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So I have a prototype of a product I would like to sell. Some minor consumer electronics. I'm coming to the point where I need to gather start up money but before I even think about how I think I need to know: what I need to spend money on, how much money I need to spend, and to whom to I pay this money?
To itemize the product itself:
I have a small pcb with a USB connection
A couple plastic parts
Silicone over molding on those parts
Some custom electronic sensors
Then whatever packaging it's going to be in.
Who should I contact to get quotes on designs and production costs? It's my understanding that plastic parts manufacturers require you to use molds that designed. Meaning you have to hire one of their engineers to design and make your mole, if not the whole part. What do I need to come at them with to get a quote? A whole part designed in CAD, just a napkin drawing, a verbal description?
My pcb also I had intended to fully design myself but even the very simple function it needs turned out to be too difficult for a layman to do. So I might need to hire an engineer for it. Where should I go? What do I get? Do I just get a design document that I then hand to some pcb manufacturer and say "gimme dis"?
The obvious answer is to just call these people and ask "hey what do I need to get a quote on X" and it is my irrational hang up of not wanting to sound like a moron that's stopping me.
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Bumping for interest
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>>1615555
The quads have spoken
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>>1615555
Sick quads, but I think getting an answer to a technical question on the internet is a bit harder than getting elected president. Meme magic won't help here.
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>>1615240
first get a patent if you havent done so first
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>>1615739
Is it absolutely necessary to higher a patent lawyer? Don't those cost 10s of thousands of dollars? I'd have wait till after I got start up cash to do it. Is that safe? Is there a way to file a patent yourself? Just verify there's no conflicting patents right?
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I'm looking at this
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/getting-patent-yourself-29493.html
If there's anyone else looking to answer the same questions.
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>>1615756
So it looks like you can claim a provisional patent which requires much less information and money to file. That lasts for a year and then at the end of that year you have to file for the full patent.
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>>1615240
There are engineers (usually mechanical) who start small firms where they outsource their CAD skills specifically to people wanting to develop new products. They have contacts in manufacturers (I can't remember the name of right now) who specialise in prototypes/small non-continuous runs.
Contact one of them.
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>>1616260
sell* not outsource
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>>1615240
Find a small mechanical engineering firm to do this for you. This is exactly what they specialize in, product development. My father does this (has his own firm) and he is very good at CAD and directing clients through the process. Most of what you pay for is the CAD expertise for 1, but more importantly, the experience to know what can and can't be done and what's a good idea vs. bad from engineers who aren't just total NEET calculators but have done the startup/entrepreneur product design process dozens of times
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>>1617865
And there are equivalents for electrical engineering? So I could contact a firm to do my plastic and another to do my electronics?
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>>1617868
>>1617865
unless your work is VERY electrically complex (you almost certainly don't reach this threshold from what you describe) any competent firm will be able to do this as well.
For a benchmark, the firm I'm familiar with has done all sorts of engineering with integrated circuits on robotic arms and works right with the actual software used on the chips inside products. Stuff like a few sensors + basic programming based on input variables is very common for this type of work.
I'd search for firms in your area. You can also poke around at "Product development firms" and read reviews online. If I were you I'd contact multiple ones, don't worry too much about secrecy because they almost certainly don't give a fuck about your product idea because they don't have time to develop products independently unless it was something truly just revolutionary. Talk to multiple firms ("Consultations") and see what turns up.
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