Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, we explore the concept of the "bus test", a critical measure of an organization's knowledge sharing and resilience to sudden, unexpected change. Join Stephen and Lucy as they discuss the implications of team members being suddenly unavailable and how to prepare for such scenarios. Drawing from personal experiences and recent challenges, they explore the importance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), cross-training, and documentation in ensuring that a company can thrive even in the absence of key personnel.Key topics include:Defining the bus test and its relevance in startupsThe role of SOPs in maintaining operational continuityCross-training team members to reduce reliance on individualsStrategies for effective knowledge management and documentationReal-world examples from experiences at OpuloBrad Feld - Three Machines - Blog Post: https://feld.com/archives/2017/01/the-three-machines/ ----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, we explore the influential media that has shaped our journeys as engineers and entrepreneurs. Join Stephen and Thea as they dive into the books, documentaries, and creators that have left a lasting impact on their careers. From the lessons learned in the world of open source hardware to the entrepreneurial spirit ignited by unexpected sources, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration.If you would like the links to these recommendations, our YouTube link to this episode has all of them in the Description: https://youtu.be/INYg_2RSEPo Stephen's Inspiration▶️ YouTube Video: Stephen Hawes Flamethrower▶️ YouTube Video: Everett Bradford Flame ThrowerThea's Recommendation

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, we tackle the daunting yet exhilarating journey of starting a hardware company. Join Stephen and Lucian as they share their insights and experiences, breaking down the essential steps to kickstart your venture. From embracing failure to navigating imposter syndrome, this episode is packed with valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.We discuss:The importance of accepting failure as part of the learning processStrategies for overcoming imposter syndromeThe significance of understanding your motivation and reward structureHow to balance work and life while managing the stresses of entrepreneurshipThe value of community and networking with fellow entrepreneursPractical tips for executing your ideas and staying flexible amidst challengesWhether you're just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this episode will inspire you to take action and embrace the journey of building something meaningful.Sources for links mentioned in this episode:https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dip----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the OHM Podcast, We explore the critical phases of product development: Engineering Validation Test (EVT), Design Validation Test (DVT), and Production Validation Test (PVT). We discuss the importance of each phase in transforming a bare-bones concept into a market-ready product and emphasize the need for structured validation processes to ensure that products meet their intended specifications and can be effectively mass-produced.Join us as we delve into:The significance of product validation and the role of the Product Requirement Document (PRD)The differences and objectives of EVT, DVT, and PVTHow empirical testing and user feedback shape product developmentInsights into managing engineering teams and collaboration across disciplinesReal-world examples from their experiences at Form Labs and OpuloSources:----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, we dive into keeping sales up while managing production demands. This is an "unofficial part 2" to the last episode, where we discuss keeping up with orders. From the importance of understanding your customer demographics to the delicate balance of marketing channels, we share our experiences and lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a startup or an established business, this episode offers valuable tips on effectively stoking the fire of your sales pipeline.Join us as we discuss:Identifying your target customer and their needsThe effectiveness of ads versus organic social mediaHow to leverage customer feedback to improve salesStrategies for nurturing existing customers and encouraging referrals----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keeping up with orders is an underrepresented problem that has been intrinsically tricky for us to solve. We cover everything from keeping lead times down and managing orders in the queue to avoiding stockouts and using stock management tools. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of manufacturing, and we have spent significant time figuring out what works best. We hope you enjoy!Note: To find out more about the FTC rule that was mentioned: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/business-guide-ftcs-mail-internet-or-telephone-order-merchandise-ruleNote: Link to the speedrunning site that was mentioned: https://one.livesplit.org/----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Stephen and Lucian as they wrap up this year by giving a year-end review of the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2024. From Prusa closing their source to FreeCAD 1.0 squeaking in at the last minute, they cover quite a bit while enjoying the memories.We can't thank all of you enough for a very successful 2024, and we look forward to seeing you all in the new year. Happy Holidays!Here is the link to the blog post about licensing mentioned in this episode: https://www.opulo.io/blogs/news/fewer-restrictions-updating-lumenpnp-licensing ----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Managing a print farm may seem like it shouldn't be that complicated. It is tricky in ways you wouldn't expect, and it certainly comes with some life lessons!From choosing the right printer to optimizing filament and settings, we share our journey and lessons learned in building an efficient 3D printing farm.Whether you're running a single 3D printer or managing a fleet, this episode is packed with practical advice to save you time, money, and frustration.YouTube video about the print farm manager Stephen made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHku1zc3RQs----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Stephen and Lucian on an exciting episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast as they chat with Bar Smith, the innovative mind behind the Maslow CNC. We hope you enjoy this talk about the world of open-source hardware and community building as Bar shares his journey from a random thought to creating a revolutionary CNC router, the Maslow 4.1.You will learn about the struggles of developing a large-format CNC router that allows anyone access to fabrication tools while keeping everything open-source. Plus, you'll discover how Bar's unique approach to open-source development and community engagement has shaped the evolution of the Maslow project.Whether you're a maker, an entrepreneur, or just curious about open hardware, this episode offers valuable insights into the power of collaboration and innovation.Don't miss the chance to support Bar's latest Kickstarter for the Maslow 4.1, a testament to the ongoing journey of making CNC technology accessible to everyone. Click HERE for the Kickstarter link and be part of this exciting project!