A comprehensive guide that explores the difference between IoT development kits, MPM kits, and mass production modules IoT development boards and modules are at the center of every connected product. As IoT has developed, the variety and technical capabilities of these boards has only become more complex. When building an IoT product, you’ll want to start with a simple prototyping kit, but as you progress through the development and process, you’ll need to invest in hardware boards that are designed for scaling and manufacturing. hardware design But what is the difference between prototyping and production hardware? This article aims to clean up some of the noise and make it easier for you to choose the right hardware solution for your IoT product. What is the difference between prototyping and production hardware? In general, you can easily differentiate between prototype and production hardware based on these features: Prototyping hardware is optimized for: — usually breadboardable and has an open SIM card slot Flexibility — low cost Affordability — compatibility with other hardware ecosystems Modularity — can be setup in minutes and comes with tools Ease of use — content and examples optimized for beginners Beginner audiences Mass production hardware is optimized for: — Has SMT(surface-mount-technology) components, can withstand extreme temperatures, and comes with hardware warranties Reliability — pick and place machine ready Manufacturability — Can be purchased in bulk via a reliable distribution partner High volumes — should have complete product certifications Ease of integration — comprehensive datasheets and application notes Advanced audiences Prototype & production hardware examples For instance, produces three basic kinds of hardware — Development kits (DKs), Evaluation kits (EVKs), and Mass production modules (MPMs). These are defined below: Particle Development kits (DKs) Development kits are breadboard friendly and optimized for expandability, modularity, and ease-of-use. As a result, they can be used for scaling depending on the use case and application, but maybe best used as short term PoCs in friendly environments. — Useful for iterating/prototyping hardware and firmware systems quickly. It provides a quick start solution and gets an IoT project rolling. Intended use — USB connectivity, ecosystem of hardware accessories, breadboard-able headers, RGB status LED, on-board antenna, affordable costs Features — Hobbyist developers, engineers very new to hardware Audience — , Examples Photon Electron Mass production modules (MPMs) Mass production modules are optimized for deployment in a mass production product, not for development. These are the real deal, intended for deployment for 5–10 years in hostile environments and small spaces. These products have little utility until they are soldered into your end product. — Deployment in a mass production product Intended use — Certifications, hardware warranty and support, environmental robustness, optimized for size and manufacturability Features — Companies manufacturing products at scale Audience — / / Examples P0 P1 E Series MPMs MPM evaluation kits (EVKs) MPM Evaluation kits are expansion boards for mass production modules and allow you to develop, iterate, and debug your IoT solution quickly and easily. In other words, they provide a friendlier development experience for mass production hardware solutions. They have a MPM soldered to them, and in many ways can act as a good reference design. — Companies designing a product for deployment at scale, companies iterating from DKs to MPMs. Useful for iterating and refining production firmware in the context of production hardware (MPMs). Intended use — Largest number of GPIO and peripherals, large/comfortable debugging-optimized board layout, application notes and professional documentation Features — Professional engineers who are comfortable designing custom circuit boards, companies with intentions to deploy at scale Audience — Example E Series Evaluation Kit Other factors to consider when choosing IoT hardware When you’re sourcing hardware for prototyping or production, you should also look at the platform, tools, and support that comes with it: 1. Consistent platform, infrastructure, firmware, and development tools You’ll want to continue using the same cloud infrastructure and development tools as you scale. Switching between different hardware designs is enough of a task, you don’t want to carry this over to the software you are using. The same firmware application, when compiled on your DKs and MPMs, should perform exactly the same way. There should never be a need to tweak or modify the firmware application to get it running on a MPM. 2. Domain experts & support When selecting a hardware-solution, it’s also important to consider the community surrounding it. Hardware solutions with limited adoption will have fewer resources available to aid you in development. For example, Particle’s development kits have a large developer community surrounding it, which makes it easier to find information and support when needed. 3. Ease of deployment You want to be able to get your product up and running as quickly as possible. When sourcing hardware, check the articles and documentation that comes with it. Having these resources at the ready will make it easy for you to get your questions answered immediately. The bottom line When sourcing prototyping and production hardware, you want to examine its accessibility, affordability, integrations, and manufacturing features. Whether you’re prototyping or building a scalable IoT product, you want to choose hardware that offers a consistent platform environment and ease-of-deployment.
