Mechanical prototypes

Protolabs / Protomold / FirstCut
Quickparts
eMachineShop

others at http://replicatorinc.com/blog/

Also, there are various 3D printers out there - plus the opensource reprap/makerbot ideas.

For quick turnarounds of simpler parts, though, FirstCut with HDPE or Nylon is hard to beat.

Surplus stores

Marlin P Jones and Associates mpja.com
Surplus Center surpluscenter.com
C&H is still around, but in a much smaller form
All Electronics

Safety / Emissions Compliance

Generally speaking, all electronics products have to meet EMC/EMI (emissions and emmunity) tests for sale. In addition, products with any "high voltage" components are required to meet safety tests.

In the US, the "UL" or equivalent mark is required.
For Europe, testing to meet the CE requirements is needed.

Medical DeviceLink has a nice summary of the key international standards:
http://www.devicelink.com/mem/emc.html

For North America, the FCC Part 47 and UL standards apply. Specifically, there is no immunity requiremens for NorAm.

Cortex M3 bringup

When bringing up the Cortex M3 (the Luminary chip on the board), we'll need a compiler/linker toolchain. IAR's is nice, but expensive. It turns out that CodeSourcery has G++ products, including a lite version -- the following blog mentions the process nicely:
http://repstrap-cerberus.blogspot.com/2009/05/bringing-up-baby-new-to-me-cortex-m3.html

Creepage

http://www.ce-mag.com/ce-mag.com/archive/01/03/ProductSafety.html

A plastics design/production firm

http://www.pro-des.com/product.htm

Belts and gears

Here are some resources for belts and gears and other "drive" items:

http://www.sdp-si.com/ - they have an extensive online catalog and technical education material section.
http://www.econobelt.com/
http://www.drillspot.com/



BTW, the info first came from chiefdelphi.com - a robotics related forum.

Goertzel algorithm for tone detection

Came across an interesting algorithm today - the Goeretzel algorithm - which is used to detect specific frequencies in a sample. For example, detecting DTMF presses on the phone. There is a write up in wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goertzel_algorithm

A SDCC dev list member pointed out that for some applications, it is sufficient to use quadrature square waves to detect/demodulate specific frequencies. I need to look into this more (see sdcc user request list 2009-May-14 from Scott Dattalo). So far, I've come across:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detector_(radio)
http://www.commsdesign.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=192200456

Administrative / Business Resources

Project Management Resources:

• http://www.projectconnections.com/ - Premium membership includes templates/forms that are useful for gathering requirements, doing statement of work, proposals, et cetra.

Checklist for making and selling a product

Checklist of things to consider when making/selling a product:

Marketing

• Market analysis of pricing and competitive space
  
• Website
• Print and pdf brochures
  
• Print or Broadcast Advertising
• Search Engine Optimization / Online Ads

Sales and Fulfillment

• Customer service via website and telephone.
  
• E-Commerce platform / payment acceptor (credit card, paypal)
  
• Packaging and Shipping

Support

• Product documentation - Installation manual, operation manual / user guide.
• Customer support via website and telephone.
  

Branding

• Brand Style guide
• Design language
• Brand name, logo, tagline

Product Design

• Software
• Electronics - Hardware, firmware
• Mechanical
• Industrial design
• Design documentation - manufacturing documentation, field support documentation. Part number and revision tracking.

Supply Chain

• Manufacturing capacity (lead time, throughput)
  
• Logistics (for production and fulfillment)

Regulatory / Compliance / Standards

• EMC (FCC, CISPR/CE, +much more!)
  
• Safety (UL, CE, +much more!)
• Environmental regulation (WEEE, E-waste fees, RoHS)
  
• Any other applicable industry standards

"Cultural" Factors

• Local regulation (with possible requirement for local representation for market or regulatory reasons)
  
• Language issues

IP

• Are there existing IP conflicts?
• Can you generate new IP that are defensible?
  
• Can you license the IP instead of making/selling the item?
  

Design firms

I'm using this post to collect design firms... This is just a list. I have no experience/endorsements/etc.

http://www.designcatapult.com/ - Offers a "$5,001" "mind jog" service.



Motorola has their own rapid prototyping service now! http://www.1prototype.com/index.html

RoHS and WEEE

The EU rules on RohS/WEEE are 2002/95/EC and 2002/96/EC:

The RoHD directive (http://www.rohs.eu/english/legislation/docs/launchers/launch-2002-95-EC.html) prescribes the elimination of various hazardous substances. The specific limits does not appear in this document. Instead, 2005/618/EC (http://www.rohs.eu/english/legislation/docs/launchers/launch-2005-618-EC.html) amends 2002/95/EC and prescribes the limits:

‘For the purposes of Article 5(1)(a), a maximum concentration
value of 0,1 % by weight in homogeneous
materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated
biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl
ethers (PBDE) and of 0,01 % by weight in homogeneous
materials for cadmium shall be tolerated.’

(0.1% = 1,000 ppm. 0.01% = 100ppm)

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive (http://www.rohs.eu/english/legislation/docs/launchers/launch-2002-96-EC.html) prescribes actions to reduce the entry of EEE's into waste-streams with directives for design for easy recovery of materials, and setting up collection programs for spent devices.