UNTEngineer:
codlink:
If you read all the posts, you would not be asking that question.
On a serious note, most engineers get paid in upword of 6 digits. But freelancers like to charge by the hour, around $50+.
This sounds like a super simple project…the up front charges sounds like price gauging to me (or a joke).
$50/hr sounds good, but as Im busy with other projects, I’d have to decline.
Really? Let’s take a look, shall we.
The description is that it is a circuit that has three input buttons, some timing features, and a temperature sensor and the basic operation is stated. So the basic requirements are already known. A HUGE plus in my experience.
So assume we don’t need too much work to get the exact requirements that everyone can agree on. Let’s assume that this takes a grand total of two hours of writing and reading email, documenting the requirements and making sure that everyone agrees.
Stage 1= 2 hours
So how big can this PC board be? Does it have to fit into an enclosure? Is it battery or A/C powered or both? What happens on battery/AC failover? What size battery? What kind of power cord? Is he going to build 1, 10, or 10k? Let’s say this takes (being generous) about 3 hours to resolve.
Stage 2= 3 hours
We now know the operational requirements and physical limitations and what production quantity to design for. The basic circuit design and initial firmware will likely take under 2 hours. Assume you’ve done something similar so component selection, including checking for price breaks at the expected periodic quantities and parts not on limited lifetime and ordering will take less than 2 hours. PC board layout another four (remember to capture your time on everything from starting up the tool to getting verified, good Gerber files out) if you’re fast.
Documenting your design decisions, parts, generating BOM, let’s say 2 hours.
Stage 3= 2 + 4 + 2 + 2 = 10 hours
Board comes back from vendor, components are in hand. Time to assemble it
Everything goes well, first board powers up in 1 hour. Firmware loaded. Runs the “go path.” Create a set of tests to test the edge conditions and any likely failure modes. Create a board test fixture. Perhaps add self-test feature if it can be supported. Being optimistic, this takes about 6 hours.
Stage 4= 6 + 1 = 7 hours
Collect all documentation and make sure it’s in a “shippable” state. Make sure you have filed all information away for the inevitable change requests and when you’re asked an obscure question about this design a year later. Let’s say that all gets done in 1 hour.
Stage 5= 1 hour
So for all stages, assuming nothing goes wrong, and applying some little measure of engineering and manufacturing discipline it took us 23 hours to conceptualize and ship this little temperature timer board. At a low-average rate here in the Midwest of $100/hour, that’s $2,300 for the first unit.
That price is unrealistically low, but I don’t think it’s too far off. Remember, in all cases, I assumed everything goes perfectly right and this project is “cake.” That’s an easy way to screw yourself over.
