How to find R&D in innovation processes? Example: Trial Production

After a prototype has been satisfactorily tested and any necessary modifications made, the manufacturing start-up phase may begin. This is related to full-scale production; it may consist of product or process modification or retraining personnel in the new techniques or in the use of new machinery. Unless the manufacturing start-up phase implies further design and engineering R&D, it should not be counted as R&D, since the primary objective is no longer to make further improvements to the products but to start the production process. The first units of a trial production run for a mass production series should not be considered as R&D prototypes even if they are loosely described as such.

For example, if a new product is to be assembled by automatic welding, the process of optimising the settings on the welding equipment in order to achieve maximum production speed and efficiency would not count as R&D.