Modular Design?

[Guest bluelightning2k]

Hello,

 

This might pose an interesting question for the experts/creative types on this forum.

 

I would like to produce teleprompters on a (relatively) small scale. My question is: can anyone think of a way to get reasonable production costs without ordering a huge number of items? (I do not have the capitol to invest.)

 

One way which comes to mind is to use as many prefabricated parts straight out of a catalogue as possible. I've researched this for a few straight nights -- and all I could find in a catalogue is the mirror glass, hinges, glass clamps/brackets. I can't find anywhere that sells prefabricated body bits or even the frame. Can anyone think of a creative way to get these without going custom?

 

Here is what a teleprompter essentially is:

 

 

I'd particularly like to have the mirror on a hinge so it folds flat for storage (can work out something for the boxed enclosure... maybe a cloth hood). The minimum parts list (as far as I can see) is as follows:

 

** Findable parts **

- Hinge: (found some in a catalogue)

- Special mirror: (found a supplier)

- Monitor: (easily found)

- Tripod to use as a stand (found suppliers on alibaba)

 

** Impossible? to source **

- Part that allows teleprompter to screw onto a tripod screw.

- Wooden, aliminium or ??(suggestions?) base.

- Same material as above frame to enclose the glass.

 

** Probably possible, not yet sourced **

- Mechanism to prop it open.

 

 

 

I know it's a big challenge. I don't know if anyone knows of a pre-made product parts catalogue I may not have found yet? Or a way of getting these parts made custom without spending tens of thousands total.

 

Any advice is massively appreciated! Thanks for reading, reply or nay.

[Cyberdemon 17]

** Impossible? to source **

- Part that allows teleprompter to screw onto a tripod screw.

- Wooden, aliminium or ??(suggestions?) base.

- Same material as above frame to enclose the glass.

 

** Probably possible, not yet sourced **

- Mechanism to prop it open.

 

Check out McMaster-Carr - http://www.mcmaster.com/#

 

The piece that would allow you to screw into a Tripod is just a threaded insert - http://www.mcmaster.com/#threaded-inserts/=8neol9

 

Wikipedia says the thread/bolt size is: 1/4"-20tpi (threads per inch) British Standard Whitworth (Whitworth or BSW) for smaller cameras or 3/8"-16tpi

 

-As far as the base goes, if it's wood or aluminum sheet this is extremely easy to source, or make yourself. You would probably want to use plain sheet metal for low cost and there are a lot of sheet metal vendors.

 

So none of that stuff should be that hard, but you need to understand how many of these you can sell and how much it's going to cost you if you're only able to do small production runs. Keep in mind that there may be something that already exists that is mass produced that would be cheaper. Low volume generally = high cost.

 

You can also buy the tools yourself to cut the steel and weld the metal and start making these things yourself. Used tools are usually fairly easy to come by depending on where you are.

[Guest miuse]

i am probably a bit late but it depends what yr budget is and what you call small quantity.

consider 80-90% off the self components and small percentage custom machined or milled.

Can get done in China pretty cheap.

whats yr total qty and budget?

[BBrandDesign 4]

The basic idea underlying modular design is to organize a complex system as a set of distinct components that can be developed independently and then plugged together. Although this may appear a simple idea, experience shows that the effectiveness of the technique depends critically on the manner in which systems are divided into components and the mechanisms used to plug components together.