As technology continues to permeate every aspect of daily life, more and more people are finding new and exciting ways to put it to use. From everyday people utilizing tech at home and work to entrepreneurs making these advancements effective tools in building businesses, everybody is benefiting in one or more ways.
A select segment of people who have always had a knack for meddling with electronics as a hobby are now finding new and inventive ways to earn income via their knowledge. With a basic understanding of electronics, a bit of skill in using the internet and a knack for business, anybody can transform their electronics designs and schematics into tangible, sellable products.
Let’s examine some of the ways that tinkerers and designers can take these designs and convert them into cold, hard cash.
Sell the Digital Design Itself
Electronics designers and DIY enthusiasts the world over love to create their own custom electronics. There are a variety of skillsets involved in producing a product from start to finish: some may have all of the required hardware skills but lack the skill or desire to design a PCB circuit schematic from scratch.
Many people skilled at designing a custom PCB circuit or comparable electronic blueprint use a variety of freelance and/or community-based platforms to sell their electronics designs to the masses. For those seeking to manufacture various electronics from scratch, these designs and schematics can save DIY enthusiasts tons of time – something many are willing to pay for handsomely. Everything from PCB designs to 3D printing/CNC schematics are in demand by the masses.
Sell Custom Electronics Kits
Electronics designers who have a yearning to create custom components may find that such creativity can be even more rewarding when eliminating yet another step of the process for consumers. Websites such as Tindie are catered to buyers and sellers who are in the market for custom electronics components and kits, making it easy for designers to find interested audiences.
Some kits may include all of the components necessary to complete a specific product, while others may be a broad assortment of parts that allow for ample customization. Whether it’s a kit that includes a PCB circuit and various resistors and capacitors, or a package that is designed for one specific electronics construction project, you can earn more money per design sold by simplifying the process even more and including the required hardware components.
Sell the Completed Product
Designers who want to maximize the profitability and salability of their designs can also consider procuring solutions to manufacture functioning products using their designs. Websites such as SparkFun are constantly seeking new electronics components to purchase from designers who are able to manufacture their own products. Likewise, maker platforms like Ponoko allow designers to upload their schematics, have the custom products created for them, and then ship them to the designer for final assembly.
By being able to control each aspect of the supply chain and sell finished products based on your design, the ability to earn additional profit is dramatically increased. However, this method isn’t necessarily for everybody: some would prefer earning less per transaction and having fewer worries to juggle, making the other two options on this list appealing as well.
Ultimately, electronics designers have a variety of options for converting their custom designs into sellable products. Whether you choose to pursue a digital-only strategy in terms of selling the design, an unassembled kit/ product solution, a fully-constructed final product option, or all of the above, there are services and platforms that can make each of these strategies financially viable for designers of all backgrounds.
