Acorn Product Development: 30+ Years of Data Center Innovation

At Acorn Product Development, data center equipment design and engineering isn’t just a capability—it’s part of our history. Our earliest projects focused on designing rack-mount servers, switches, and storage units that could withstand demanding enterprise environments, and for more than 30 years we’ve been perfecting them for each new generation of computing.

That history gives us a unique vantage point on how to design for both the needs of today and the demands of tomorrow. As a result, companies like Dell, HP , Cisco and many more have used our engineering design services to stay ahead of trends.

Artificial intelligence is the latest technology capturing headlines, and it is changing the requirements for data center designs at a rapid pace. Chips are processing faster and burning more power in smaller spaces than ever before. This requires better solutions at the rack-mount equipment level and for the data center itself.

The challenge is clear: how do you design data center equipment that performs now, but is ready for what’s coming next? The answer lies in balancing multiple considerations with a deep understanding of how hardware evolves.

8 considerations for data center equipment development

01: Architecture Layout: The Foundation for Performance

The physical and logical architecture of data center equipment defines its performance, efficiency, and adaptability. Layout decisions impact airflow, cable routing, interconnectivity, and power distribution. A well-planned architecture ensures that equipment can scale as AI workloads grow, reduces thermal hotspots, and prevents bottlenecks in connectivity or maintenance access.

How to future proof architecture layout:

Start with many concepts and evaluate on paper against important metrics before locking down the design and investing a lot of detailed efforts into high fidelity simulations.
Identify high risk areas and dig into those areas as needed with better resolution, simulations, & testing.
Involve representatives and stakeholders early for key input in requirements. Understand there will be trade-offs and make sure you understand what is truly important
Plan for thermal viability, modularity and scalability, power distribution, serviceability, and the other areas detailed below.
Plan interconnect pathways to minimize latency and improve signal integrity. Allow space for PCBA thickness, ground planes, differential pairs and length matching, and other mitigations for high speed products.

02: Thermal Management Under Intensifying Loads

AI computing units, particularly GPUs and CPUs, generate extreme heat. Without careful thermal planning, hotspots can compromise performance and hardware reliability. Thermal management is closely tied to layout and structural design, making it critical to address early in the development process. For example, some systems require CPUs across line cards to be operating at similar temperatures, requiring an ability to balance the cooling system and add close-looped feedback control.

How to future proof thermal management:

Estimate power dissipation at system and component levels in steady state and transient states, and identify critical components to cool. Consider thermal layout from the beginning with rapid back of the envelope calculations, planned fluid flow definition, and evaluations of each potential layout.
Consider requirements for redundancy in the cooling solution and layout.
Use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to show detail level liquid or air flow, dead spots, eddies, re-circulation, and predict temperatures in transient and steady state conditions, and to help guide detailed design of baffling and ducting.
Implement cooling systems such as cold plates, rear-door heat exchangers, vapor chambers, or immersion cooling where air alone is insufficient.
Validate designs via thermal chamber testing under worst-case operating conditions.

03: Modularity and Scalability

AI environments evolve rapidly, and equipment must adapt. Modularity ensures that racks and systems can scale to meet future requirements without full redesigns. Modularity affects every other consideration—architecture, cooling, structural support, power, and accessibility—so it must be integrated from the start.

How to future proof modularity:

Build interchangeable chassis and subassemblies to support future hardware.
Consider sharing modules across entire family lines of products such as fans, drives, PCI-cards, line cards, fabric cards, or PSUs
Design with ECAD-- using MCOs and ECAD simplify communication between teams, allowing for future PCBA development and spins without changing the mechanical hardware.
Include expansion zones for GPUs, storage, and interconnects and make sure these empty slots do not serve as airflow bypasses. Design fillers as necessary
Design plug-and-play connectivity for rapid scaling. Some modules will need warning to shut down—plan for switching capabilities on ejection mechanisms.
Ensure consistent cooling, power, and accessibility for modular additions.

