142: Preparing Your Product for Manufacturing Overseas
Mike Deigan, Vice President at Global Link Sourcing, explains that inventors must provide a design ready for manufacturing, including detailed engineering and electronics footprints, rather than just a visual concept. He contrasts the risks of sourcing directly via Alibaba—where traders, quality issues, and payment terms create disaster—with the safety and expertise of using established agencies. Deigan emphasizes that proper design for manufacturing (DFM) requires 80% of the effort on engineering and prototyping to avoid costly errors and ensure a viable product.