Electronics manufacturing

Palum · Jul 10, 2014

So I have a concept I'm looking to move into a business proposal and get pricing to start putting together the research necessary to fund the project. I get start-up company issues, capital, marketing, R&D embedded device & software design: basically all the research that will need to be done before anything gets moving.

The one thing I haveabsolutelyno clue about is the manufacturing aspect. I'm guessing that cost wise, they will simply have to be made off-shore like basically every other electronics manufacturer. If I needed injection molding done I'm sure I could find some companies stateside, for example, but with electronics you are looking at many components from different sources and properly pricing tooling,material costs,cost of manufacture (labor) plus import and all that. I don't even know where to begin.

Has anyone ever gone through this process and have a clue on where you would start?

Thanks

The Master · Jul 11, 2014

I asked a friend who has done some work in this area. You literally just find a manufacture in China and work with them, they handle getting components together. He saidChina Electronic Contract Manufacturing - Altadox Electronic Contract Manufacturerwas fairly reliable.

Ritley · Jul 14, 2014

There are also companies in the US that do similar things. Probably a little more expensive, but then again you have some recourse if shit goes wrong.

My company works with one called Plexus in Wisconsin, they put together kits and we do the final assembly/testing.

Palum · Jul 14, 2014

Thanks for the insight. That is a cause for concern the 'China' probrem. Things don't work out and... oh well. At least in the US they have to keep business confidence to stay open at the extra expense. Plus you get all that 'Made in the USA' juju.

Wuwei_sl · Jul 14, 2014

Palum_sl said:
Plus you get all that 'Made in the USA' juju.

You mean 'Assembled in the USA'? There is nothing wrong about ordering from China, you just need to pay a lot more attention to detail (control!), especially before placing the order (but also throughout).

Noodleface · Jul 15, 2014

We use Foxconn here, the place that had all the worker suicides

Erronius · Jul 15, 2014

Step 1: buy Minecraft
Step 2: farm redstone
Step 3: make redstone circuitry
Step 4: profit

Hachima · Jul 18, 2014

And what about seeing your new idea for sale on Alibaba for a dollar more than you are paying to have it manufactured before yours is even released!

Wuwei_sl · Jul 18, 2014

Okay, fair point. You'll get a month head start if you produce it in the USA. Marketing/legal can provide some help negating that issue, but it's deemed to happen almost regardless.

Borzak · Jul 19, 2014

There must be "some" electronic manufacturing going on in the US still. Elecraft is a company in CA that makes (or assembles) components and says 100% made in the US and they make amatuer radio (ham) and associated stuff like amps, panagraphs etc....

BrutulTM · Jul 19, 2014

It depends on how many you need probably. If you're talking about tens or hundreds of boards you can probably have them made by someone likeSunstone Printed Circuit Boards | PCB Prototype & PCB Fabrication
. There are tons of companies that can crank out circuit boards pretty quickly. As far as the plastic parts go I couldn't tell you. I think if it's a new product/company you could start with American stuff and if you get to the level where you are making a ton of them then look into dealing with China.

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