A look at startups from the back. Part 2
In the second part of the article (the first is here ) I will tell you more about a few startups.
In this part, as he said last time, there will be successful stories.
Let's go further.
')
Startup 6. A frame that makes a touchscreen from any screen
The current status is bent
A special frame is taken (there are several sizes, with different diagonal), placed on top of a monitor, tablet or any other device with a screen. The screen turns into a touchscreen.
It all started well. We set the price for the guys, I gave them free tips on how to change the cast aluminum parts, so that the equipment and the price of the part were cheaper. For drawn aluminum parts, he told how to change the design so that the parts become stronger and not jarred. I still remember with satisfaction how it worked then. And the guys are gone.
After 6 months, they came to us again. It turns out that they found some local Chinese company that promised to do them everything for a third of our price. They went there and rushed headlong. But after 6 months, it became clear that the mega-frame was somehow not very well taken up. There is no frame, but there are still beautiful charts with a forecast of annual sales and revenues. We had to do something.
The guys came to us and asked to set the price again. We met and put forward an updated commercial offer. And the guys are gone.
A little later it turned out that they had ended the loot and they went bankrupt. Here is a story.
Brief conclusion:
1. No need to deposit money in unfamiliar dumb places. And, of course, risk management, yes.
Startup 7. Lantern with a dynamo
Current status has skyrocketed
I would say that this is a “against” startup. "Contrary to" the fact that there is a dime on the lantern market with manual recharging. The big bosses were also skeptical of the idea, but they took up the project.
It all started easy. Once upon a time there were 3 students. Electronics engineer, industrial designer and manager. They did not live, studied. And now it's time to be released. For the release it was necessary to do a thesis work.
In general, I personally wish the guys further success, because what was done on their part was more or less competent design, electronics and general project management.
Frankly, that was not without jambs. One of them, the prototype was made of ABS by fur. processing. When casting used ABS + PC. When testing it turned out that the handle in the place where it was attached to the dynamo machine, after 190 thousand revolutions broke. It was strange, because the mechanical properties of ABS + PC are much better than pure ABS. Modified equipment, strengthened the cross section. The handle began to break through 250 thousand revolutions.
The problem was solved by replacing ABS + PC with PA66 + 15GF + 25MF. Handle withstand 2 million revolutions.
Somewhat later, when the modeling of injection molding became available to me, I started the simulation and it turned out that there were several weld lines in the section where the handle broke. Perhaps this was the reason. On the other hand, the whole part was flooded in 0.9 seconds, the temperature difference over the whole part was only 2.5 degrees.
Another problem — the lugs in which the gearbox was attached were deformed after casting — the stiffeners were too short, and the cooling of the mold was not ideal. We won just by selecting the casting parameters.
Brief conclusion:
1. The idea seems to be beaten, but nonetheless proved to be successful.
Startup 8. Advertising system in buses
Current status has skyrocketed
The bus pulls up to a stop, and any information is displayed on the screen, such as what restaurants, shops, museums or other useful and interesting places are nearby. Do you want to be shown on TV on the bus? Take the money.
We made a small metal case for the control board. Due to the fact that the board was first made and only then asked to make a case, it turned out that some of the front connectors do not fit into the case as they do not push. Developers had to change the board. So it goes.
The guys were electronics engineers and it seems that the basic rule of development of the final device they did not know, interaction with the mechanics from the very beginning. In my practice, sometimes I gave the electronics the size and shape of the board, and only then did they push components onto it. In addition, it happened that I asked the places where to have large parts (relays, transformers, etc.), because at some location, they simply did not get into the body.
In general, they started relatively quickly. Any other special problems I do not remember.
By the way, as it turned out at a personal meeting, one of the founders of the startup worked for 10 years as a head of the department of electronics engineers at one of our clients. Therefore, he clearly (well, almost) knew what to do.
Brief conclusion:
1. If there is a client, prepayment, when you clearly know what you are doing, then the work is soon, and the result is achieved faster.
Startup 9. Keychain Alarm
The current status is bent
There is a keychain that clings to a suitcase or other luggage, and in the case of a forced attachment of the legs to the load, the keychain starts squealing loudly.
That's all what I know :)
Why bent, I do not know. The startup was covered with moss and mold before I joined the company. I then only decided what to do with the materials that remained. Here we are with this startup interaction.
Brief conclusion:
1. There is no conclusion for this startup.
PS Next time there will be a story about one startup with analysis of his mistakes. As they say, the smart learns from the mistakes of others. I hope someone will get something useful for themselves.
