I have an idea or sketch
You know what the product should achieve but need help turning it into a technically viable development route.
Product developmentFrom rough idea to working product.
Twocan is a UK product development and mechanical engineering consultancy. We turn early-stage ideas, sketches and prototypes into engineered, testable physical products — from concept development and CAD through prototype build, testing and preparation for manufacture.
Start with what you haveA sketch, CAD model, rough prototype or simply a technical problem is enough to begin.
20+ yearsCombined product-development experience
Concept → buildEngineering carried into physical hardware
Flexible scopeOne work package or the whole development route
UK basedSupport for startups, SMEs and R&D teams
Start with the problem
Where are you now?
You do not need to translate your project into an engineering service list. Start with the situation you are in and the next decision the product needs to support.
I have an early prototype
Something works, but it now needs engineering, refinement, integration or testing before you can confidently move forward.
I have hit a technical problem
A mechanism, structural issue, material choice, packaging constraint or manufacturing challenge is blocking progress.
I need to move towards manufacture
The concept is becoming credible and now needs detailed engineering, drawings, DFM and supplier support.
Relevant work · CS Platforms
The next version, not a restart.
CS Platforms already had a working proof of concept. Twocan focused development on the parts that were holding the product back, combining structural analysis, rapid CAD iteration, supplier coordination, assembly and physical testing.
The result was a materially lighter, easier-to-assemble working prototype delivered through a focused 12-week programme.
~64% lighterRelevant lifting structure
Tool-lessOne-person key assembly
12 weeksKick-off to completed upgrade
How we work
Develop the right thing before developing everything.
We structure product development around useful evidence and decisions. Early stages answer the biggest questions while change is still relatively cheap; later stages add detail only when the design has earned it.
Define
Requirements, users, constraints, risks and what success looks like at the next milestone.
Explore
Concepts, architecture, feasibility, technology choices and early evaluation of the strongest routes.
Engineer
Detailed mechanical design, CAD, calculations, FEA, materials, tolerances and interfaces.
Prototype & test
Source, build, integrate and test the right level of prototype to expose what still needs changing.
Prepare to make
DFM, drawings, supplier engagement, process choices and the evidence needed for production decisions.
Not every project needs every stage. We scope around the next useful decision and the evidence needed to make it.
Why Twocan
Why work with Twocan?
Our value is not simply producing CAD. It is carrying engineering thinking through to the physical result and keeping the work focused on the next useful milestone.
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Designed to be built
The same thinking runs from concept and CAD into sourcing, assembly and testing.
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Milestone-led scope
You do not have to commission the whole route to manufacture. We can target the next thing you need to prove.
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Practical engineering
Calculations, analysis and prototypes are used to answer decisions — not to create paperwork for its own sake.
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Flexible partner
We can lead a development package or slot into an existing engineering, R&D or commercial team.
“We asked Twocan to take it to the next version, and that is what they did. They worked through the mechanical engineering alongside us, iterated quickly when the analysis called for changes, and delivered in time for the demonstration we needed it for.”CS Platforms Ltd · Ceilingsurf prototype development
Capabilities
Product development capabilities
Connected capabilityCapability Capability
Prototype development
Turn concepts and early designs into functional prototypes and demonstrators.
Explore serviceConnected capabilityMechanical engineering design
CAD, mechanisms, assemblies, materials, tolerances and technical drawings.
Explore serviceConnected capabilityFEA & structural analysis
Use analysis to understand load paths, stress, stiffness and design trade-offs.
Explore serviceConnected capabilityManufacturing support
DFM, supplier engagement, process selection and prototype-to-production support.
Explore serviceRequirements & feasibility
Turn a loose brief into clear technical questions and a sensible development plan
Integration & testing
Bring mechanical hardware, electronics and controls together and test the physical system.
Common questions
Useful answers before the first call.
If your project does not fit neatly into one of these questions, that is normal. Early engineering work is often about clarifying the problem before deciding what work package makes sense.
How early can Twocan get involved?
As early as a sketch or rough idea. We can also start from calculations, CAD, an existing proof of concept or a prototype that needs further development.
Do we have to commit to the full route to manufacture?
No. We can structure work around the next useful milestone: proving a mechanism, producing an MVP prototype, creating an investor demonstrator or preparing a design for supplier quotations.
Can you actually build the prototype?
Yes. Our work is focused on physical outcomes. Depending on the project, that can include sourcing parts, prototype manufacture, assembly, electronics or controls integration and practical testing.
Can you work alongside our existing team?
Yes. We can take ownership of a defined work package or add mechanical design, analysis, prototyping and build capability around your existing team.
Can you work under an NDA?
Yes. If the project needs an NDA before technical detail is shared, tell us that in the first conversation and we can put the appropriate confidentiality arrangements in place.
Your next sensible step
Start with what you have.
Send a sketch, photo, CAD model, prototype or a short explanation of the problem. We can talk through where the project is now, what the next useful milestone could be and whether Twocan is the right fit.