----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writing documentation is like a Greek tragedy, where you are both the best and worst person to write your own docs. In this episode, Stephen and Lucian dive deep into the art of creating effective documentation for open hardware products.Join us as we explore the balance between text and images, the downsides of video documentation, and the ever-evolving nature of keeping your docs up-to-date. Whether you're a seasoned doc writer or just getting started, you'll find valuable insights and practical tips to enhance your documentation process.Mentioned in this episode:Bill Hader - "when they tell you what's wrong they're usually right, when they tell you how to fix it they're usually wrong"Googles Style Guide Thea Flowers beautiful example of great documentation----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Surprisingly, there are many other reasons why an event can benefit a company besides selling units at your booth. From making industry connections to gauging what your customer demographic wants, it can be a great place to gather data that could help you shape your company's direction. In this episode, Stephen and Lucian tell you about the trade show that opened their eyes to the fact that people wanted the LumenPnP for something we were not even considering, leading to a whole new branch of customers and a significant increase in sales. Sit back and relax as we discuss the good and bad aspects of events in this episode of the OHM Podcast!----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Packaging requires considering what you might need in the future, which is not as easy as you think. You don't want to bottleneck your future products because they won't fit in the packaging, nor do you want to buy all new packaging for every change you make. You'd be surprised by some of the design choices made in the name of packaging. Did I forget to mention that a horse kicked, bit, and stomped a LumenPnP? You never know what your packaging might go up against.YouTube video we did about packaging a few years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku4Wvu6LsrU----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding the right way to offer customer support can be tricky. You can't run everything yourself forever if you intend to continue your growth. There are so many ways this can go wrong, so make sure to take the time to plan this out as best as possible before you dive in.In this episode, we will dive deep into how we handled building our support team and the hurdles that came with it.----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's here! The LumenPnP V4 is finally here, and we wanted to share some of our design decisions and explain why we made some of the choices we did. From wants to necessity, it wasn't easy. It took years of feedback, but we couldn't be happier with what has come from all of it. We wouldn't be where we are without the help of our community and the hard work they put into this as well. Thank you!To learn more about the brand new LumenPnP V4.0: Opulo.io ----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You did it! You worked hard to prepare everything for launch day, but now it is time to put it all into action. Take what you have learned from the last two episodes and prepare for one of the most fun and stressful days you will ever have. Stephen and Lucian have experienced their fair share of ups and downs with different launch days and are ready to share their best practices with you. If you thought the hard work stopped here, guess again.----------------------------------Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we gear up for launch day, listen to the conclusion of Preparing for Launch. (If you haven't listened to Part 1, we highly recommend doing so before diving into this episode!) Stephen and Lucian will cover topics like internal work instructions, setting up your PLM software, press kits, and so much more. This is really fun to talk about because we are also in the middle of this right now. It's been fun and quite meta. We hope you enjoy this episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What actually goes into launching a hardware product? What can be worked on in advance, and what has to be perfectly timed with the launch date? We'll explore how to structure the necessary planning and share some of the things we have learned through multiple launches we have done ourselves.There is so much to unpack here that we had to break up this episode into two parts!Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to license something in a way that works for you and your project? Does this fall under copyright or a patent? (The answer may surprise you!)The president of the Open Source Hardware Association, Thea Flowers, stopped by to school us on open hardware licensing, and it was much needed. We start by going over the scope of permissivity regarding licenses, beginning with the most open type of license available and progressing from there. There is a lot to unpack here, so get ready to get educated!Links for things mentioned in this episodechoosealicense.comTLDRLegalCC Friendly LawyersDo you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is challenging to succeed with open hardware while keeping it sustainable and still making enough money to pay the bills. But there are ways to do it!In this episode, we dive into how you can succeed in doing open hardware. Plus, we talk about how vastly different open hardware is compared to open software.Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pricing your product can be a daunting task. Set the price too high, and you risk alienating potential customers. Set it too low, and you may find yourself struggling to sustain your business. While there's no "one-size-fits-all" formula, our experience in this field has given us some perspective on how to approach it!Adafruit Blog Post: https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-build-a-hardware-startup/pricing-your-productAlso, Stephen was super wrong in this episode: DRM is not "Digitally Restricted Media" but instead "Digital Rights Management"!Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at podcast@opulo.io. We'd love to hear from you!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trying to find the best way to incorporate community feedback can be tough, especially when that feedback is criticism. You have to be the director of your project's path, know where it has to go, and be opinionated. You have to assume they mean well in their criticism and you need to really show off the work that was done when a community member adds something to the project. To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageBlog post mentioned in this episode: "We Don't Do That Here" by Aja HammerlyO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When do you decide to sign a commercial real estate lease? Do you truly need one? These are challenging questions, but in this episode, we're here to help. Stephen and Lucian will walk you through what's acceptable, what's not, what factors to consider, what could be deal breakers, and all the other aspects of this decision. Getting this right is crucial, and there's a lot to consider. We hope to help you make this decision a little bit easier with this episode.To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the process of reducing costs in your supply chain without making your product worse? This is a tricky subject and needs to be handled with care. Luckily for you, we have already gone through this many times and can help you successfully cost down your supply chain by helping you find another way to potentially save money and what to look for when picking a vendor. We also give advice on what things you should choose to cost down and more. Learn what we did to get better pricing without sacrificing the quality of our product in this episode of the O.H.M. Podcast!To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageCheck out the Maslow CNC MachineO.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Ad song:Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered if your product is truly worth the time and effort to bring it to market? How can you ensure your product resonates with your target audience? This episode delves into the significance of a PRD, discussing how it can pave the way for your product's success from the very beginning.To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageGoogle Podcast is gone! Check out this link for other sources where you can listen to us.O.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few years ago, we chose to rebrand our company and open source project. From talking with lawyers to pitching awful name ideas, this was not an easy process. We get into the list of potential names, and how Opulo might have been named Crabapple Industries.To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.ioTo see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.pageDon't forget that Google Podcast is going away in a few days! We will not be on YouTube Music, so you may want to check out this link for other sources where you can listen to us.O.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Intro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License)Forever Young - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with Thea Flowers, a huge advocate for open source who has done many things to be a beacon of light for others who believe in open source and open hardware as well.From running her own open-hardware synthesizer company to working at Google, Thea has contributed to many big projects and has even been a paid musician. She really has done it all. Oh, and did we mention she is the president of OSHWA? She is very impressive yet too humble to admit it. We hope you enjoy learning about Thea Flowers as much as we did!Thea's BlogDon't forget, Google Podcast is going away! We will not be on YouTube Music, so you may want to check out this link for other sources where you can listen to us.O.H.M. Podcast Merch is now here!Links to what we do and our social media can be found here: https://opulo.start.page/References in this episode:Robin Williams Commercial'Working in Public' by Nadia EghbalIntro song:Complicate Ya - Otis McDonald (Creative Commons Attribution License) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you make yourself obsolete? That question may sound odd at first, but as Opulo continues to grow, how do Stephen and Lucian handle offloading their tasks to others while maintaining the speed and precision needed to keep up with demand?This topic was a user-submitted topic from our O.H.M. Podcast Channel found on our Discord. Thank you, appaog, for the great question!To find out more about what we do: opulo.ioInstagramTwitter Music by: Otis McDonald Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to own your data, and when is it okay to hand over the reins? Should you self-host or not? Stephen and Lucian discuss topics like when it is okay to give up some control for convenience and how to walk that fine line. Plus, they talk about what would happen if Discord or Google went belly-up tomorrow and how that would affect your business (Even if it is very unlikely). This topic has sure been an eye-opener and has since caused changes to how we look at what we do. Tune in to find out more!To learn more about what we do, check out Opulo.io Discord Instagram Twitter Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Lucian are asked to divulge more detail about how they handle making a new hardware release and how it is much more involved than a software release. Software is changeable, but hardware is permanent. That makes a big difference when considering what goes into a hardware release, including what you should do between prototyping and releases.As always, let us know what you thought of the episode on Discord in the #ohm-episode-discussion thread for Episode 13! https://discordapp.com/invite/TCwy6DeFor more information about Opulo, please check out the links below:Opulo WebsiteOpulo TwitterOpulo InstagramOpulo Youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're excited to have guest Brad Collette! Brad is the cofounder and CTO of Ondsel, an Open-Core company working to improve FreeCAD. Ondsel is also building features on top of FreeCAD that are aimed specifically at commercial applications. We hear how Brad has been involved with