In this part, as he said last time, there will be successful stories.
Let's go further.
')
Startup 6. A frame that makes a touchscreen from any screen
The current status is bent
A special frame is taken (there are several sizes, with different diagonal), placed on top of a monitor, tablet or any other device with a screen. The screen turns into a touchscreen.
It all started well. We set the price for the guys, I gave them free tips on how to change the cast aluminum parts, so that the equipment and the price of the part were cheaper. For drawn aluminum parts, he told how to change the design so that the parts become stronger and not jarred. I still remember with satisfaction how it worked then. And the guys are gone.
After 6 months, they came to us again. It turns out that they found some local Chinese company that promised to do them everything for a third of our price. They went there and rushed headlong. But after 6 months, it became clear that the mega-frame was somehow not very well taken up. There is no frame, but there are still beautiful charts with a forecast of annual sales and revenues. We had to do something.
The guys came to us and asked to set the price again. We met and put forward an updated commercial offer. And the guys are gone.
A little later it turned out that they had ended the loot and they went bankrupt. Here is a story.
Brief conclusion:
1. No need to deposit money in unfamiliar dumb places. And, of course, risk management, yes.
Startup 7. Lantern with a dynamo
Current status has skyrocketed
I would say that this is a “against” startup. "Contrary to" the fact that there is a dime on the lantern market with manual recharging. The big bosses were also skeptical of the idea, but they took up the project.
It all started easy. Once upon a time there were 3 students. Electronics engineer, industrial designer and manager. They did not live, studied. And now it's time to be released. For the release it was necessary to do a thesis work.
In general, I personally wish the guys further success, because what was done on their part was more or less competent design, electronics and general project management.
Frankly, that was not without jambs. One of them, the prototype was made of ABS by fur. processing. When casting used ABS + PC. When testing it turned out that the handle in the place where it was attached to the dynamo machine, after 190 thousand revolutions broke. It was strange, because the mechanical properties of ABS + PC are much better than pure ABS. Modified equipment, strengthened the cross section. The handle began to break through 250 thousand revolutions.
The problem was solved by replacing ABS + PC with PA66 + 15GF + 25MF. Handle withstand 2 million revolutions.
Somewhat later, when the modeling of injection molding became available to me, I started the simulation and it turned out that there were several weld lines in the section where the handle broke. Perhaps this was the reason. On the other hand, the whole part was flooded in 0.9 seconds, the temperature difference over the whole part was only 2.5 degrees.
Another problem — the lugs in which the gearbox was attached were deformed after casting — the stiffeners were too short, and the cooling of the mold was not ideal. We won just by selecting the casting parameters.
Brief conclusion:
1. The idea seems to be beaten, but nonetheless proved to be successful.
Startup 8. Advertising system in buses
Current status has skyrocketed
The bus pulls up to a stop, and any information is displayed on the screen, such as what restaurants, shops, museums or other useful and interesting places are nearby. Do you want to be shown on TV on the bus? Take the money.
We made a small metal case for the control board. Due to the fact that the board was first made and only then asked to make a case, it turned out that some of the front connectors do not fit into the case as they do not push. Developers had to change the board. So it goes.
The guys were electronics engineers and it seems that the basic rule of development of the final device they did not know, interaction with the mechanics from the very beginning. In my practice, sometimes I gave the electronics the size and shape of the board, and only then did they push components onto it. In addition, it happened that I asked the places where to have large parts (relays, transformers, etc.), because at some location, they simply did not get into the body.
In general, they started relatively quickly. Any other special problems I do not remember.
By the way, as it turned out at a personal meeting, one of the founders of the startup worked for 10 years as a head of the department of electronics engineers at one of our clients. Therefore, he clearly (well, almost) knew what to do.
Brief conclusion:
1. If there is a client, prepayment, when you clearly know what you are doing, then the work is soon, and the result is achieved faster.
Startup 9. Keychain Alarm
The current status is bent
There is a keychain that clings to a suitcase or other luggage, and in the case of a forced attachment of the legs to the load, the keychain starts squealing loudly.
That's all what I know :)
Why bent, I do not know. The startup was covered with moss and mold before I joined the company. I then only decided what to do with the materials that remained. Here we are with this startup interaction.
Brief conclusion:
1. There is no conclusion for this startup.
PS Next time there will be a story about one startup with analysis of his mistakes. As they say, the smart learns from the mistakes of others. I hope someone will get something useful for themselves.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/291360/
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