Laser engraving as a business. Equipment capabilities for 30 thousand rubles
I'll tell you on my own example how I started a small business with a small amount (around 30 thousand rubles for equipment). Inspired by the success of a watokat's classmate who sells cotton candy, I decided to try a laser engraving business (this is drawing images on objects), because This topic is interesting to me and the price of equipment with acceptable characteristics turned out to be less than my budget.
In this article I will focus on the business component, in the next - I will describe in detail the capabilities of the program and equipment, the correct settings, the results. Therefore, I warmly welcome here those who follow a similar path, since There are a lot of types of laser engraving equipment and manufacturers.
Having consulted with an experienced classmate, I realized that when saving money at the start, you need to carefully and meticulously choose equipment. After studying the market and reviews, you will understand that the budget of 40 thousand does not imply the active support of the buyer and high quality, rather Chinese, DIY, low-power. When choosing technology for this money, I refused powerful CO2 lasers (from 40 W), otherwise I would risk and buy a very cheap CO2 laser, i.e. the lowest possible quality with an indefinite life. The choice fell on a semiconductor laser and assembled DIY from aluminum beds, on the Arduino. I found commercially available lasers with an optical power of 1 to 8 watts. If only for engraving, then 1 W is enough, and for cutting you need 5-8 W.
Distributor Moscow, but software and instructions in English. On youtube there are video reviews in Russian. I started, figured out the software settings, focusing, spoiled a couple of pieces of plywood, tried different materials (plastic and leather cases for a smartphone, a bamboo ikea plate, wooden leonardo blanks) and different pictures, achieved acceptable quality by setting the laser intensity (from 1 up to 100%), the time interval for burning (from 5 to 100 ms). As a result, plucked up courage and decided to go out.
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Participation in outdoor events with a stream of people is a concentration of trial and error, when you can understand in a short time what people need, who the target audience is, how much they are willing to pay, and accordingly, how much we can earn. For example, I photographed and recorded videos of satisfied customers, to put on the site, on social networks, to use for advertising.
Photo of a satisfied customer with his photo
Photo of happy customers with a logo on the wallet
Having bought billets of 2-3 copies, I took part in two Moscow event events: the SBERBANK IT Conference “Promotion” (on the DI Telegraph site next to Red Square, free admission) and Geek Picnic 2017 (in Kolomna Park, the entrance for the visitor is 1000 rub). Some blanks (cutting board, hangers, photo frame) turned out to be not interesting to people at all, and some went like pies. So we are testing the demand ...
Blanks
I worked on a DIY engraver worth 27,400 rubles. The size of the working area A6, the program Acan, Endurance laser power of 2 watts.
The process of engraving on a protective silicone case.
This was enough to apply a pattern on any item provided by the client, or on the blank.
At my first event, people did not understand what I was proposing, and they constantly asked. Therefore, the next time I engraved texts on a large woven circle: “In your eyes! Favorite ah: logo or photo on the case, wallet, blank! From 300 rubles + material. "," 3 for the price of 2 "," How do you make your beloved person pleasant? "," I don't care at all, engrave where I want. " Plus to attract attention put on display successful engravings and even cutting.
At events, clients want to get results here and now, a FIFO queue forms, therefore, to maximize revenue, it is necessary to minimize the preparation time of a picture or text and the duration of the engraving itself. On the preparation of the most simple: texts, contour images - it took up to 2 minutes. On the preparation of the most difficult: photos, large images - up to 7 minutes. The process of engraving took from 5 to 30 minutes.
On the first day, I suggested that people themselves determine the value of my work, i.e. pay how much are willing to pay, how much is not a pity. Some guys were not ready to pay for the work on their material, which was depressing. And the girls gave from 100% to 800% of the margin, where 100% is the cost price of the blank. On the second day, I set an average price of 500 rubles with the material. On the third day I announced the work of 300 rubles + the price of the material.