FreeCAD development for over a decade, started Ondsel, and has been balancing them both! Lots of great discussion about open software UX, and what the future holds for FreeCAD.You can find Ondsel on Twitter, and their website where you can download their release of FreeCAD with huge UX and functionality improvements.As always, let us know what you thought of the episode on Discord in the #ohm-episode-discussion thread for Episode 12! https://discordapp.com/invite/TCwy6De Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you make sure that the things being sent out your door are to the standard of quality that you would expect? How do you try to overcome human error when considering quality control checks? What's a QC Buddy, and why is traceability important? Take a lesson from Stephen and Lucian as they dive into this beefy topic that is hard to contain in one episode.To learn more about what we do, check out http://opulo.io Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Automation tools can be a robot you bought off the internet, or it can be something you make yourself. When should you automate a task? Would automation reduce mistakes, improve quality, or improve joy? Sometimes, but not always! In this episode, Stephen and Lucian hope you learn something from some of their mistakes and some of their wins with automation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to time management, everything can seem important, but what is the most important to tackle right away? Picking between these can be tricky, yet finding the balance between being efficient and not running into burnout is important to figure out. Stephen and Lucian dive into the issues they have run into and how they have found solutions that work for them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan from V1 Engineering sits down to talk to us about how the desire for a 3D printer led to the birth of V1 Engineering. From working for free to outgrowing his jobs, Ryan had no plans to start a business and even pushed back from the idea of it. With a tremendous amount of attention and desire for his CNC design on Thingiverse, he finally listened to his boss and piers by giving his business 100% of his time and energy. Over eight years later, he is still going strong with a wonderful community and great products. To find out more about Ryan and his CNC machines, check out his website: V1E.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we guide you through what is essential to prepare for when buying stock. Whether you're just starting to sell your product or managing it while your company is already in full swing, Stephen and Lucian share their personal experiences and answer some of the most challenging questions in this category. They discuss topics such as how much stock is too much or too little to buy when running a hardware company and how to talk to vendors to get the best bang for your buck. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much are you focusing on existing products vs new products for the future? Do you stick with the customer base that is reliable or do you take a risk? In this episode, Stephen and Lucian will talk about tailoring to existing customers without losing what will bring in new customers, plus learning about 'the onion of tolerance'. They will even talk about other things including why changes to a product come out slower as a company gets bigger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Communicating effectively with your community on an open source project is vital to keeping your project alive and healthy. But how do you make the right choice with so many options out there? Tune in and find out how Stephen and Lucian have made the tough calls of where to start and what they learned along the way!To learn more about what we do, feel free to visit our website at opulo.ioIf you would like to join our community of passionate people who love open source, please check out our Discord: https://bit.ly/3Pob9cIThere's even a dedicated section for the Podcast in there! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we have our first guest! Chris is the cofounder and CTO of Sienci Labs, which makes the open source LongMill CNC. We hear how Chris and his cofounder Andy started the company, launching two successful Kickstarters, and what they have planned for the future.Now that we've had Chris on the show, we'll have him back for other episodes to give the Sienci perspective on specific topics in open source hardware.Find out more about Sienci Labs: https://sienci.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When is a tool worth paying for? How do you decide when a project is good enough for your company? Finding the right tool or project for your company can be tough.Lulzbot's blog post about OHAI: https://lulzbot.com/learn/introducing-ohai-kit-your-guide-to-open-hardware-assemblyOpulo's assembly docs: ohai.opulo.ioIf you want to learn more about what we do, check us out at Opulo.io Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we dive into sourcing! How do you find vendors? How do you vet them, and make sure you're getting a quality part? What about duties, shipping, and minimum order quantities?This is a summary, overarching episode about sourcing. Every topic we cover here could have a whole episode dedicated to it, so let us know what you'd like us to go more in depth on!Questions or comments about this episode? Hop into our Discord Server and ask in the #ohm-podcast channel.To learn more about Opulo and the LumenPnP, check out our Youtube channel and website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder how a radically open-source company can be successful? What's the balance between running a company that makes money and supporting a community (turns out, the work together better than you might think)? Stephen and Lucian dive into the things they've seen be overwhelmingly beneficial about keeping the source of your hardware product open.Join the LumenPnP Discord Server and check out the #ohm-podcast channel: https://discordapp.com/invite/TCwy6De Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder how a radically open-source company can be successful? What are the benefits, and what are the challenges? How do you manage version control, hiring, work instructions, and payroll? Opulo employees Stephen Hawes and Lucian Chapar cover the details of running an Open Hardware company, as well as interview anyone from hobbyists to CEOs that have experience in the field.Join the LumenPnP Discord Server and check out the #ohm-podcast channel: https://discordapp.com/invite/TCwy6De Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.