Any manufacturing consultants here? 1

[Renovator1]

Or know any good ones? We are applying for several "renewable energies" grants and one of the things the require is a third-party (i.e. - consultant) to provide a list of the equipment needed and how to lay it out for producing the product. In other words, we need to have an independent assessment of what equipment is necessary rather than take our word for it when we say we need a pick-n-place, reflow oven, solder paste dispenser, etc...

An example of someone I pulled off of Google that seems to do this sort of thing is ITM Consulting.

 

[RustyQLD]

The company I work for does manufacturing as well as design.
How formal do you need this info ?

 

[Renovator1]

My understanding is that we need an "estimate of of an estimate", so to speak. Literally, an estimate on what it would cost to estimate the equipment needed and, optionally, how best to lay it out on the shop floor, to efficiently manufacturer a given product.

So, we need to find consulting firms that advise OEMs on this sort of thing and get an estimate on what it would cost for them to do this work. Later on we will then need to actually have the estimate done by the consulting firm to make sure we don't squander the grant money buying the wrong stuff because we are clueless, etc... Something I find absolutely hilarious because if anyone knows how to squander money its the government... sigh.

 

[sreid]

You might try Brad Paden at Launch Point Technologies

http://www.launchpnt.com

They are a "Technology Incubator" with a lot of Grant experience.