Building a product from another products components

[mrnewtobusiness]

I currently have an idea which I think is a good one. It involves creating a new product using a component from an existing product. The task would involve taking a fully functioning piece of electronics and embedding it in another more friendly piece of casing.

An example would be breaking the casing of something like a USB pen drive and placing this component into a different piece of casing eg: a nicer one to look at.

My questions about this idea are:-

Will the company that manufactured the component I plan to use, object? and do they have the right to object?

I presume the company that manufactured the device whose component I plan to use must have to adhere to safety standards. If I am simply using their component does that mean that I have no safety standards to adhere to as essentially I am resuing a component that has already passed certain criteria. This leads me to believe that the only requirement of myself is that I successfully rehouse this component and this is not subject to anything.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[gapgb]

I used to run several engineering businesses who would sell their products to others to build into an end system, usually refered to as OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) accounts.

a) I would imagine they would be more than happy to do business with you and sell you the item in whatever form you need it.

b) you will be responsible for the safety of the equipment and its compliance with regulations. You will have to document your selection of components and designs. They will be resonsible to you for providing documentation but you cannot get round your responsibilties once you buy something and alter it in some way.

 

[Astaroth]

You would be responsible for the safety to the end user - at the end of the day most mid sized PC manufactures will not be actually making a single part but simply building it from a number of components.

If you were sued for damages due to an injury caused by your system you could call in one of the suppliers of your parts (subject to your contract with them) as co-defendants and it would then be up to the court to decide which company was negligent - ie were the manufactures negligent but you couldnt have reasonably seen the flaw or are you both negligent as the product does have a flaw and you should have known or is it purely your responsibility for miss using the item or causing damage to it which was the cause of the injury.

I have to admit I dont know about manufacturing & assembly etc

 

[Pilfo]

Will the company that manufactured the component I plan to use, object? and do they have the right to object?

This leads me to believe that the only requirement of myself is that I successfully rehouse this component and this is not subject to anything.

There may be some intellectual property issues here!

Pilfo