Porticos, Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the principal systems engineer for Asensus Surgical, a surgical robotics company working on digital surgery. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Porticos, Inc.?

We’ve hired Porticos, Inc. for firmware and mechanical development; they were also hired to assist with design. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought Porticos, Inc. in during the initial ideation and prototyping phases. We’ve given them business requirements, and they collaborate with us in an iterative process to develop various options for the components we ask for. The team helps us select and build the appropriate components to move forward. This product is then integrated with our prototype and delivered to us. 

Porticos, Inc. has been embedded in our team and comes to our meetings. They’ve been responsible for owning specific components in the process; they work independently and with our team. The team has been helping us develop various features for our surgeon interface; this includes electrical, mechanical, and firmware support. Porticos, Inc. primarily uses SOLIDWORKS, Altium, and Arduino.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with two individuals. 

How did you come to work with Porticos, Inc.?

Someone within our company had previously worked with Porticos, Inc. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2022, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We don’t have any hard metrics at this point, but we have used multiple contractors previously, and Porticos, Inc. has been the company that always delivers for us. Their team works extremely fast; they have delivered triple the amount that other companies did in the same time period. 

Porticos, Inc. supplies us with high-quality work, and the components that we’ve built with them are functional. They’ve delivered high-fidelity prototypes that we have been pleased with. 

How did Porticos, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve been very happy with their project management; the team has even exceeded our expectations on multiple occasions. They take feedback in stride and work to build the best products for us. We use Jira as a communication and project management tool. 

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

We want to shout out David (Principal Product Development Engineer) and Troy (Senior Project Lead); they’ve been fantastic to work with. Some of the products we’re working on have been challenging to build, and everyone has different expectations. When the feedback hasn’t been as positive, they’ve been willing to go back to the drawing board to get one step closer to the right direction. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They work efficiently and come up with creative solutions. We wish that we would have partnered with them sooner. There were a lot of things that Porticos, Inc. could have helped with earlier on. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing we can come up with. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set up clear interfaces and business requirements; let Porticos, Inc. have ownership of projects and connect them with other project pieces. This has been very effective for our partnership; they'll deliver for you if you give them accountability. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Strategic Program Manager for Research and Development for a Telephony / VoIP Captioning Service Company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Porticos, Inc., and what were your goals?

We needed to update our telephony product and hired Porticos to assist with the coordination of the design and testing of prototype PCBs and firmware.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Porticos were selected prior to my arrival at this company. However, they have proven themselves to be a valuable partner.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Porticos coordinated with other vendors and our company on the schedule, design, and development of prototype PCBs firmware, and various testing activities. They also provided support while working through various supply chain challenges, including redesign and alternative component selection and testing.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager/Engineer and an electrical engineer were our primary points of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Porticos have assisted in keeping this project on schedule. They have also been invaluable in providing coordination, design, and testing protocols with our other vendors.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Porticos utilized Microsoft Project and supplied weekly updates and reports via Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their responsiveness and ability to adapt quickly were impressive. They have always been available at various times during the day for meetings and quick consults.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

None at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CTO of an electronics manufacturer that designs and develops infrastructure.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Porticos, Inc.?

They provided design services, collaborating with us to design and develop a prototype, proof of concept system that would validate our technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed our product, which involves physical circuits and the electrical and mechanical design of original components. We worked together on the requirements and collaborated on the architecture of the product. Porticos was responsible for implementing the architecture into the design. The largest issue was the size of the product, so Portico helped us miniaturize the design.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two electrical engineers, one mechanical engineer, and one project manager.

How did you come to work with Porticos, Inc.?

I used them at previous companies I worked at.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since July 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We were pushing an aggressive timeline, and Porticos was sensitive to that timeline, doing what was necessary to drive success in our constraints. The collaboration went well; we both made good trade-offs and decisions to get the proof of concept ready to go.

Porticos, Inc. attacked the problem with intelligence, focus, knowledge, and urgency.

How did Porticos, Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve met our expectations for project management and communicated over emails, phone calls, and Google Drive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a good understanding of engineering, from both the electrical and mechanical perspectives.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re pretty practical in terms of what needs to be done, and I don’t have any negative considerations. It’s always challenging being a startup with a sense of urgency, but Porticos has handled it well. They’re not employees of our company, so there will always be a limit to the amount of urgency you can expect from contractors, but this is just a reality, not a negative comment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clearly define your expectations and schedule, and stay connected with them to ensure collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I support client companies in the design, development, and launch of new and innovative products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Porticos, Inc.?

My client was behind schedule on the development and prototyping of a novel piece of material handling equipment for a major global retailer. Our first engineering firm provided adequate support in the initial conceptual stages of development but were incapable of the detailed engineering design work required to carry the concept to initial prototype unit. Porticos stepped in and immediately accelerated progress on reaching my clients stringent deadlines.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Porticos was selected based on my experience working with them in the past, their experience in creating prototype systems, and their ability to accomplish the extensive detailed design activities within our challenging timeline.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Many aspect of the project are still very proprietary so I am only able to speak at a fairly high level.

Step 1 was to understand the initial concept and develop the detailed CAD models for our phase 1 proof of concept.
Step 2 was to work directly with my client and the potential end user customer to understand needs, ergonomic concerns, safety requirements, and prototype testing requirements.
Step 3 was to extend the conceptual CAD to reflect updated customer requirements and develop the prototype 1 production drawings.
Step 4 was to assist in the prototype build and customer demonstrations at the customer site.
Step 5 was to begin extending the prototype 1 design into a next generation prototype 2 that is now going into initial production and test.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

4 - Project manager, primary engineering designer, two support designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our customer continues to move forward on launch plans for the new material handling system. Porticos continues to remain involved.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with the Porticos team was extremely simple and results were quick to achieve. The designers have always remained flexible to changing requirements. They also provide insights to support the project with design improvement concepts.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their responsiveness and technical prowess were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of a manufacturing company

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Advanced manufacturing for oyster and coral reefs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Porticos, Inc. to accomplish?

• Redesign pump control boards used in our process.
• Supply chain sourcing
• Firmware development

SOLUTION

How did you find Porticos, Inc.?

Referral

Why did you select Porticos, Inc. over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget

How many teammates from Porticos, Inc. were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Redesign an existing pump control board after conducting a design review. Upgrade will include updated firmware. Supply chain sourcing for alternative vendors and derisking.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Improved manufacturing capabilities.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Weekly updates are organized, including additional meetings as needed for coordination and clarification of requirements. Porticos has a dedicated project manager which interfaces with our company.

What was your primary form of communication with Porticos, Inc.?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They are passionate and have talented engineers.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Porticos, Inc. could have done differently?

No.