The Fab Store: Difference between revisions

Line 38:

The repair expert extracts the broken axle from the toy and scans it with a 3D scanner. The object appears virtually in CAD software, where the expert "repairs" the broken part in the software. Then the expert 3D prints a new axle and installs it in the truck. Your child gets more milage out of their toy and another item is spared from the landfill.

==Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution==

Considering all the equipment and skills that go into the them, Fab Stores can double as small-scale factories. You can manufacture a wide range of products using the wide range of materials and tooling available to you. By producing small batches of a variety of unique products, you may stumble upon a products destined for mass market success.

You can also produce items manufactured to customer specifications.

Your small factory could offer:

~~Fab Stores:~~

*Pre-fabricated products

*User-requested products

*Custom designed products

* Are a next-~~level repair cafe where experts 3D print missing or broken parts~~

===Pre-fabricated Products: Discover the Next Rubik's Cube===

* A retailer selling ~~unique~~ and ~~customizable~~ products ~~manufactured one at~~ a ~~time~~

Places like the Thingaverse are filled with designs for imaginative items you can't buy in stores. Lurking among those designs might be the next best-selling product trend. You manufacture just one of each design and prominently display them in your store windows and on the web site. There's little risk in making products that don't sell and huge rewards when a product proves popular.

~~The Fab Store network maintains relationships with companies suppling standard parts. This means if someone makes~~ a ~~replacement or substitute part~~, the ~~Fab Store will know about it~~. ~~With enough demand~~

Start by producing a single, intriguing item. Put it in the store window. Repeat until your store window is filled with unique and interesting items.

~~Services provided~~

When an item sells, produce another. Maybe two. Increase your production as demand increases.

~~Peop~~

At some point, enough demand builds to support mass manufacturing. That's when you become the brand leader in the new product space.

~~Equipment~~

The Fab Store network contains the collective wisdom of all Fab Stores on which items sell and which are duds. You decide which products are ready for the big time (mass manufacturing) through this collective data.

~~Procedures~~

Who knows which design might turn into a commercial success. Producing a limited quantity of a wide range of products in search of a winner is a low-cost, low-risk way to discover the next hula hoop, hot jewelry trend or must-have phone case. Imagination is about the only limit!

~~Mail order~~

=== User-requested Products: Bring Your Own Design ===

You can also manufacture designs your customers find on the Internet. Not only does this create Fab Store buzz when your customers shows off their cool item, it also offers inspiration into which items to produce for your store window.

~~==Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution==~~

Customers find unique item designs on the Internet. Or perhaps they are designers themselves. Either way, they need your facilities to produce it.

~~One-off and small batch manufacturing has~~ the ~~potential to explode into mass manufacturing success~~. ~~Places like the Thingaverse~~ are ~~filled with designs for imaginative items you can't buy in stores~~. ~~But you can print with them~~ your ~~Fab Store equipment. Lurking among those designs might be the next best-selling product~~.

~~Using your existing equipment~~ and ~~talent, you could offer:~~

Today, such a hobbyist would have to depend on their own skills and a maker's space to create the item from their design. It doesn't have to be this hard.

*Pre-fabricated products

Fab Stores could professionally manufacture the item with better equipment, materials and skills. The convenience and value to the customer is far beyond the price you would charge.

*User-requested products

*Custom designed products

~~===Pre~~-~~fabricated Products: Unique Item Window Shopping===~~

You should view customer-supplied designs as an insight into what kinds of products sell. If one customer wants the item, others likely do too. Look at the product space, not just the product, and you may find a profitable niche.

~~You start by producing a single~~, ~~intriguing item~~. ~~Then you put it in~~ the ~~store window. Repeat until your store window is filled with unique~~ and ~~interesting items~~.

~~When an~~ item ~~sells, produce another~~. Maybe two. ~~Increase your production as demand increases~~.

=== Custom-designed Products: Giving the Customer Exactly What They Want ===

Customizing a user-requested product opens up a consulting revenue stream for the Fab Store. The user brings in a design that they would like to improve in some way. Maybe it's putting their name in the design. Maybe a certain part of the item needs to be larger. Maybe they want to combine two designs. Fab Store experts have the skills to create unique designs for customers who can pay for the expert's time.

~~At some point, enough demand builds to support mass manufacturing. That's when you become the brand leader in the new product space.~~

Start Small/Mail Order

The Fab Store ~~network contains the collective wisdom of all Fab Stores on which items sell and which are duds. You decide which products are ready for the big time (mass manufacturing) through this collective data.~~

The Fab Store Network

Who knows which design might turn into a commercial success? Producing a limited quantity of a wide range of products in search of a winner is a low-cost, low-risk way to discover the next Rubik's Cube, hot jewelry trend or must-have phone case. Imagination is about the only limit!

Fab Stores:

*Are a next-level repair cafe where experts 3D print missing or broken parts

*A retailer selling unique and customizable products manufactured one at a time

~~Nothing lasts forever~~. ~~It just seems~~ a ~~lot of things should last much longer~~.

