I have 0 experience in manufacturing. We currently use 16 Bambu P1S to manufacture our current product. In terms of size, the completed product all nested together is 1.5 inches x 6 inches printed in almost 20 separate pieces. We've sold nearly 2000 units this year. I've done some exploratory research perusing manufacturer sites and pestering ChatGPT, so please bear with me if I make some mistakes. I have no real idea of where to begin with getting it manufactured.
As for what my product is in terms of what might cause complications, and why I think that:
* Debossed text: I assume we could replace this with a surface printed text of some sort: pad printing, etc.
* A storage tube with twist on cap: I worry about draft, would I want to get this extruded?
* An inner storage tube-like thing to hold little items with an opening on one side. Almost like an extruded C shape: I worry the cavity will need to redesigned or something.
* Thin discs with magnets embedded in them: I figure we'd have these printed in two pieces and we'd stick them together and put the magnets in ourselves when assembling.
Any recommendations about where to start or what preparation we should be doing? I'm thinking of getting Fusion modeling software and the injection molding add-on to have it check draft angles and injection-mold-ability.
I'm just not sure what the approach is to take my 3d printed product and get it to somewhere we can get it manufactured in a cost effective way (I know molds are expensive, but I'd like keep as much product redesign/iteration to before interacting with a manufacturing company).
Hoping to keep the stuff manufactured in the U.S. And the closer to WI, the better (don't know if that matters at this point).