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Oke so let's to with a bit of napkin math. First materials: 3d printed enclosure: $167.68 (unlikely to get a better price for quantities a hobbyist will self a

Oke so let's to with a bit of napkin math. First materials: 3d printed enclosure: $167.68 (unlikely to get a better price for quantities a hobbyist will self assemble) PCB for controller + parts, it's not listed in the article but let's assume it's 25$. PCB for the LED panels + parts. Let's also assume 25$. So now we are already at $213.68. Then let's factor in labor. Someone who can create something like this would not struggle with asking $100 per hour. I dare say assembling the entire thing, correcting possible errors, testing boxing + shipping will take more then 6 hours. Only placing the LED's will take a significant amount of time. So no I don't think it's profitable to sell this for $1000.

dylan604 5y ago
For $167.68 per 3D print at 100 copies, you'd easily be better off buying the 3D printer and doing the printing yourself for much cheaper. So yes, a hobbiest could get better prices. It is DIY after all.
- rowanG077 5y ago
  What? The HP MJF printers start at $130,000. You are at little more then 10% of the price for 100 copies... This machine is not a hobbyist 3D printer. Besides even if you would magically have 0 material cost. it's so labor intensive that's it's not worth it at $1000.
  - imtringued 5y ago
    What's labor intensive about it? Mass producing and assembling PCBs is very cheap. A Chinese manufacturer will make you an injection mold for $2000 and then you can produce thousands of plastic parts for almost nothing. I think the mistake you are making is that the processes that make 1000 units are completely different to making one unit ten times. The design gets streamlined for manufacturing. Nobody is going to hand solder wires to fix a botched PCB layout 1000 times. You'll just redesign the PCB layout and try again.
    - rowanG077 5y ago
      Did you miss something? This entire thread is PRECISELY about NOT using mass production capabilities, as in a hobbyist builds a few of them. My point earlier was that it can be profitable if you do use mass production facilities.

dylan604 5y ago

For $167.68 per 3D print at 100 copies, you'd easily be better off buying the 3D printer and doing the printing yourself for much cheaper. So yes, a hobbiest could get better prices. It is DIY after all.

rowanG077 5y ago
What? The HP MJF printers start at $130,000. You are at little more then 10% of the price for 100 copies... This machine is not a hobbyist 3D printer. Besides even if you would magically have 0 material cost. it's so labor intensive that's it's not worth it at $1000.
- imtringued 5y ago
  What's labor intensive about it? Mass producing and assembling PCBs is very cheap. A Chinese manufacturer will make you an injection mold for $2000 and then you can produce thousands of plastic parts for almost nothing. I think the mistake you are making is that the processes that make 1000 units are completely different to making one unit ten times. The design gets streamlined for manufacturing. Nobody is going to hand solder wires to fix a botched PCB layout 1000 times. You'll just redesign the PCB layout and try again.
  - rowanG077 5y ago
    Did you miss something? This entire thread is PRECISELY about NOT using mass production capabilities, as in a hobbyist builds a few of them. My point earlier was that it can be profitable if you do use mass production facilities.