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vijaykv , 03-30-2024, 02:24 PM

Hello, everyone.
I'm new to the electronics sector, but I enjoy it. Currently, I work full-time as a software engineer, but I am also interested in electronics. I am planning to build a small-scale consumer electronics manufacturing unit; could you kindly advise/suggest how I can get started, as well as the requirements and challenges? I appreciate your response and thanks in advance.

QDrives , 03-30-2024, 09:31 PM

"...to build a small-scale consumer electronics manufacturing unit." -- What do you mean exactly here?
- small scale as is in low quantities?
- Unit as in device / product?
- Manufacturing - Do you want to do the manufacturing or have it manufactured?

Robert Feranec , 03-31-2024, 06:31 AM

as @QDrives pointed out, just to confirm .... you would like to assemble boards, put them into an enclosure, test the final product and ship them to your customer?

vijaykv , 04-01-2024, 07:46 PM

I would like to do manufacture my own product, for instance, power bank, here, I want to do product design, functioning phase , getting the Li-ion battery from battery suppliers and integrate with my design, testing, packaging, marketing and shipping.

vijaykv , 04-01-2024, 07:54 PM

In terms of small scale, small production (small team, limited machinery, low quantity), but I want focus more on a high-quality product design, functionality, usability, and overall user experience. Based on product, I will get the necessary components from the industries best suppliers and integrate with my design.

vijaykv , 04-01-2024, 07:57 PM

Hi @Robert Feranec
Correct, Own designing & assembly.

QDrives , 04-01-2024, 08:14 PM

Clear on the first bit.
Well the challenges are numerous, but in my experience is it mainly in the lest two: "marketing and shipping" as in getting customers interested in your product.
As for requirements there are two different sets of requirements. The first are the legal/regulatory requirements. As you mention power bank, that means a battery. Then, at least in the EU, there is the LVD and EMC directives. which includes the fire hazard.
The second set of requirement come from you and your customers.

Now a clarification on a second part: "how I can get started"? Is that on the commercial end as I mentioned with the challenges or on the technical aspect of ...?

vijaykv , 04-01-2024, 08:37 PM

Mainly on Technical aspect, how to choose right team and what kind of employment is best (Full time or contractors), and how much efforts are required for R&D. I would love to hear commercial aspect as well. Every suggestion is very valuable to me.

Robert Feranec , 04-02-2024, 06:29 AM

I know some people who built manufacturing and they started with basic second hand machines e.g. assembly + oven and later they add more machines/tools and upgrade the old ones. At the beginning usually they operate everything by themselves and then train other people. Be aware - there is a lot of know how in details which you will need to learn by yourself or you will need someone who has good experience in manufacturing to share them with you.

Mini , 04-02-2024, 06:28 PM

When it comes to production you need some kind of oven which isn't very hard to build and some open source pick and place machine which isn't very easy to get it working. I suggest to check OpenPnP for pick and place. Like Robert said - there is a lot know how in details, it is very time consuming.

QDrives , 04-02-2024, 07:05 PM

Looks a bit that you have an idea for a product, but no idea how to design, build and sell it.
My advice is first see if and how you can sell it. For that you would also need an estimate of the price.
Next is how to design it. Manufacturing can easily be outsourced.

"How to choose the right team" -- That depends on the product. For the simpler ones, it can be done by one person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHZTSK33e0g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jEcD-wXHvI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oRSN_CvoWA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK26BRm4VZo

Robert Feranec , 04-03-2024, 04:14 AM

I would add also this, there is also second part https://youtu.be/EyAl1SKRBNk

vijaykv , 04-09-2024, 11:03 PM

Thank you very much!! each and every one for the valuable advices.