I am seeking input from the group regarding taking an electronic protoype i nto a packaged, ready to sell item.
So, I've completed the schematics, board design, prototype fab (of boards), and tested my creation, and now I'd like to package and offer it for sale. I am looking for pointers to places that could do some or all of the follow ing in order to have a packaged product to ship (assuming I have the boards assembled and tested):
- Design, fab, of (most likely plastic) enclosure (e.g. injection molding, assembly of plastic and metal parts into enclosure,etc.
- Assembly of boards into enclosure
- Acquiring and assembling ancillary but required parts such as power conv erter, cables, etc.
- Documentation creation (paper & CD), putting product into box, ready to bulk ship the order to me (for sales).
I have a few electronic houses that can fab boards, assemble, and test the complete board assembly.
At the moment, I am considering a small production of less than 500 units. I want the entire product to look like a quality instrument (my reference p oint is the HP or Tek test instruments of the late 80's and 90s, or, for th e ppl that remember, receiving a HP 35,45,65, 28c calculators - they felt l ike good instruments and performed extremely well, the closest thing now ad ays is apple iphone and ipad).
Oh, last requirement is they must be an American company, located in the lo wer 48 states.
Thank you and your help is appreciated. John