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Product design ideas. Direction help needed

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Vulcan

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As the forum title mentions, I need your valuable suggestions about my dream design work:
It is a board strategy game that will require a basic electronic circuit board.
Having a mechanical engineering background(a short-lived one) I am very familiar with the design & manufacturing process. (except the electronic part of the project.)
My question is:
-1st alternative: I seek professional help from a local industrial design company that works from concept to finish.
-2nd alternative: I hire an autocad drafter, get my drawings according to my specs, find an overseas(possibly chinese) circuit board manufacturer+ a plastic manufacturer; manufacture there and have it shipped here.
So what is the question, right ;)
If i choose the first alternative I know that even local companies will outsource the actual manufacturing process to somewhere in Asia. Do you think they can get a better deal than me after adding their own commission to the final bill???
You see my main concern is economics; affordability is utmost important (hopefully without comprimising the quality too much)
I guess what I need most is some direction from somebody who either had an experience for a turn-key product ordering, or a pro who does this service for a living...
Thanks in advance...
 
I am sure you tried to be brief but it seems you missed what might be a very critical part of the process - I'll call it development. Things also have to be designed so they can be made - quite often the final design requires a knowledge of how it will be made. Designs often have to address what is known - but so often we produce a thing then use it - and only then do we learn about the factors and issues that really matter.

Somehow I think that you intend for all of the stuff to be provided in alternative #1. In alternative #2 you implied that you are skipping that part (development) and going straight to production. You really can't do that. What you might do is estimate your costs to do all of the things I am calling development to see where you come out.
 
I am sure you tried to be brief but it seems you missed what might be a very critical part of the process - I'll call it development.
Thanks for pointing that out. Actually I didn't neglect that part; if I go with 1st alternative it would be taken care of.
In the 2nd alternative that development duty would have been passed to the manufacturer of the whole system. (They will have engineering department to address design faults, incompatibilities, material preferance etc. For everything else; such as the actual look & dimensions of the product, functionality of the board I have firm information)
What you might do is estimate your costs to do all of the things I am calling development to see where you come out.
How can I do a budget estimation without having access to cost parameters?This brings me to:
You'll have to submit a specification to whomever you contract out to. What's your budget?
Is there a specification format to submit, or should i just describe what I want from the circuit to do? I think I might be interested in contract work with you for at least to have a prototype before going into mass production...
 
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If you don't wish to disclose your idea here you should find a company willing to sign an NDA..
The cost for design & development work will generally start at around $5K for a simple design. You could try submitting to a game company but you'll probably need some decent sketches, rules, demographics.
If you want to go it alone either find backers or have deep pockets.
 
Hi Bill,
Naturally i wont disclose any details here...There is no need for backing of any game companies either.
Thanks for the ballpark quote, I'll assume it is the bare minimum to start.
Once I take care of the legalities I will be in touch...
 
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