Scannermax 506s

[laserist]

There are economies of scale with large customers. It's unusual to pass those economies on to small customers. One reason is the big customers sometimes pull their business and the small customers can't cover those economies.

[planters]

I agree with white light. That was my understanding as well. Early in the development of the 506, Bill made it clear that these were designed to be easy to manufacture, it was a point he covered in his presentation. Adding in the mirrors, cables etc should bring them into DT territory, but give better than DT performance. Without the added performance of advanced mirrors (we're working on this) or the digital amps, these are outperforming the DT scanners I have, but still not outperforming the EMS system I have and I assume they would also not outperform a high end CT system that I don't have. I don't think you are getting more than what you are going to pay for, but your money will give you better performance with these than with a DT scanner system.

[Stiffler]

There are economies of scale with large customers. It's unusual to pass those economies on to small customers. One reason is the big customers sometimes pull their business and the small customers can't cover those economies.

Assuming the large company is also benefiting from economies of scale, why would they care that we are getting a good deal?

[laserist]

Assuming the large company is also benefiting from economies of scale, why would they care that we are getting a good deal?

Because this is a gauntlet, the competition often rises to the occasion and meets or beats the price and quality and takes the business back.

[JohnYayas]

Based on what Bill said to me in PM a little less than a year ago, I don't think that the large scale buyer is using the galvos for laser projectors. So, I don't think that would benefit us in any way. That's just a hunch, though.

[White-Light]

Based on what Bill said to me in PM a little less than a year ago, I don't think that the large scale buyer is using the galvos for laser projectors. So, I don't think that would benefit us in any way. That's just a hunch, though.

I don't think it so much the usage that's important as the parts ordering.

Obviously you get more of a price break if you order 100,000 bearings than if you order 100. Scale that for every part, and that's where the savings come in.

That said, I don't know if there are economies here or if they're just cheap to make but well designed for this price point.

[JohnYayas]

I don't think it so much the usage that's important as the parts ordering.

Obviously you get more of a price break if you order 100,000 bearings than if you order 100. Scale that for every part, and that's where the savings come in.

That said, I don't know if there are economies here or if they're just cheap to make but well designed for this price point.

I think that usage does come in to play quite a bit. Let's assume that the pieces cost $10 to make. Now let's assume there is some company out there making laser levels for construction workers but can only sell the laser levels for around $90 but they sell tons of them. There might be a lot of incentive to sell the galvos at $30, for example. Meanwhile, people in the laser show industry are used to paying $100 for the same parts and would gladly buy then for $90. Even in large quantities, it would be foolish to sell them at the same $30 price that they are being sold to the laser level company. So, it's not just a manner of quantity and production cost but also a manner of what the market will bear and what the competition can do.

Of course, I am pulling this scenario completely out of my butt and may be no where near what is actually happening, but I just wanted to illustrate the point.

[Stiffler]

Were you guys this shocked when economies of scale made the 445 affordable? I would have thought that amateur laserists would be used to this sort of thing by now.

[laserist]

Were you guys this shocked when economies of scale made the 445 affordable? I would have thought that amateur laserists would be used to this sort of thing by now.

These aren't being harvested from a mass market consumer product. And I'm not an amateur...

[Stiffler]

These aren't being harvested from a mass market consumer product. And I'm not an amateur...

True, but Casio buying a bazillion blue diodes has led to their price coming down everywhere. I doubt, for instance, that Kvant, or X-laser, or ANY professional laser company is harvesting their diodes from Casio projectors. Regarding your 'amateur' comment, my comment was not aimed at you but rather towards the PL community as a whole. That being said, telling me you are not an amateur is a little amateur-ish.