Getting a designer for a new product made in china

[Jordan Valley]

Hi

I have come up with a new idea of a product (childrens spoon) that I would like to manufacture in China I have already spoken to a few manufacturers and they have seen my drawings however they want me to go to a designer to get the 3D design can anyone tell me whats the rough price for such a designer and can anyone advise me on a decent designer who fully understands working with chinese manufacturers

Thanks

 

[fisicx]

A question for @MOIC methinks.

As to the 3d model, there are loads of companies that can do this for you. If you have the design drawings they can just bang out a 3d printed prototype.

Depending on the level of service you require costs could be as low as £500.

 

[MOIC]

Happy to get involved, but . . . . . . . . . not just for the 3D design bit, and will also depend on the first provisional order.

 

[NickZ]

Depending on where you plan to sell, you need to make sure those children spoons are made in a plastic suitable for kids. Packing is done where?

Most 3rd world producers are happy to take your money. If they deliver the agreed products is not as sure though. Do you have people on the ground in China?

 

[fisicx]

Do you have people on the ground in China?

If you read the opening post - he is asking how to find a suitable manufacturer. If he had someone local he wouldn't need to ask the question.

 

[NickZ]

If you read the opening post - he is asking how to find a suitable manufacturer. If he had someone local he wouldn't need to ask the question.

China is not the UK.

You can have someone on the ground in one place and once that person (on the ground) needs to check, he has to travel 3000 Km roughly 1860 miles.

One thing is the suitable factory, another to have someone on the ground (to check).

 

[MOIC]

One thing is the suitable factory, another to have someone on the ground (to check).

I'm based in China, so can cover that area. The issue with someone who's not used to how China works, is the MOQ required to satisfy factory demands. Moulds are not cheap, so this has to be covered too. Not sure the OP is fully aware of what the process is. I may be wrong.

 

[Will.Lu]

I have come up with a new idea of a product (childrens spoon)

may I know the material of your spoon? I have some bamboo&wood spoon factory, and they have their own designers

 

[fisicx]

may I know the material of your spoon? I have some bamboo&wood spoon factory, and they have their own designers

It wouldn't be wood or bamboo - neither are suitable for children

 

[Will.Lu]

It wouldn't be wood or bamboo - neither are suitable for children

silicon?

 

[fisicx]

silicon?

Possibly, you would need to research current UK legislation on permitted materials for children. Your designers should already have the answers.

 

[Will.Lu]

Possibly, you would need to research current UK legislation on permitted materials for children. Your designers should already have the answers.

ok, I see. but I don't know silicon products very well, I don't know what's the standard for children use. but my college knows, and I can ask them for help if @Jordan Valley need.

 

[NickZ]

It wouldn't be wood or bamboo - neither are suitable for children

Really? Can you put a source to that?

 

[MOIC]

Really? Can you put a source to that?

@NickZ Totally agree.

Simply put, in business, don't believe what a Chinese person tells you.

 

[Will.Lu]

@NickZ Totally agree.

Simply put, in business, don't believe what a Chinese person tells you.

wow, what you said is interesting. I am Chinese, may I ask if someone from China did something bad to you?

 

[Will.Lu]

@NickZ Totally agree.

Simply put, in business, don't believe what a Chinese person tells you.

As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.

 

[MOIC]

wow, what you said is interesting. I am Chinese, may I ask if someone from China did something bad to you?

I have over 40 years experience in working in China and the majority will lie when it suits them and can be the most selfish people on the planet.

Probably down to education.

I've lived in China for the past 20 years, purely for business, not pleasure.

 

[Will.Lu]

I have over 40 years experience in working in China and the majority will lie when it suits them and can be the most selfish people on the planet.

Probably down to education.

I've lived in China for the past 20 years, purely for business, not pleasure.

Well, I see. Sounds some unpleasant things happened to you. And I am terribly sorry for what you suffered from. People who lie must be criticised, not only Chinese, but also others. I hate people who lie to me, and I also cheated by some unreliable factories when I used to work as a kitchenware sales rep.

