manandwala

Bambu Labs' forum and wiki are the places to go. Also, Microcenter sells these printers (and is coming to AZ) https://www.microcenter.com/site/stores/phoenix.aspx) So you will have onsite support. The X1C or P1P/S would be better suited, as those models have been tested. Additionally, given my experience with the A1 mini, ensure your Bambu Studio is updated to the latest version.

@Aaron Moncur, that printer was a new product (and can be a project to assemble), but it provides multiple tool heads to use different materials. The Bambu Labs H2D has two tool heads (and laser cutting), but it is similar.

Printer maintenance Dawn dish soap and a scrub brush will keep your build plate clean and give you perfect adhesion You don't need Bambu filament there are many brands to use (Inland PLA+) Have spare nozzles and build plates (they will save you time because these wear out) Most importantly, print all the things (in the words of the 3D printing Nerd)

@Aaron Moncur exactly that trade secrets are more valuable to that customer because nobody else can replicate what they are doing and at the price point they are doing. @HerrTick Knowledge does escape at some point but that usually happens when it isn't profitable anymore.

First of all unknown unknowns as stated are unidentified problems with unidentified solutions. One way to plan is to look at it from a customer's point of view (for an end product). Why this method? Because customers will find ways to break your product in ways you didn't think of. But that turns an unidentified problem into an identified problem. As for unidentified solutions start with the customer identified problem and work from there. Who is the customer in this case? Non-engineers internally when given what the product is supposed to do. (Start there).

I am not part of any PDM management groups, but if you like branch and merge, look at the Onshape standard, which is cloud-based and costs $1500/year.

You have Solidworks to start so 3DExperience would be a place store some of these. Solidworks has their own PDM platform so I would also look there (https://www.solidworks.com/product/solidworks-pdm Before you decide to mention all the weldments in 100,000 drawings (the thought of that is making my head spin :D) start with a PDM system that is already compatible with your CAD tool (Onshape has it built it in other CAD systems may have this as an add on). I wouldn't reinvent the wheel and build your own PDM system because what ever you build you will have to support and that's what you are paying your CAD vendor for.

Non-Book Educational resources: Instructables.com website (for project ideas) This very forum. Maker.io, Adafruit.com and Sparkfun.com Youtube channels Hacksmith, James Bruton, 3d Printing Nerd, Tested

Thanks for the insight! That it helps your team as well as others is a great selling feature.

The EZ Motion was designed to make automation easier with an ecosystem of accessories and software that is easy to use. What problem (or annoyance) that off the shelf equipment could not solve that lead to the EZ Motion?

Here's an example. You designed this thing what does it do? Does the thing in question solve an issue on the production line? Does it lead to lower costs? Background support areas are that you kept the manufacturing equipment running by providing hard to find parts (many pieces of manufacturing equipment are old enough that parts are no longer being made) and that saved the company capital expenses to buy a new machine (including training). What does the job description say? Use that to your advantage!

We can pretty much do anything with CAD but the issue can be is that what works beautifully in CAD either is too expensive to make or can't be made using current equipment. Would having some manufacturing experience (CNC, Molding etc.) be helpful in design?

The TI89 Titanium was the go-to in engineering. Now it is the TI Nspire CX II CAS. Those are what I would go with

@Aaron Moncur We will see because the design may change again :)

An update on this is that I have tried a different approach using a 3d printer as a starting point (the same A1 mini that I have) with its build volume. Onshape design link for review here: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/7239a659127fa1d54e641612/w/93e56b08e47a77ef8fff3fa0/e/b7f5b0f22c1706eb69f95ac7?renderMode=0&uiState=67520cbf5da8c93933c8856b It is only looking at the axial area (x direction right now)