Re: On what the vendors MUST do!

From: EdGrenda@aol.com
Date: Fri Oct 29 1999 - 19:09:06 EEST


In a message dated 99-10-29 09:11:21 EDT, ehunt@ces.clemson.edu writes:

<<
 There are markets for 3D printers that make me want to get up and go build
 one! Maybe I should start a DigiPic company and sell stock at $30 per share
 and then go make it happen.
>>

Hi Elaine:

Maybe I'm not aware of what's going on, but the curious thing is why this
hasn't been happening using existing technology, and why at least one service
bureau hasn't considered the market potential and gone after it.

Perhaps their engineering focus is a little too strong. There are reasons
why dealing with a consumer market may be more difficult than engineering
markets such as attention to details, materials, coloration and finish. But
there are other reasons that may make it easier, as well - You don't need to
hit dimensions on the nose, for example (pun intended). The number of
potential customers is very large compared to the engineering world, and the
possibility of repeat business exists. A relatively time-insensitive
consumer market may also be a good way to work off the amortization of this
expensive equipment when it would otherwise be sitting idle.

Why haven't one of you artists offered this service to consumers using a
multiplicity of SB's? They bronze baby shoes, don't they? I don't know why,
but they do.

It seems that it should be possible to solve the technical problems in a
fairly straightforward manner with application of present knowledge and art,
but then what are the costs and what would people be willing to pay for the
service. Would you pay a few hundred $ to have a facial replica of your
grandchildren? Some people definitely would, but many won't be interested.
The situation has to be quantified to build a business.

It would also be interesting to learn more about the other cases in the early
history of RP that attacked this very problem and failed. Paul DiMatteo's
company Dynel comes to mind. I think that goes back to the early 80's or
late 70's. The technology was relatively more primitive, but it was simple
and it worked. What did the price - demand curve look like for that effort?
Does anybody know the details of what happend to the company?

If it can be shown that there is a substantial market, the development of
systems to fill the segment will follow. Somebody has to apply market
imagination first, however, and it isn't going to be the systems houses.

Ed

Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
19 Pondview Road
Arlington, MA 02474 USA
781-646-6280 (voice or fax)
EdGrenda@aol.com (email)

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:53:14 EEST