Hamilton wrote:

>          My first post was not to clear.  'I' don't want to start a business!
> (yet). I just want to know a price For DEVOLOPMENT of a device (Schematics,
> prototype, and board layout).   There has got to be a somewhat round figure
> for the engineering skills to build projects for "Another Company."  What
> do you charge them? Of course there are many variables, just needed a
> starting point. Sorry if this thread is getting out of line.


This is a much easier question, its called your consulting rate. In the San
 Francisco
bay area its between $50 and $175 per hour and I'd guess that single PIC circuit
would be expected to take somewhere between 4 and 16 hours to develop,
depending on the complexity of the peripheral circuitry. This rate is usually
"plus expenses", typical hardware design these days is design it, send it out
to be layed out, send it out to AP or whereever to have a couple of boards built
up, bring up the boards, correct any errors. Iterate the layout/board process
 one
more time to make sure the production boards are in fact ready, then sign off
on the device. (ie release it to manufacturing)

It can take more time if there are packaging issues (you have to design a box
 for it)
or if you're responsible for sheparding the device through agency (ie FCC or UL)
approval.

--Chuck