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Ask HN: Building Custom Hardware

7 points by kajecounterhack ↗ HN
Since I started frequenting HN, I've always enjoyed reading about software startups, but it has only recently occurred to me that I really have no idea how to get into brick-and-mortar manufacturing. A lot of sweet software ideas require custom hardware manufacturing -- e.g how did they build wakemates and the JooJoo and fitbits? How do we commission a factory, or more simply, purchase prototypes? And I'm not beyond going ahead and trying to manufacture them myself if it isn't too far-fetched.

Just unanswered questions in my mind, was wondering if HN could shed some light.

Even knowing what kinds of people in college would learn how to do this stuff would be useful. (e.g what majors? ECE? EE? I'm specifically talking about electronic hardware.)

3 comments

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us
I don't know everything involving the whole process but in regards to what you would study in college for the type of people involved in creating hardware are often mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, and industrial designers.

A good source of finding out the types of positions for these things also are looking at current companies in the hardware space, such as Apple. Their job boards are very telling =]

kajecounterhack
Looking at job boards never really occurred to me. Thanks man, I'll try that. Pretty creative idea.
stbtrax
you don't really need an academic background to get started with it. A simple route would be: 1. get familiar with an 8-bit microcontroller( Arduino is in vogue, the only problem is it abstracts the parts you are trying to learn so you'll have to dig deeper into it)

2. learn about a simple layouts(what components you'll need to get a microcontroller running on a breadboard).

3. read datasheets for parts--they'll tell you most of what you need to know.

4. learn about pcb design(fairly simple)

There is a great wealth of knowledge that has sprung up recently in the open hardware community. I would point you to adafruit.com and sparkfun.com for beginner tutorials. From there it'll get you to 70% of a design for a hypothetical commercial product. The other 30%--quality testing, industrial/mechanical design, part sourcing you'll have to glean on your own.