The Wire That Starts It

The following entry is just sharing how I stumbled my way through productization. If you copy my steps and it blows up in your face (legally, financially, or otherwise), that’s on you, not me. For real advice, ask someone whose job it is to give it.

As the title heavily implies, it is time to pay my supplier and finally get the ball rolling on production! In this first run of 2 samples, I have 3 primary goals:

• To test the tolerances and design updates made during DFM.

• Do a full run-through of logistics for the later mass production runs.

• Get a presentable product in its mostly final form that I can showcase to potential carriers.

Before ordering, make sure to clarify everything with your supplier. In this industry, miscommunication is one of the leading causes of failures, especially in cases like these with language and time zone barriers. Specifically, make sure you have an official invoice provided by the factory, usually with their branding, and that it includes the following information:

• Date

• Order number

• Payment method

• Customer information:

  • Your name

  • Phone or email

  • Legal company name

  • Company address

• Supplier information:

  • Primary contact name

  • Phone or email

  • Legal company name

  • Company address

• Item details, quantity, and unit price

• Lead time

• Subtotal before taxes

• Taxes and fees

• Grand total

• Signature, stamp, or electronic confirmation

Once this has all been confirmed, it can never hurt to double-check everything again. All of this is to make sure you have eliminated at least all of the known possible issues in the production line, after which you will be in a good spot to place the order, making The Wire That Starts It all.

Caption: Clarifying every detail explicitly with the supplier.

Note:

After all the work, we are now entering a phase of mostly idle waiting for the suppliers, given their estimated lead time of 55 days. As the new school year rolls around, I will be taking a short hiatus from these weekly posts. Yet before signing off, I’d like to offer a word of encouragement.

I started this log partly as a personal memento, but more than that, I started it to give back to the engineering community that has helped me so much. If one day someone with an idea comes along and feels encouraged—or even inspired—to walk down this path, I will have done my part.

So stop hesitating. Be brave. Be bold. Take that first step and start your own wire that could start it all.