 

[anson_kingson]

Hi

I have come up with a new idea of a product (childrens spoon) that I would like to manufacture in China I have already spoken to a few manufacturers and they have seen my drawings however they want me to go to a designer to get the 3D design can anyone tell me whats the rough price for such a designer and can anyone advise me on a decent designer who fully understands working with chinese manufacturers

Thanks

We have some mold developers who will produce 3D drawings and models based on your design. The price is about 3000-5000 pounds, depending on your design and product.Ps send email to anson1214#gmail.com,thanks

 

[NickZ]

Simply put, in business, don't believe what a Chinese person tells you.

Lying is not more common than many believe. It is certainly not limited to the Chinese People. In message boards you always need to quote when giving out bold statements.

 

[MOIC]

Lying is not more common than many believe. It is certainly not limited to the Chinese People. In message boards you always need to quote when giving out bold statements.

Spend as much time as I have in China, you'll understand.

Another sad trait, the majority of factories will never admit blame if a product is faulty.

I can go on and on, but what's the point.

 

[NickZ]

Spend as much time as I have in China, you'll understand.

I've spent time in several countries so it is not limited to China alone.

 

[pentel]

Another sad trait, the majority of factories will never admit blame if a product is faulty.

You only find out the quality of any company when things go wrong...

 

[MOIC]

I've spent time in several countries so it is not limited to China alone.

I speak as I find.

I work in several countries in Asia, as well as Europe and none come anywhere near as bad as the Chinese for blatant lies and not taking ownership of mistakes.

It's not isolated incidents from one or 2 factories, but it's in their business nature to say yes, yes yes, to all your questions . . . . . .then mistakes come when sampling takes place, often from not understanding fully a customer's requirements (which we give in a 'baby proof' format. They are masters of not blaming themselves when errors happen.

Just my experience and I'm sure others will have theirs.

Having said the above, we work with factories that we can trust and have built a good relationship over many years of collaboration, albeit with initial errors which we iron out in contracts. it takes time, experience and patience to find the 'right' factory.

Buying from China with your eyes closed can be very dangerous and costly.

 

[MOIC]

You only find out the quality of any company when things go wrong...

I agree, but what gets me is the lack of ownership to errors which are made on their side.

 

[Will.Lu]

I agree, but what gets me is the lack of ownership to errors which are made on their side.

you must have business with unreliable factories. maybe you need to visit more factories.

 

[MOIC]

you must have business with unreliable factories. maybe you need to visit more factories.

LOL

 

[Will.Lu]

LOL

There is one more thing I am curious about: you have been in China for a very long time, but it seems that you always feel unhappy when something happened to your business. may I ask if you really run a good business? if I'm a person with rich experiences, I will ask myself if I find the the right and reliable factories before placing an order. I choose the factory not only because their lower price, but also their profession and reliability. I have met a great number of customers who just care about prices, they pay much attention to offers, but ignore the quality. So, there must be something wrong happened to their order, quality issues, delay of ETD, etc. In a summary, most of customers do know the risk when he place an order with a very very low price at the very beginning, but they still dream to have a good quality.

 

[MOIC]

There is one more thing I am curious about: you have been in China for a very long time, but it seems that you always feel unhappy when something happened to your business. may I ask if you really run a good business? if I'm a person with rich experiences, I will ask myself if I find the the right and reliable factories before placing an order. I choose the factory not only because their lower price, but also their profession and reliability. I have met a great number of customers who just care about prices, they pay much attention to offers, but ignore the quality. So, there must be something wrong happened to their order, quality issues, delay of ETD, etc. In a summary, most of customers do know the risk when he place an order with a very very low price at the very beginning, but they still dream to have a good quality.

We work with international brands, so . . . . . . . . .

 

[Will.Lu]

We work with international brands, so . . . . . . . . .

sorry, not intrested in your business. I talked about a another topic......