The Fab Store network maintains relationships with companies suppling standard parts. This means if someone makes a replacement or substitute part, the Fab Store will know about it. With enough demand

~~What the Fab Store Does~~

Services provided

~~Repair household items~~

Peop

~~Fabricate broken pieces~~

Equipment

~~Small-scale, custom manufacturing~~

Procedures

~~Unique, pre-fabricated items for sale~~

Mail order

Dump Throwaway Culture

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 The repair expert extracts the broken axle from the toy and scans it with a 3D scanner. The object appears virtually in CAD software, where the expert "repairs" the broken part in the software. Then the expert 3D prints a new axle and installs it in the truck. Your child gets more milage out of their toy and another item is spared from the landfill.
+==Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution==
+Considering all the equipment and skills that go into the them, Fab Stores can double as small-scale factories. You can manufacture a wide range of products using the wide range of materials and tooling available to you. By producing small batches of a variety of unique products, you may stumble upon a products destined for mass market success.
+You can also produce items manufactured to customer specifications.
+Your small factory could offer:
-Fab Stores:
+*Pre-fabricated products
+*User-requested products
+*Custom designed products
-* Are a next-level repair cafe where experts 3D print missing or broken parts
+===Pre-fabricated Products: Discover the Next Rubik's Cube===
-* A retailer selling unique and customizable products manufactured one at a time
+Places like the Thingaverse are filled with designs for imaginative items you can't buy in stores. Lurking among those designs might be the next best-selling product trend. You manufacture just one of each design and prominently display them in your store windows and on the web site. There's little risk in making products that don't sell and huge rewards when a product proves popular.
-The Fab Store network maintains relationships with companies suppling standard parts. This means if someone makes a replacement or substitute part, the Fab Store will know about it. With enough demand
+Start by producing a single, intriguing item. Put it in the store window. Repeat until your store window is filled with unique and interesting items.
-Services provided
+When an item sells, produce another. Maybe two. Increase your production as demand increases.
-Peop
+At some point, enough demand builds to support mass manufacturing. That's when you become the brand leader in the new product space.
-Equipment
+The Fab Store network contains the collective wisdom of all Fab Stores on which items sell and which are duds. You decide which products are ready for the big time (mass manufacturing) through this collective data.
-Procedures
+Who knows which design might turn into a commercial success. Producing a limited quantity of a wide range of products in search of a winner is a low-cost, low-risk way to discover the next hula hoop, hot jewelry trend or must-have phone case. Imagination is about the only limit!
-Mail order
+=== User-requested Products: Bring Your Own Design ===
+You can also manufacture designs your customers find on the Internet. Not only does this create Fab Store buzz when your customers shows off their cool item, it also offers inspiration into which items to produce for your store window.
-==Beyond Repairs: A Small-scale Manufacturing Revolution==
+Customers find unique item designs on the Internet. Or perhaps they are designers themselves. Either way, they need your facilities to produce it.
-One-off and small batch manufacturing has the potential to explode into mass manufacturing success. Places like the Thingaverse are filled with designs for imaginative items you can't buy in stores. But you can print with them your Fab Store equipment. Lurking among those designs might be the next best-selling product.
-Using your existing equipment and talent, you could offer:
+Today, such a hobbyist would have to depend on their own skills and a maker's space to create the item from their design. It doesn't have to be this hard.
-*Pre-fabricated products
+Fab Stores could professionally manufacture the item with better equipment, materials and skills. The convenience and value to the customer is far beyond the price you would charge.
-*User-requested products
-*Custom designed products
-===Pre-fabricated Products: Unique Item Window Shopping===
+You should view customer-supplied designs as an insight into what kinds of products sell. If one customer wants the item, others likely do too. Look at the product space, not just the product, and you may find a profitable niche.
-You start by producing a single, intriguing item. Then you put it in the store window. Repeat until your store window is filled with unique and interesting items.
-When an item sells, produce another. Maybe two. Increase your production as demand increases.
+=== Custom-designed Products: Giving the Customer Exactly What They Want ===
+Customizing a user-requested product opens up a consulting revenue stream for the Fab Store. The user brings in a design that they would like to improve in some way. Maybe it's putting their name in the design. Maybe a certain part of the item needs to be larger. Maybe they want to combine two designs. Fab Store experts have the skills to create unique designs for customers who can pay for the expert's time.
-At some point, enough demand builds to support mass manufacturing. That's when you become the brand leader in the new product space.
+Start Small/Mail Order
-The Fab Store network contains the collective wisdom of all Fab Stores on which items sell and which are duds. You decide which products are ready for the big time (mass manufacturing) through this collective data.
+The Fab Store Network
-Who knows which design might turn into a commercial success? Producing a limited quantity of a wide range of products in search of a winner is a low-cost, low-risk way to discover the next Rubik's Cube, hot jewelry trend or must-have phone case. Imagination is about the only limit!
+Fab Stores:
+*Are a next-level repair cafe where experts 3D print missing or broken parts
+*A retailer selling unique and customizable products manufactured one at a time
-Nothing lasts forever. It just seems a lot of things should last much longer.
+The Fab Store network maintains relationships with companies suppling standard parts. This means if someone makes a replacement or substitute part, the Fab Store will know about it. With enough demand
-What the Fab Store Does
+Services provided
-Repair household items
+Peop
-Fabricate broken pieces
+Equipment
-Small-scale, custom manufacturing
+Procedures
-Unique, pre-fabricated items for sale
+Mail order
 Dump Throwaway Culture