Can I use Arduinos (boards, sensors, actuators, etc.) for commercial/industrial products? Do you have any things I should know?

[Manuj_Jaiswal]

Hello there

I have an idea for a consumer-grade product and its expansion to an industrial system. How far can I go with using Arduino components?

What I'm planning on going with right now is using Arduino nano/micro with off-the-shelf sensors, relays, displays, actuators, and communication (Bluetooth, radio, wifi, etc.) modules (the ones you see on Reddit/Youtube/Arduino Project Hub projects) on a machined PCB (or even a handmade one for the first few maybe) to put everything together and have 3D printed casings for everything.

I have a prototype with components that are not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. What are my limitations here in terms of the sensors? I know https://www.dfrobot.com/ has these expensive industrial (Gravity) sensors, but I want to know how much they differ from the cheaper sensors and when that difference affects the product/system.

What's the difference between an Arduino-based system and similar products from 'Big' or 'Professional' businesses (besides the costs at scale, of course)? Basically, I'm trying to know the difference in reliability. If I use the 'hobby-grade' Arduino components for the consumer product and the industrial-grade sensors in my industrial product, will I be an acceptable competitor in the respective markets?

Also, are Arduino components commonly used in commercial projects? I've seen Raspberry Pi(s) used in some places but what's the reality here?

I plan to hire an electronic hardware specialist to design a circuit board/system from scratch once I make enough revenue and look forwards to scaling. Any thoughts on this?

I've asked a lot of questions and will be grateful for any responses concerning any of them

[Paul_KD7HB]

What ever you decide to do, make it so it is easily serviced so you can replace components without destroying the product. Have plenty of replacement units. Be sure you liability insurance covers you and your product. Form a business/LLC or corporation to insulate, somewhat, yourself from personal liability.

Use only UL approved power supplies.

[srnet]

Consider, from the very outset, how you will get your products through the various certifications and approvals pertinent to your part of the world. This can be particularly tricky, time consuming and expensive for RF devices. Consult an expert in the field at the beginning.

Make sure that for any software libraries you use, the authors have given permission for them to be used in the type of commercial product you are selling.