OK, time for a sorta taboo question. Our makerspace was offered a full color “prosumer” 3D printer if we refer a good one. Anyone have hands-on experience with these machines? I want to get as much input as possible before this offer goes through.
ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
If your dues are somewhat high, go for it. Problem we had whenever we got (even a shitty used) “prosumer” model is that the materials were far too expensive, and so many people told not to touch the machine that it basically has gone unused for 2 years and just sits there taking up space.
I echo your comment @ThantiK 100%, but luckily this is not something we are personally investing in. The owner is a prototyper with a need for the machine but doesn’t have the space for it. We house equipment for free with access if the machine is available to members. He’s decided to buy whatever unit I refer and I just want to be sure I am as informed as possible before giving the go-ahead
Wouldn’t you get something like a presentation, or something like a test drive when you gonna buy something for 25k or so?
At least print samples should be no problem, that’s what I would first start with. A trade fair would be a good thing, too.
But first step as a business man ever would be a very detailed client expectation and must have list. Therefore I would really make sure that you asked him every possible question, from file formats he uses to pricing per piece he would expect etc.
And then I would take a comparrison on those criteria, find the sweet spot of return on investment and real use. Some features may are overhead and didn’t needed, so way pay for.
Often it will give a really clear list of choice, and I would give him 3 to choose from, with 3 diffrent prices and three diffrent classes, like entry pro, medi pro and high end pro device. Highlight the most important criteria, like power costs, material cost, service costs etc.
It would be worth it to iron out an agreement with the owner for who is responsible for what and how scheduling, maintenance, and material cost will be dealt with… shared resources have a way of creating conflict when there aren’t clear rules.
Thanks for the advice guys. I planned to get him a questionnaire like @Markus_Osmers_mo22 suggested. Was just hoping for more hands-on experiences. And luckily our makerspace has a pretty clear usage rules which are always clarified heavily before any agreements are made. The big difference now is this is a pretty uncommon request compared to a large mill, paint booth or welding station.