SolidDoodle New Printer countdown! (Page 1 of 2)

They didn't even have a working Press at the NY MakerFaire last weekend. What makes you think they have hundreds (thousands?) ready for shipment today?

IT may be 12 weeks, and I'm ok with that as long as I get a fully functional press without issues. SD should still keep us in the loop. If they are going to be late, they should just tell us. It seems like most people just want an update, good or bad either way...

I'm actually quite sympathetic to Solidoodle.  Resource planing is really hard, doubly so if you are a small company with a new product.  I do agree that I'd rather they get it right than rush.

Having said that, you still have an obligation to be honest with your customers and do what is right if you mess up. If someone knew it was going to be 12 weeks but still told you 6-8 weeks, I'm more than happy to help hold their feet to the fire.

But this is all theoretical as I'm sure the UPS trucks are backing up to the building as a write this

this way they will be past warranty when received and selling next model cheaper LOL

OK that excuse is responded to. now about the questions of what does or dont come on the printers and more pics/detailed specs. thats why more of us havnt ordered yet fearing the old price/model changes of past. its not as much 'low budget buyers' as careful buyers not having money to waste.

Inventory and space cost money so most companies practice some level of "Just in Time" inventory.

Of course, if you are going to do this, you better have your process under control. Taking twice as long as you thought it would to deliver is a good way to lose customers.

Way too funny

email for postponement .... december 5 for Press shipment

and so the wait continues

Was this a kickstarter? j/k

Well the only thing is you expect it from a kickstarter not a company.. I understand things happen but that is crazy... I have been keeping up on it.. And I do not understand at one point they said it was because of the "Over whelming demand"? Or something on those lines. But say they expected to sell 2000 and have it by the original date and let's say they sold 10000.. Shouldn't the first 2000 be on time?

Looking at the answers to questions what has been holding them back is last minute changes to the PCB and the injection molds.  Now I don't know injection molding, but I have some experience in Electronics manufacturing and to get boards after a change you're usually looking at 6 to 8 weeks.  which if I do my math right, the middle of November is ~6 weeks after the initial end of Sept. release.  I would guess that it is a similar amount of time for injection molding except as they said there would be a lag because the molds need to be modified. 

What I think the main concern is, is validation and how well are they going to be able to validate the new layout.  I don't know what % of the boards are power circuitry as opposed to digital or analog, but I do know that when dealing with power electronics even small changes can cause a lot of problems. 

Now of course any questions that are asked to their customer support will be answered with "we are confident we are providing a quality product".  So my question is, who here lives in new York, can find one of the floor level techs, and get them drunk so they start talking about the problems?  I'll chip in for the bar tab. ;-)

The problem is that Solidoodle is NOT a kickstarter company any more. They need to stop acting like one. Theres no #$%^ing excuse the development should have been FINAL and first batch IN STOCK before taking orders. And orders should have been put on back-order when inventory issues came up AFTER FIRST BATCH.

Oh, and Just-In-Time is only for a process that has been stabilized, not a half-assed organization that sells before they even realize their design cannot hold up to an as-yet-tested assembly/manufacturing process. A prototype is not a proven design. A proven design is when you can manufacture hundreds of units and pass internal quality testing.

SD should have been well past PCB problems and molding changes long before every taking a single customers dime. This is just sh$$y practice. After 3 years Solidoodle should not be running like a garage-based business anymore. I feel sorry for anyone who bets on them at this point.