Re: Reasonable price for signal generator?


"engineer" <geoffreygallo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1140640404.322938.37470@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Gents and Ladies,

I'm an engineer interested in marketing a portable (battery
powered) square wave generator.

I'd like to ask you what you think you would comfortably pay for
the device I have in mind, as follows;

Pros;
50 ohm output impedance nominal (lower at DC, higher at 1 MHz)
Output adjustable from 0 to 5 volts dc p-p.
Square wave (50% +/- 0.5% duty) from 1 Hz to 500 kHz, triangle
500 kHz to 1 MHz\
Output to 250 mA nominal current, 450 mA peak (dc A, not rms)
Nominal Battery life 58 hours.
Power LED.
BNC output
Screw terminal-option Banana (2) output too.
6 ranges, 1.8 decades each (overlapping), <1 Hz to >1MHz
'Heavy Duty' ABS plastic enclosure with battery compartment
Coarse frequency control pot 1.8 decades range
Fine frequency control pot +/- 3% range
Can drive a speaker directly in the audio range
Can drive a light bulb
Can drive any inductor since output protected by diodes.
Can drive a short circuit continuously
TTL compatible signal 1 Hz to 1 MHz.
Power on switch located in level control pot.
Overall dimensions 7" x 4" x 2"
Output buffered, internal voltage regulation.
Frequency continuously adjustable with low drift and jitter
600nS rise / fall times.
Weighs about 5 ounces and fits in any tool box.
Slightly stylish ergonomic black case, rectangular footprint.
Handmade to last a very, very, very long time.
No chinese or indonesian slaves were used in the manufacture.
Made in America, by an American (that and two dollars could get
me a coffee;)
Enclosure will resist cracking when dropped on hard surface.
4 Controls.

Cons;
Only a square wave output, which turns into a triangle wave at
500 kHz due to slew limit.
2mV nominal output offset (never goes to exactly zero)
DC offset not adjustable (signal goes from 0 to 5 or between as
set by level control)
No modulation input.
No DC power input option (just the 9 volt battery)
Doesn't go below 1 Hz or above 1 MHz
Nicely labelled, but not painted-on lettering.
No anti-skid feet.
0 buttons or toggle switches.

This unit is designed for portable use, by technicians in the field, or
by engineers relocating their project from the lab to living room.
It may be the only portable unit of it's capacity to have a bnc / 50
ohm output - or - thumb-screw terminals for attaching small components.


Given that it is good quality, with good, but slightly non-conventional
appearance, what would you expect to pay for one if you needed it?

They take several hours apiece to make one, but a buyer wouldn't know
that... all surface mount components, lead solder, cleaned double-sided
boards, conformal coated .. etc.

Thanks very much for considering my question regarding the asking price
for this unit.

- Geoff

For a change it's nice to see some cons listed!.
There is very little electronics in there, so maybe 98% of the build cost
will be mechanical items, costed out in small quantity say about $11.
There *should* be an assembly time labour cost of maybe 4$, giving total
manufacture costs of $15 and a sell out price based on say a 1.5 mark up of
say $22.
But ... I wouldn't buy one at that price :( reason is you're going to have
to offer far far more in the way of spec' than you are here.
For example, rise and fall times could easily be 10nS 0-5Vpp 50ohms all the
way to 10MHz using just (cheap) transistors and a 74HC logic gate.
Another example, The battery life of 54Hours is unbelievable. You must
assume that at least some part of the time a bulb or speaker just might be
connected. The case volume you have does not allow for a battery offering a
realistic life greater than an hour or so.
Honestly, I'm not intentionally being negative, it's just that I've seen the
disappointment in peoples faces resulting after much effort and time has
been spent on these type of projects.
Best learning curve though is personal experience :).
A valid offer price can be reached simply by pricing up your parts and own
labour cost. Add a suitable profit margin on and then offer the unit for
sale. (this is a UK perspective, details may be different in US but the
principle is similar)
john







.

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