How Much Does Hiring a Circuit Design Engineer Cost?

[NeedBioInfo]

Could anyone tell me approx how much circuit design engineers would cost, or where I could find ones that I could hire? Thanks

 

[Averagesupernova]

That depends on a lot of different things. You need to be more specific.

 

[NeedBioInfo]

My question was in regards to working out details for the construction of electronic circuits
I guess I still need to be more specific?
What other info do I need to include?
Thanks

 

[Integral]

A schematic would be the minimum required information. The complexity of your circiut will drive the cost. If you want a single custom circiut board made the cost will be quite high.

 

[NeedBioInfo]

Could you tell me (approx) about how much a single custom circiut board would probably/possibly cost? And maybe how I could contact a circuit design engineer? Thanks

 

[NeedBioInfo]

Where could I contact an actual circuit design engineer though? Thanks

 

[Ouabache]

On way of contacting an actual circuit designer is right here on PF. There are many kinds of circuits. If you outlined what it is you are trying to do, it would have a very good chance of catching the eye an EE who can help you.

 

[FredGarvin]

Depending on the complexity of the design, you can get custom pcb's made by quite a few places that advertise on the internet.

The last place I worked, one of the EE's used this place quite a few times. It was pretty slick:
http://www.expresspcb.com/

Again, the design and fabrication costs will greatly depend on what you need the circuitry to do.

 

[berkeman]

Could you tell me (approx) about how much a single custom circiut board would probably/possibly cost? And maybe how I could contact a circuit design engineer? Thanks

Just some round numbers, depending on where you are geographically, etc. Here in Silicon Valley, you will pay between $75-$150 per hour for consulting design time (more for specialties like IC design), and getting a prototype run of PCBs fabricated, built and tested will run you a couple hundred dollars a board, plus the cost of the components. A simple circuit might take only about 40 hours to design and get into fabrication. A more complex circuit will take a couple of months of work to design.

If you can be more specific on the following items, I can give you a better idea of the costs. I don't consult anymore, but I have a broad range of contacts if that helps:

-- What disciplines are involved in the circuit design? Analog, digital, RF, power, CPLD/FPGA, Phy, etc?

-- How complex will the final circuit board be? About how big? How many layers? How many components? How will it be powered?

-- Do you need agency certifications for the prototype board run? Like CE Mark certs for Europe, FCC/TUV radiated EMI certs? Intentional Radiator certs (like if you have a radio as part of the circuit)?