very personalized to your needs.
    • Top Performance Gear met with our team a clear direction was made.

3) Design:

  • CAD design work allows us to begin our engineering expertise. We can analyze the current concepts design pin point potential manufacturing issues and adjust accordingly.
  • Making your idea look as beautiful as it can possibly be without risking the structure is a fine balance that we pride ourselves in finding
    • The image on the bottom left is the rough prototype that TPG created using bondo, a soccer shin guard and some PVC pipe. We analyzed the direction their product design was going and and came to agreement on a better looking design.
    • The image on the bottom right is the CAD rendering that we began with. We are aware you will change your mind on things from time to time and are prepared for that (As you can see TPG wasn't even sure what their name would be at the time).

4) Prototyping:

  • Our in house 3D Printing capabilities allow us to create our CAD renderings and get it into your hands for review.
  • Once we get the product into your hands you will most likely find something you want to adjust, that is ok and a expected part of the refinement process.
    • Top Performance Gear liked the design and asked us how we could reduce costs for making 50 sets of the product. We suggested creating a urethane mold. You can see our in house urethane molding process below.

5) Prototype Refinement:

  • Plans change and we are willing to work with you through the process.
    • In Top Performance Gear's case they decided that they want to create an adjustable mechanism that would allow variable resistance. This Required more CAD renderings and a lot of thought as to how to keep manufacturing costs as low as possible for the long term ROI.
    • Also, different materials were considered by Top Performance Gear which we provided new prototypes for their consideration.

6) To Market:

  • Once the process is complete you will have a product that you will be proud to bring to the market place
    • Below is the video Top Performance Gear used to gain start up capital and momentum from investors. A Pretoria Engineering job well done!
Top Speed Bands - Large.mov