Cool, yes. Very, very very...I don't know.
Before I get labeled a naysayer, please understand that as an employee of a
large RP manufacturer, I am fully aware of the cost of the various RP machines.
We're talking tens of thousands of dollars here just for the machines, not
including the cost of materials, labor to model the parts, labor to finish the
parts, shipping, etc. How do you propose to make these toys inexpensive enough
for the average parent? Let's take the scepter for example...assuming CAD time
of 30 minutes or so at an average industry rate of $30/hr, plus SLA machine time
of 2-4 hours at whatever is being charged these days ($$$$), add the time to
completely finish the part ($15-$20/hr) and you have a toy that costs anywhere
between $500-$2000. Granted, it's unique. But when parents are choking on $129
for a Sega or Nintendo system, how do you convince someone to spend this kind of
money on a static (again, albeit unique) toy?
I agree that putting RP in front of the masses is a good idea (hey, it's how I
make my living too). But until the price of these parts comes down to a level
that those same masses can afford, I don't see a (near) future in this.
The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Richard Doyle
CAD Designer
"Marshall Burns" <Marshall@Ennex.com> on 08/08/2000 06:10:54 PM
To: "Karl R. Denton" <karl@toybuilders.com>, rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi
cc: (bcc: Richard Doyle/DTM)
Subject: ToyBuilders.com
Karl,
This is very, very, very, very cool!
Best regards,
Marshall Burns
President, Ennex Corporation
Marshall@Ennex.com
Los Angeles, USA, (310) 397-1314
http://www.Ennex.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karl R. Denton" <karl@toybuilders.com>
To: <rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi>
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 15:57 PM
Subject: New high-tech E-Commerce Web Site to use Rapid Prototyping (RP)
technologies to design and build custom toys for the general public.
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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