Gauging interest in custom machined robotics parts
photomankc
Posts: 943
Hopefully this doesn't violate rules, if so then I'm sure the mods will be in touch.
I'm contemplating the purchase of a more turn-key CNC mill as I have run my course on my retrofit. I've lost interest in tearing it down and putting it back together to add a new features now. I'm looking hard at the Novakon Pulsar machine as a replacement. One of the things I have been interested in doing is starting a business to do side work with these machines with no expectation it would be self-supporting only that it provides some side income. I naturally thought of people doing robotics work as being potentially interested. So I wanted to gauge the level of interest in a service that was similar to hobby PCB manufacturing. Basic machined parts for a flat fee for say 1 - 6 copies of the design. Potentially additional flat rates for prats that require multiple sides machined. Like PCBs, most of the time cost is in setup for a job so there is simply no way to make it worthwhile for a single part but if you need multiples then the price per part becomes reasonable. A shop that has to feed it's employees simply can not do custom jobs for a rate that makes sense for an individual. Having inquired a few times I know the price can be breath-taking. Another consideration will be material choice. AL and plastics are generally the most easy going material to work in. Stainless or titanium is on the opposite end and chews up tooling much faster and takes much longer to complete a run.
Obviously price is a major issue. At $20 flat rate, it's not even worth cost of consumables to do it. At $100 it far more worthwhile but it's probably starting to price people out. So assuming a pricing of around $10 to $15 per piece would there be much interest from the folks on this board?
Requirements would be:
-Properly scaled JPEG or DXF drawing with specified dimensions.
-General Tolerance of +/- 0.003" for edges and drilled holes.
-Bored holes +/- 0.001" diameter and +/- 0.003" position.
-User Supplies Material or Pays cost of material
I'm contemplating the purchase of a more turn-key CNC mill as I have run my course on my retrofit. I've lost interest in tearing it down and putting it back together to add a new features now. I'm looking hard at the Novakon Pulsar machine as a replacement. One of the things I have been interested in doing is starting a business to do side work with these machines with no expectation it would be self-supporting only that it provides some side income. I naturally thought of people doing robotics work as being potentially interested. So I wanted to gauge the level of interest in a service that was similar to hobby PCB manufacturing. Basic machined parts for a flat fee for say 1 - 6 copies of the design. Potentially additional flat rates for prats that require multiple sides machined. Like PCBs, most of the time cost is in setup for a job so there is simply no way to make it worthwhile for a single part but if you need multiples then the price per part becomes reasonable. A shop that has to feed it's employees simply can not do custom jobs for a rate that makes sense for an individual. Having inquired a few times I know the price can be breath-taking. Another consideration will be material choice. AL and plastics are generally the most easy going material to work in. Stainless or titanium is on the opposite end and chews up tooling much faster and takes much longer to complete a run.
Obviously price is a major issue. At $20 flat rate, it's not even worth cost of consumables to do it. At $100 it far more worthwhile but it's probably starting to price people out. So assuming a pricing of around $10 to $15 per piece would there be much interest from the folks on this board?
Requirements would be:
-Properly scaled JPEG or DXF drawing with specified dimensions.
-General Tolerance of +/- 0.003" for edges and drilled holes.
-Bored holes +/- 0.001" diameter and +/- 0.003" position.
-User Supplies Material or Pays cost of material
Comments
It may well be that I'd be better off looking for ways to make useful assemblies that could be added to bots rather than customized parts.
If you are getting the machine anyway, and leave this option open, you would start getting responses over the next year as new projects present a demand (old projects have already been addressed). After 5 years, you would be able to make a decision as to whether this would be self supporting.
If you are getting the machine anyway, you have the time (forever) to gather sufficient data to make an informed decision. If you are not getting the machine, the question is moot.
I have many "would have done" projects that stopped due to nonavailability of custom parts. These project get revisited as the opportunity arises. No need to give up too soon.
You are indeed correct that if I am getting it anyway that I don't really need to have a portfolio of waiting business to justify a start-up loan. I'm just trying to see if this is even something that people are sitting around saying "I wish I was able to get that thing in my head made", or not. In thinking it over I do see that there is a great deal of improvised work here that probably doesn't lend itself to strict dimensions and such. I also see people that want to build heavier and more purpose-built and permanent projects and that such a service may allow them to create a mechanism as they desire it vs how the standard hardware forces it.
No, not giving up. I just think the level of interest is probably lower than I imagined it in my head, because in *my* head I'm designing my robots around my hobby.
Just advertising that you have the capability and are wiling to offer services at a reasonable fee can help people when they get to that decision point. I know I got the equipment for myself to make custom parts so I wouldn't have to make that decision and that is a very costly path but it works for me and with where I'm taking my hobbies.
Bob
I think most hobby roboticists try to plan their robot builds based on the tools and materials they're familiar with.
A few months ago while planning a build I initially couldn't figure out how to build the robot I wanted without some custom machined parts. I kept thinking about how to make it without these parts until I figured out an alternative design.
Had I read this post four months ago, I might have pursued the custom machined parts.
I bet many of us will file this offer away in the back of our minds until a need for your services presents itself.
Every once in awhile, you may want to update this or another thread with pictures of parts you've made and remind people of your services.
6061 or 7075 with light cuts and small diameter tools and it might be able to do a decent job on it Some routers are serviceable for metal cutting but far from ideal. Acetyl however should cut like a dream. The stuff is almost as expensive as AL though so I often just go with AL anyway.
Agree. I see people that turn CD packages into small bots and do an awesome job of it with nothing but hand tools.
I will try to update this now and again with things I've built. My current machine is capable of good work but I would not want to take on a ton of paid work on it, it's simply not built to crank out any volume at all. However, In the mean time if anyone has something they need made please feel free to shoot me an email to public_at_cranehome.info and I'll see if it fits with my capabilities and get back to you.
It's the chicken and the egg problem..without access to custom parts people design with off the shelf stuff...with custom AFFORDABLE capability available it takes time for people to design it in.
Give it time and be accessible..if you can build it they will come. ;<)