The average income was 3000 rubles / day. Theoretically, with an 8 hour working interval, you can earn an average of 300rub * (8h * 60min / h) / (4 min + 17 min) = 6857 rubles clean. The main thing is that I have developed for myself the necessary actions that will increase income. How to accumulate significant experience, I will share.
In this article I will focus on the business component, in the next - I will describe in detail the capabilities of the program and equipment, the correct settings, the results. Therefore, I warmly welcome here those who follow a similar path, since There are a lot of types of laser engraving equipment and manufacturers.
I choose technology
Having consulted with an experienced classmate, I realized that when saving money at the start, you need to carefully and meticulously choose equipment. After studying the market and reviews, you will understand that the budget of 40 thousand does not imply the active support of the buyer and high quality, rather Chinese, DIY, low-power. When choosing technology for this money, I refused powerful CO2 lasers (from 40 W), otherwise I would risk and buy a very cheap CO2 laser, i.e. the lowest possible quality with an indefinite life. The choice fell on a semiconductor laser and assembled DIY from aluminum beds, on the Arduino. I found commercially available lasers with an optical power of 1 to 8 watts. If only for engraving, then 1 W is enough, and for cutting you need 5-8 W.
Distributor Moscow, but software and instructions in English. On youtube there are video reviews in Russian. I started, figured out the software settings, focusing, spoiled a couple of pieces of plywood, tried different materials (plastic and leather cases for a smartphone, a bamboo ikea plate, wooden leonardo blanks) and different pictures, achieved acceptable quality by setting the laser intensity (from 1 up to 100%), the time interval for burning (from 5 to 100 ms). As a result, plucked up courage and decided to go out.
')
I participate in events
Participation in outdoor events with a stream of people is a concentration of trial and error, when you can understand in a short time what people need, who the target audience is, how much they are willing to pay, and accordingly, how much we can earn. For example, I photographed and recorded videos of satisfied customers, to put on the site, on social networks, to use for advertising.
Photo of a satisfied customer with his photo
Photo of happy customers with a logo on the wallet
Having bought billets of 2-3 copies, I took part in two Moscow event events: the SBERBANK IT Conference “Promotion” (on the DI Telegraph site next to Red Square, free admission) and Geek Picnic 2017 (in Kolomna Park, the entrance for the visitor is 1000 rub). Some blanks (cutting board, hangers, photo frame) turned out to be not interesting to people at all, and some went like pies. So we are testing the demand ...
Blanks
I worked on a DIY engraver worth 27,400 rubles. The size of the working area A6, the program Acan, Endurance laser power of 2 watts.
The process of engraving on a protective silicone case.
This was enough to apply a pattern on any item provided by the client, or on the blank.
Made conclusions and corrected. Finance
At my first event, people did not understand what I was proposing, and they constantly asked. Therefore, the next time I engraved texts on a large woven circle: “In your eyes! Favorite ah: logo or photo on the case, wallet, blank! From 300 rubles + material. "," 3 for the price of 2 "," How do you make your beloved person pleasant? "," I don't care at all, engrave where I want. " Plus to attract attention put on display successful engravings and even cutting.
At events, clients want to get results here and now, a FIFO queue forms, therefore, to maximize revenue, it is necessary to minimize the preparation time of a picture or text and the duration of the engraving itself. On the preparation of the most simple: texts, contour images - it took up to 2 minutes. On the preparation of the most difficult: photos, large images - up to 7 minutes. The process of engraving took from 5 to 30 minutes.
On the first day, I suggested that people themselves determine the value of my work, i.e. pay how much are willing to pay, how much is not a pity. Some guys were not ready to pay for the work on their material, which was depressing. And the girls gave from 100% to 800% of the margin, where 100% is the cost price of the blank. On the second day, I set an average price of 500 rubles with the material. On the third day I announced the work of 300 rubles + the price of the material.
The average income was 3000 rubles / day. Theoretically, with an 8 hour working interval, you can earn an average of 300rub * (8h * 60min / h) / (4 min + 17 min) = 6857 rubles clean. The main thing is that I have developed for myself the necessary actions that will increase income. How to accumulate significant experience, I will share.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/405033/
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