Rapid Prototyping
Fast, physical iterations — 3D printing, CNC micro-machining and one-off parts. We get the risky parts of your idea into your hands early, so decisions are made on real hardware, not assumptions.
Mechatronics Engineering · Auckland, New Zealand
Nova Technologies turns ideas into working hardware — rapid prototyping, proof of concept and minimum viable products, delivered end-to-end: CAD design, manufacturing drawings, electronics, software and IoT.
Who We Are
Nova Technologies is a mechatronics engineering practice led by Martin Cruz, a Mechatronics Engineer with 6+ years of experience spanning embedded systems, PCB design, IoT, robotics and CAD. We combine hands-on manufacturing and machining know-how with modern software capability — from AI-assisted development to cloud data infrastructure — to deliver complete solutions across product design, R&D and autonomous prototypes.
Fast, physical iterations — 3D printing, CNC micro-machining and one-off parts. We get the risky parts of your idea into your hands early, so decisions are made on real hardware, not assumptions.
Validate the make-or-break elements first: actuator selection, sensing, connectivity, power budgets. A proof of concept answers the hard questions before tooling and production budgets are committed.
A working product ready for real users and real markets. Parametric CAD and modular designs keep the MVP quick to modify as feedback comes in — and recycle cleanly into the production version.
Most products need mechanical design, electronics and software to agree with each other. We handle all three — plus the drawings, BOMs and validation documentation that make a design manufacturable.
Services
Custom engineering services for inventors, startups and established manufacturers — from a single machined part to a complete connected product.
Complete machine and product design — mechanical CAD, electronics, embedded software and controls developed together, so everything fits and works first time.
Connected sensor nodes and monitoring systems — Wi-Fi and LoRaWAN, MQTT data pipelines, live Grafana dashboards, and solar-powered off-grid deployments.
One-off parts, mechanisms and working demonstrators built fast — 3D printing, machining and off-the-shelf components combined to answer the question: can this work?
Turn a validated concept into a product real customers can use. Parametric, scriptable CAD models mean quick design changes and low-cost iteration as your market teaches you what to build.
Production-ready 2D mechanical drawings, BOMs, inspection criteria, test and validation reports and operational manuals — everything a manufacturer needs to quote and build your design correctly.
Schematic capture through to layout, prototype assembly and bring-up. Low-quiescent-current circuits for battery and solar systems, embedded hardware for robotics and automation platforms.
Case Studies
Real projects with measurable outcomes — from hygienic food-handling machinery to solar-powered IoT monitoring and dense, compact PCB design.
WYMA Solutions Ltd
Problem. Conventional belt conveyors accumulate dirt along the sides and need constant cleaning. A single folded-sheet vibratory conveyor would be more hygienic, lower maintenance — and open a new product line.
Solution. Bass-shaker actuators (wide frequency response, simple gain control) driven the vibration, with a leaf-spring composite letting the bed move freely — ideal while the optimal frequency was still being found.
Outcome. Motion through vibration achieved: 1 mm peak-to-peak tray movement and a conveying speed of 0.08 m/s for potatoes.
Off-grid telemetry
Problem. Remote monitoring where mains power and network access don't reach — with live data needed from cameras and weather sensors.
Solution. End-to-end IoT system design: solar-powered, off-grid telemetry nodes (ESP32-based weather stations and sensor nodes), a PTZ camera with a full weather suite, Wi-Fi and LoRaWAN connectivity, and MQTT data pipelines visualised live in Grafana.
Outcome. A rugged, solar-powered off-grid deployment delivering real-time camera and weather data from anywhere — no mains power or network required.
Autonomous retrofit vehicle
Problem. The power-management controller for an autonomous retrofit vehicle had a large footprint — and its battery went flat after long periods of inactivity. It had to accept and prioritise multiple power supplies, keep battery-crank noise isolated from the system, and fit the space available.
Solution. Smaller components, a two-to-four-layer stack-up and components placed on both sides of the board — combined with an ultra-low quiescent-current MCU and a self-preserving power architecture, packaged tightly in CAD to suit heat dissipation and signal requirements.
Outcome. The PCB footprint was reduced by half with functionality and signal integrity preserved — and reliable, self-preserving power management.
IoT control systems
Problem. Switching real-world loads remotely usually means bulky, expensive, internet-tied hardware. The goal: a compact, USB-linked multi-channel relay driver anyone could deploy and monitor from a phone.
Solution. A custom multi-channel relay driver circuit — fused input, ferrite filtering, TVS/ESD transient protection and 12 V relay switching — designed from schematic capture through to PCB layout, then integrated with Wi-Fi telemetry so switching status and device state could be monitored and controlled from a mobile.
Outcome. A pocket-sized control module — safe switching, phone visibility and rapid deployment for automation, lighting and equipment control.
Reverse engineering
Problem. Existing parts and consumables with no drawings — impossible to re-order, quote or manufacture reliably. A pneumatic mould prototype also needed precise annular components from scratch.
Solution. Parts measured and specified by hand (OD ∅32, ID ∅20 and full dimensional analysis), then rebuilt as accurate parametric CAD models and production-ready manufacturing drawings — dimensions, tolerances, materials and weight, ready for the workshop floor.
Outcome. Complete, manufacturer-ready documentation and prototype parts produced straight from CAD — repeatable, quotable and ready for tooling.
Consumer products
Problem. Everyday products priced out of reach: spa filters at $120 each ($480/year) and fold-down desks at ~$800 retail.
Solution. For the spa, a 3D-printed press-fit adaptor let a $6 pool filter do the identical job — no fasteners needed. For the desk, a parametric foldable (Murphy) desk CAD model built for $200 in materials, with CAD scripts and custom tables that generate all parts from any monitor's dimensions.
Outcome. Spa filter costs cut from $480 to $24 per year; the Murphy desk went from prototype to a repeatable furniture product — and a corporate long-term booking followed.
Contact Us
Free consultation and quotation on your project — no obligation. Describe what you're building, or what's not working yet, and we'll come back with practical next steps.