Prismshian,
I think Waidesworld gave you some good advice. Communication is the key, and when working with an overseas manufacturer it is important to talk to someone who can clearly understand your needs and your language.
I was not intending to make a blanket statement about the cost difference between U.S. and overseas manufacturers. However, this article
So Much for the cheap 'China Price' (BusinessWeek June 4, 2009) discusses the decreasing cost advantage in more detail:
"In 2005, AlixPartners found that by the time the items had arrived at a
U.S. port, Chinese-made parts were 22% cheaper on average than those
produced in the U.S. By the end of 2008, however, the average price gap
had dropped to 5.5%, which often isn't large enough to merit the hassle
of manufacturing halfway around the world."
So my suggestion is do your research, and get quotes from both overseas & local manufacturers and see which is more competitive (including hidden costs). If the price difference is relatively small, that is it really advantageous to have the component manufactured overseas?
Of course, there are some items that are now only produced overseas (example: tooling to manufacture product was shipped overseas), so in those cases you will have to work with an overseas factory. When a component is only available from an overseas factory, how do you determine which factory to use if several are available in the local area? Do you contact each potential factory individually and how do you verify the quality, reliability and working conditions of the employees?
I am a consultant / contractor who provides design services to my clients (using SolidWorks or Pro-E), and I will refer clients to domestic manufacturers when requested as I have not yet developed a strong relationship with overseas manufacturers. You need to be aware that some design firms (not all, just a few) will only refer clients to their overseas manufacturing partner. Choose your own contract manufacturer wisely.
Chris
Edited by: c_thompson_68