> why do small startups choose to manufacture in China to begin with?
It's a variation on the premature optimization theme.
They think they will be volume buyers so they outsource the development to the same place that will be doing the manufacturing (China, usually).
But they forget that the design is a very interactive process and that manufacturing is much less so if you just outsource at 'board level'.
The story earlier about 'one-wheel' was a pretty good example of how you should start up your manufacturing. I'm sure that once they hit the volumes where outsourcing makes sense they'll do so but by then they will have an excellent idea of how to set up a quality control pipeline around their product to make sure they will continue to deliver quality products.
It's a variation on the premature optimization theme.
They think they will be volume buyers so they outsource the development to the same place that will be doing the manufacturing (China, usually).
But they forget that the design is a very interactive process and that manufacturing is much less so if you just outsource at 'board level'.
The story earlier about 'one-wheel' was a pretty good example of how you should start up your manufacturing. I'm sure that once they hit the volumes where outsourcing makes sense they'll do so but by then they will have an excellent idea of how to set up a quality control pipeline around their product to make sure they will continue to deliver quality products.