// PROJECT SUMMARY
VisionAnchor is a smart anchoring system designed to monitor the position of a boat's anchor and alert the crew if it begins to move.
The VisionAnchor team already had a working prototype. JPM Systems was brought in to take the electronics to the next stage by replacing multiple off-the-shelf modules with custom electronics designed for lower production cost, easier assembly and scalable manufacturing.
// THE PROBLEM
A working prototype proves that a product can work, but it is rarely optimized for production.
The existing VisionAnchor prototype relied on multiple separate electronic modules. While this approach is ideal for rapid product development and testing, it increases component cost, assembly time, wiring complexity and the number of potential failure points when the product moves into production.
VisionAnchor needed to consolidate these functions into purpose-built electronics while maintaining the functionality already proven by the prototype.
// THE SOLUTION
We developed custom electronics for the VisionAnchor smart buoy, integrating key functions that had previously been implemented using separate modules.
The new electronics were designed around the actual requirements of the product, with particular attention to power supply design, battery management and overall electronic system integration.
By moving from general-purpose modules toward dedicated electronics, the design could be optimized for the product itself — reducing component count, simplifying assembly and creating a better foundation for repeatable production.
// OUR WORK
JPM Systems was responsible for:
- – Electronic system architecture
- – Custom electronics development
- – PCB design
- – Power supply design
- – Battery management
- – Power optimization
- – Integration of previously separate electronic modules
- – Component selection
- – Design for manufacturing (DFM)
- – Cost optimization
- – Prototype electronics testing
- – Production preparation
// KEY CHALLENGES
From Prototype Electronics to a Production Design
The original system had already demonstrated the required functionality using readily available modules.
Our task was not to reinvent the product, but to understand the existing architecture and redesign it as purpose-built electronics suitable for manufacturing.
This meant consolidating functionality while preserving the behavior that had already been validated in the prototype.
Battery and Power Management
As a battery-powered marine device, efficient and reliable power management is a fundamental part of the product.
We worked on the battery management and power supply architecture to provide the different voltage rails required by the electronics while considering efficiency, battery operation and the requirements of the complete system.
Reducing Cost of Goods
A major objective of the redesign was reducing cost of goods sold (COGS).
Replacing multiple development modules with integrated custom electronics reduces not only the cost of individual components, but also connectors, wiring and assembly operations.
Simplifying Production
Production cost is influenced by much more than the PCB itself.
The electronics were therefore developed with assembly in mind, reducing the number of separate parts and electrical connections required to build each unit. This creates a simpler and more repeatable manufacturing process as production volumes increase.
// THE RESULT
The electronics redesign helped move VisionAnchor from a module-based prototype toward a purpose-built, production-oriented hardware platform.
By consolidating the electronics and optimizing the power supply and battery management architecture, the new design reduced hardware complexity, supported lower COGS and simplified product assembly.
The project demonstrates how custom electronics development and product engineering can bridge the gap between a successful prototype and a product designed for scalable manufacturing.