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Let's say you built a prototype of a product using a microcontroller and a few little parts (LEDs, etc.)

If you wanted to have it mass produced (in quantities of 1000, 10,000), where might you go? Alibaba.com?

Why do I ask?

My degree was in Electrical Engineering. However, when I graduated I mainly did system engineering (plugging a bunch of boxes together ;-). I started a software company about 15 years ago and that's been my full time job ever since.

In software, once you get a good working program, it's very easy to mass produce it (on CDs, download, etc.). However, mass producing hardware is obviously much more difficult.

But it occurred to me (while reading a Super User post on the Basic Stamp) that if you did all the "fancy stuff" within the micro controller and then only needed minimal peripherals (maybe a few LEDs or an LCD screen (calculator style) you could make something useful but still simple to mass produce... if the micro-controllers were affordable in large quantities.

Over the years I've had ideas for simple electronic devices but never pursued them because I knew manufacturing would be a challenge. I'd like to get a rough idea of just how challenging that might be. I know: simple question, very complex answer.

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Define "mass production": 10 pieces, 1000 pieces, 50000 pieces ... makes a difference. – ldigas Mar 22 '10 at 19:27
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I absolutely don't think that you've done anything wrong here, but a short post with one url triggers my "Check to see if this is spam" alarm. Perhaps naming more than one possibility would be better. – dmckee Mar 22 '10 at 19:33
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i agree with @dmckee. i'm also unsure if this is really within the scope of SU -- this site generally doesn't focus on devices except in a computing context. this might be better at one of the Stack Exchange sites like chiphacker.com or startups.com or something else listed here: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/4/list-of-stackexchange-sites – quack quixote Mar 22 '10 at 20:29
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It's an interesting question, and I hope that when / if closed I can follow it on whatever it lands. – Josh K Mar 22 '10 at 20:49
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Great question, but I do not believe this is the correct site for this question. Clay mentions in the comments of the accepted answer that he found a good forum. – Troggy♦ Mar 25 '10 at 14:49
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closed as off topic by Josh K, random♦, quack quixote, Troggy♦ Mar 25 '10 at 14:48

Questions on Super User are expected to generally relate to computer software or computer hardware, within the scope defined in the faq.

2 Answers

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Andrew "bunnie" Huang has a series of blog entries on this issue. I'm sure I've read an interview with him about the very topic.

Also look to open-source hardware boutique outfits, like Bunnie Studios, AdaFruit Industries, and others for inspiration at the very least.

For a mass produced product 10000+ you may seriously want to use an EE designer to ensure the product design is cost-effective, easy to mass produce, reliable, and safe. This includes consumer protection laws, international agreements, RF emissions (intentional or otherwise). This includes CE, UL, CSA, FCC, RoHS, amongst others rules and regulations.

There are PCB houses that do board assembly (pick and place) as well, often in China.

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up vote 1 down vote

There are a lot of small companies that provide this kind of service. Thus find a few and get quotes from them. They don't have to be close geographically, but may be an advantage.

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Examples? Suggested keywords to google for? – MGOwen Mar 22 '10 at 23:46
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@Clay Nichols, in response to the comment here: some good Google keywords are: PCB small series – Peter Mortensen Mar 23 '10 at 14:59
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This led me to an interesting looking Electronics Design Forum: dutchforce.com/~eforum/… – Clay Nichols Mar 24 '10 at 21:30
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