04: Structural Resilience Under Heavy Loads

As the above considerations become defined, the structural integrity of racks and equipment frames becomes critical. AI hardware is heavier and denser than ever, and fully populated racks can exceed a ton. Structural design ensures that equipment remains safe, stable, and serviceable in a variety of environments.

How to future proof structural resilience:

Use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to simulate stress, vibration, and real-world loading conditions.
For systems that will be installed in areas subject to earthquakes. Consider whether equipment needs to meet NEBS-Zone 4 seismic standards.
Design for floor-loading adaptability across raised floors, slab floors, and other facilities.

05: Power Delivery and Distribution

High-density AI workloads increase power demands and raise thermal loads. Efficient power delivery is essential to maintain reliability, reduce losses, and allow scalable expansion. Power design must be coordinated with architecture and layout to prevent bottlenecks and simplify maintenance.

How to future proof power delivery:

Engineer bus bar and distribution systems for high-density, high-wattage configurations.
Incorporate redundant power paths to maintain uptime during failures.
Optimize rack-level PDUs for both efficiency and serviceability.
Validate through full-load testing to ensure safe and stable operation.

06: Accessibility, Safety, and Security

Accessibility and security go hand in hand when designing future-ready data center equipment. While advancements in automation and remote management continue to reduce the need for human interaction, technicians still need at least some level of access. Poor attention to human factors can slow maintenance, increase downtime, and increase the risk of injury. At the same time, strong security measures—such as controlled access, tamper detection, and monitoring—are essential to safeguard sensitive workloads and prevent interruptions from unauthorized entry.

How to future proof accessibility, safety, and security:

Consider whether field replaceable units (FRUs) should require tool access for safety, or have tool-less access for rapid hot swap servicing.
Plan for the system to run while modules are swapped—prevent airflow bypasses with shutters or flaps, understand how long the system can run without a module with transient thermal studies
Determine whether tamper evidence is needed. Understand other security measures needed (probe distances, etc.)
Implement intuitive cable management for simplified servicing and upgrades.
Ensure ergonomic touchpoints, adequate lead-in, and consider tolerances for blind mating modules to reduce accidental damage during installation and maintenance.
Understand MTBF (mean time between failure) and test workflows with simulations.

07: Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

Even the most advanced designs must be practical to produce at scale. DFM ensures high-performance systems are efficient, reliable, and cost-effective to manufacture and assemble, without compromising any of the prior considerations.

How to future proof DFM:

Minimize part counts and assembly complexity, use self-fixturing designs when possible, and poka yoke design. Consider design for automation when volumes and labor costs justify it.
Design with tolerances in mind. Identify key tolerance loops such as connector mating, binding, and gathering, and analyze these to predict yield.
Standardize components and subassemblies for production efficiency and JIT stocking simplicity.
Use MCOs and ECAD to simplify communication between teams and software, allowing for future PCBA development and spins without changing the mechanical hardware.
Validate through prototyping and pilot builds to uncover issues before investing in tooling.
Identify key manufacturing partners and locations for strategic sales and consideration of tariffs.

08: Compliance and Standards

With AI workloads driving higher densities, energy consumption, and thermal output, compliance is critical. Equipment must meet safety, performance, and interoperability standards to ensure global deployment readiness.

How to future proof compliance:

Align with safety and performance standards (UL, CE, FCC, Telcordia, etc.).
Incorporate energy efficiency measures to meet evolving environmental regulations.
Design for interoperability with open standards like Open Rack.
Monitor emerging regulatory trends to avoid costly retrofits.

The Value of Experience in the Age of AI

The demands of AI are changing faster than ever, so every decision you make today will dictate how easily your data center equipment adapts to AI workloads tomorrow. From structural integrity and thermal management to usability, power, and manufacturability, every detail matters.

An experienced product development firm offers the perspective needed to see the bigger picture while solving for the details. By bringing together proven expertise, cross-industry insight, and a history of building scalable solutions, the right partner can help future proof data center equipment—ensuring it performs today and adapts for tomorrow.

Ready to future-proof your AI infrastructure? Contact us to discuss your project and explore how our team can help bring your vision to life.

The Age of AI: How to Future-Proof Data Center Equipment