Focus power block

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Oliver Knoerzer
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Re: Focus power block

Post by Oliver Knoerzer »

It’s not only the cost of the parts. I know that lot of effort from the hardware R&D team has gone into the battery and battery-related parts over the course of the last years. Someone has to pay that cost as well.
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Re: Focus power block

Post by jaredmatthews »

Oliver Knoerzer wrote:It’s not only the cost of the parts. I know that lot of effort from the hardware R&D team has gone into the battery and battery-related parts over the course of the last years. Someone has to pay that cost as well.
I totally get that, and can so.ewhat sympathise...just like someone has to pay the cost to use a survey that uses laser scanning data.
There are employee costs, equipment costs, insurance costs, travel costs, etc etc.

If I were to mark up my margins on my surveys so that I can take into consideration these sorts of costs too, then my quotes would be unaffordable, and clients would look elsewhere for cheaper options. (and I don't like the word cheap, as it implies low quality...but for the sake of meaning MORE AFFORDABLE in this context, I will stick with cheap).

So, just like end users of a laser scan survey would seek cheaper options if the price point was not right, so too will the end users of the survey equipment...



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Re: Focus power block

Post by alias »

The link to buy the batteries is the first one I found. Anyone has to be precautionous in buying batteries anyway.
So far, nearly 100% of the batteries base (cylinders) come from China now. I asked an electric car builder. It seems that the one in photo were coming from Japan, but it is probably finished now.
These samples in link are not "cheap" batteries", they are supposed to be the same as the one we have in the box : panasonic.
There is no risk fro the scanner itself, unless it takes fire... The electronic stays the same and is protecting against any problem.
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Re: Focus power block

Post by alias »

Oliver Knoerzer wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 8:07 am It’s not only the cost of the parts. I know that lot of effort from the hardware R&D team has gone into the battery and battery-related parts over the course of the last years. Someone has to pay that cost as well.
You think that 100% or more of profit on each part is not enough to pay the R&D? You think Faro deserve something like 400% profit on each battery?

How much did they invest in batteries and related part? You have numbers? "a lot of effort" is just normal. Do you really think it is so much more than other industries?

Who said that Faro is not to be paid back for efforts and massive investments in R&D? I didn't. But the right reward is not 400% or more on accessories.

And my purpose is not to cut the Faro incomes. I don't care about that. My purpose is to pay the right price for the right batteries and right services in my own company. My clients have the same philosophy. They don't want to pay for my "golden" batteries or any 400% profit.

The equilibrium between product and price is broken. Price list is golden but products and services are definitely not. Now I 'am looking for more equilibrated business solutions. If Faro wants still to be part of my equation, they will have to come back to earth. The name of that is just "market". Faro is free about their prices. I am free to look for other competitive solutions, including batteries. I hope we all feel free to do that.
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Re: Focus power block

Post by landmeterbeuckx »

all the time you've spent searching and collecting info on this topic is time lost to do the most important part, scanning.
i bet this battery costs already more than 800€. ;)
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Re: Focus power block

Post by sim.herrod »

If you're willing to put homemade, 'cheap', or modified batteries in a scanner that costs around £40k in order to save a few hundred that's up to you.

I prefer to keep our insurance policy valid.
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Re: Focus power block

Post by jedfrechette »

Everytime this discussion comes up it reminds me of the old Optech scanners. Their design had a lot of limitations, but the one thing they inarguably got right was using an off-shelf power supply and battery system. $500 USD for a 100 Wh battery that is much much better than any of the custom battery packs, I've seen from a scanner vendor. Plus you could source a replacement battery locally in just about any major city in the world.

Sure development time needs to be paid for, but why bother when existing well tested solutions exist that already benefit from existing economies of scale?
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Re: Focus power block

Post by alias »

landmeterbeuckx wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 1:17 pm all the time you've spent searching and collecting info on this topic is time lost to do the most important part, scanning.
i bet this battery costs already more than 800€. ;)
You are absolutely right. Spending time in cutting the battery price is also a cost, but not a lost. I have to try.
My next replacement battery will be "reconditioned".

And I am now looking for old or dead ones. :!: :!: :!:

*** I buy your dead batteries ***
Let me know if you prefer to have money than nothing for these dead things that would go to the bin anyway.
Let me know if you would buy reconditioned battery for half the price. Probably not if I refer to the previous posts, but I have to ask.
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Re: Focus power block

Post by Scott »

jedfrechette wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 4:38 pm Everytime this discussion comes up it reminds me of the old Optech scanners. Their design had a lot of limitations, but the one thing they inarguably got right was using an off-shelf power supply and battery system. $500 USD for a 100 Wh battery that is much much better than any of the custom battery packs, I've seen from a scanner vendor. Plus you could source a replacement battery locally in just about any major city in the world.

Sure development time needs to be paid for, but why bother when existing well tested solutions exist that already benefit from existing economies of scale?
+1 --how long will the batteries be made for aging scanners that are otherwise fine? When FARO has a 'sale' on stock Focus 120 batteries, let us know! At least give us a place to have them factory refurbished when they are no longer made. BTW, My scanner has never needed recalibration when sent in for recertification.
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Re: Focus power block

Post by alias »

*** I buy your dead batteries ***
Let me know if you prefer to have money than nothing for these dead things that would go to the bin anyway.
Let me know if you would buy reconditioned battery for half the price. Probably not if I refer to the previous posts, but I have to ask.

Answer in private message.
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