Scaling - Manufacturing

Common manufacturing processes

• What are some common processes for mass-producing plastic parts?
• What are some common processes for mass-producing metal parts?

Rapid Prototyping (RP) Versus Mass Production

• What is the difference between rapid prototyping and mass production?
• Can I use additive manufacturing to mass produce custom plastic parts?
• Can I use additive manufacturing to mass produce custom metal parts?

Design for Manufacturing / Assembly (DFM/A)

• What is Design for Manufacturing / Design for Assembly?
• How can I learn more about Design for Manufacturing?
• What work do I need to do prior to speaking with a manufacturer?
• What is different about manufacturing in Biotech?

Sourcing Components

• What is the difference between COTS parts and custom parts?
• How do I source commodity / COTS parts?
• How do I source critical COTS parts?
• How do I source custom plastic parts?
• How do I source custom electronics components like PCBs and cables?

Final assembly

• What are the pitfalls of doing final assembly myself?
• What are the pitfalls of hiring interns to do final assembly?
• What are the pitfalls with building my own manufacturing facility?
• How do I get my product assembled and shipped?

Lead times

• How long does it take to get an injection molded part made?
• How long does it take to get a die cast metal part made?
• How long does it take to get a machined part made?

Offshoring, Reshoring, Rightshoring

• Should I manufacture my product domestically or abroad?
• What is a typical Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) for low volume manufacturing in China?
• What is different about manufacturing in China in 2020?
• What are the biggest mistakes people make in manufacturing offshore?