 

[Jordan Valley]

I still havent got many answers about rough prices for a product appearance designer, another question is how do I gaurantee myself that the factory who is manufacturing my product wont just duplicate it for other brands whats the legal way to go about this issue and does it have to be done in China and every country I would like to sell it, or is there some international agreements ? Who pays the price of the Engineer, me or the Factory producing?

 

[fisicx]

how do I gaurantee myself that the factory who is manufacturing my product wont just duplicate it for other brands

You can't. No matter how many checks and inspections your agent does the factory could still sell on your product. This is why you need to engage @MOIC to help you on your journey.

If you have the design you can engage a company to make the prototypes and the engineering drawings. This isn't cheap but it is a necessary part of the process. Have you made a model of your idea? This could be using modelling clay, carved out of wood, bits of cardboard, tin foil? Doesn't matter what you use as long as the designer can see what you want made.

 

[Jordan Valley]

You can't. No matter how many checks and inspections your agent does the factory could still sell on your product. This is why you need to engage @MOIC to help you on your journey.

If you have the design you can engage a company to make the prototypes and the engineering drawings. This isn't cheap but it is a necessary part of the process. Have you made a model of your idea? This could be using modelling clay, carved out of wood, bits of cardboard, tin foil? Doesn't matter what you use as long as the designer can see what you want made.

What is the Legal way ?

 

[fisicx]

What is the Legal way ?

There is no legal way. If BMW and LandRover couldn't stop their designs being copied you don't have any chance.

The alternative is to get them made in the UK.

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

There is no legal way. If BMW and LandRover couldn't stop their designs being copied you don't have any chance.

The alternative is to get them made in the UK.

Pretty much this. Another alternative that we do for some clients (but this depends on the make up of the product) is to tool different components with different factories/locations, and then find an assembly factory that can assemble and pack... OR even assemble in one location and pack in another.

The individual component factories have no idea what the components they're producing are for, the assembly factory doesn't know where each component comes from and doesn't really know or care what they're assembling.

But yeah you would need support on the ground from someone like ourselves or MOIC to do that and you'd have to be confident of some good volumes to get all that up and running.

 

[fisicx]

....and you'd have to be confident of some good volumes to get all that up and running.

Which is another consideration. If you want them to tool up to make spoons the MOQ could easily be tens of thousands.

 

[Essex_Moulder]

I run a plastic injection moulding company based in Basildon and offer 3D CAD design for plastic moulded products. Usually, I do this with an aim to be the injection moulder of the final product, however I'm also happy to just do the 3D design bit and supply you with the 3D CAD model required for tooling to be manufactured from.
In terms of protecting your idea, it seems to me that it's too late for that if you've already shown the design idea to a Chinese manufacturer. In order for an idea to be protected you need to have a patent on it and, as far as I know, if you've shown the idea to others without a non-disclosure agreement in place then it either can't be patented, or at last would be difficult to patent.
Message me if you want me to have a look at it for you.

 

[MOIC]

Whilst it may be too late to apply for a patent (huge research and costs), you may be able to have the design registered.

 

[BEP Packaging]

I am based in China. To make a spoon same as your design, it indeed need a 3D design, which can be .stp format. The professional 3D designers know how to draw it.

 

[CHUKTC]

What an extraordinary thread! With so much invective and dare I say vitriol. All the original post asked for was the name of a decent designer who was familiar working with Chinese factories (I assume based in the UK although the post doesnt say this) and an idea of cost to make a 3D design. Whilst the latter is difficult to advise without seeing the design the former is relatively straight forward. Surely this forum can do better than this! Most of the larger 3D design houses based in the UK (certainly those dealing with plastic moulded products) will have extensive expreience dealing with China given its probably the largest manufacture of these kinds of products.

On a separate point regarding protecting your intellectual property in our experience it is extreamly unlikely the factory you ultimately chose to make your product will copy it and sell elsewhere (in all honesty they are just not set up to do this). Te reality is that someone sees your product likes it, buys one and reverse engineers it and gets it made elsewhere. Protecting against this as alluded to above can be a very expensive process and often prohibitively so.