Prep for Re-Launch (Part 2, Reduce Cost)

The most obvious finding of the post crowdfunding survey was that:

First a note about reducing the price.
The XOOT system is a niche product for a niche industry.  It’s production levels will never be that large.  Thus, it will never be able to compete on price with a mass produced monitor arms.  We can’t get the cost benefits of high volume production. 

In addition, a XOOT system weighs about three times as much as your average monitor arm and uses many more parts (over three times more parts if your count the electromagnetic braking system).  All the extra material and parts comes with added cost.

Analyze each part

Post crowdfunding the pressure was off.  It gave us time to sit back and look at each part of the system.  What does it cost now?  Is there a better way of making it that decreases costs but does not reduce quality?  Can groups of parts be simplified? 

This is something that takes time and a lot of thought.  In the end we’ve come up with a lot of great ideas.  We’re now doing the mechanical engineering to implement those ideas. 

Screen Rotation

We’ve simplified the screen rotation mechanism.  It will still have the same basic features:

• 350 degrees rotation
• adjustable rotation friction

The new design should be more stable, less complex, and thinner.

It looks great on paper, can’t wait to build a prototype and test it.

Supply Chain

Squeeze the supply chain… again.  I’ve put a lot of work into this.  Caution is required.  If suppliers are only driven by price, your likely to get poor quality product.  It takes a lot of work find manufacturers with our standards but at reduced pricing.

For all the effort I put into this task, it did not reduce pricing by that much.  However, we now have a more redundant supply chain with several companies qualified to supply parts.

Reduce the number of Kits

In the last crowdfunding attempt there were 6 XOOT system options.  Our next funding attempt will offer only 3 options:

• Cintiq Pro 24″
• Cintiq Pro 24″ with Cintiq Engine
• Cintiq Pro 32″
• Cintiq Pro 32″ with Cintiq Engine
• Cintiq 27″ QHD
• Dell Canvas 27″

*Dell no longer produces a bracket to mount on the back of the Dell Canvas

**Wacom no longer produces the Cintiq Engine

Less Kits reduces complexity in the manufacturing tooling, inventory management and distribution.  The deleted Kits can be offered later when XOOT production is up and running smoothly.