Public R&D lab? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: riyadh144
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 am
content: I have been thinking about opening get a public laboratory for everyone who wants a lab space with lab equipment who doesn't have enough money or doesn't know enough people to work with.The business model will be a monthly subscription to gain access to the lab equipment depending on the tier of the equipment and the requirements of his project this place will be open 24/7.The supervisors will be engineers with their own lab space to conduct their own work.This lab will have multiples of test equipment, pcb etching materials, 3d printers, small metal shop, and a huge catalog of components vending machine to pick and buy.Would you be interested in such a place and why it wouldn't work?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 05:18:31 am
content: Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amThat's basically what TechShop is for mechanical stuff.Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amDepends on a fee. And I'd rather see one-time fee. It is pretty rare that I really need some piece of equipment that would be impractical to buy and have at home.Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amIt will be too expensive. TechShop is something like $700 a year.Also, you did not mention your country/city, and that kind of matters.

author: riyadh144
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 05:45:22 am
content: I live in LA and would love to start there, but I would want it to be a global thing.

author: batteksystem
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 08:33:37 am
content: In Hong Kong there is also makerbay, but the access is quite expensive (I remember around HKD 200 a day) and you will need extra fee and training to use some 3D printers and lathe, etc I had a brief talk with the owner, and he admitted that it is still not making money for them.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 08:38:39 am
content: Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amGear is so cheap these days that's not a big issue any more.As for people to work with, hacker and maker spaces have this covered.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 09:39:53 am
content: Sorry to spoil the party, but you will have some BIG challenges...1. It is very difficult to ensure people clean up after themselves. Despite encouragement, threats, warnings, you will always get people who leave a mess.2. How do you ensure someone does not stuff up your 3D printer or whatever? Loaned equipment is often abused.3. Scope probes. They will be broken, run over with chair castors, pulled on or used a skipping ropes. And the coloured ID rings, probe hooks and ground clips will go missing on a regular basis.4. O H & S. Someone gets injured by cutting off their thumb in the metal shop and you get sued.5. Drill bits. The 1/8" and 1/32" bits will be broken and go missing. Always. So you sell drill bits from the vending machine. Great way to make money. A cheese people off.6. 1K, 10K and 100K pin-though-hole resistors will be scarce. Even if you have a vending machine.7. Someone loads cryptolocker malware on your public PC at 2 in the morning and needs YOU to come in and fix it.8. Someone connects mains to one of your logic analyser inputs and blows the crap out of it. Why? Because they can.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 09:47:45 am
content: Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amYes. But only if it was pocket money cheap. Sounds like a money loser.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 12:24:38 pm
content: Hacker/Makerspaces have this stuff covered already and there's a new contender in the UK, FabLab, industry backed, free for individual use (pay for mateirals and agree to open source your designs) or a fee for 'commercial'/ non open use.There are even 'open' genetic research labs in existence with the same kind of business model, the UK's first licensed public access Bio lab opened a year or two ago in Manchester.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 06:05:25 am
content: Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amI have only one question. What is your initial investment going to be?

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 09:22:10 am
content: QuoteQuoteYou are too late, as Dave said both Hackerspace and Makerspace have already done this, and they are Not for Profit organizations so it will be difficult to turn this into a business and compete with them. Both already have global coverage, well at least US and Europe.

author: iampoor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 09:38:38 am
content: Quote from: riyadh144 on October 19, 2016, 04:31:51 amNo, My local makerspace (Also in California) has 50000$ alone in just 2 machines.....and the membership is 50$ a month. Dont see how anyone could compete with that....especially in LA.

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 20, 2016, 10:59:59 am
content: Why not look at cheap machines?A bunch of 3D printers, little CNCs, laser cutters, SMD ovens...Some "makers" has this type of machines, but never all of them.Some practical shows and good luck