Ask HN: Is a modern engineering workshop feasible? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is a modern engineering workshop feasible?

3 pointsdesertraven3 comments

So I've had an idea for a while which may, or may not, be a thing. I'm just wanting some advice, or even some shooting down of the idea.

In the country I live, there are engineering workshops, which is mainly building custom metal items (machining, welding, etc). People (usually farmers) will request something be built.

I live in a remote but progressive community where there is quite a bit of innovation. I'm wondering if an engineering workshop focusing on things like microcontrollers, software, as well as more traditional metal work may be successful?

I suppose the target audience would be people wanting a gadget of some kind. Basically leveraging software and embedded electronics to solve local problems.

Perhaps a bit of a tangent, but it'd be nice if it could be a community workshop of kinds. Fellow nerds could contribute, and the whole operation could be opened-source to some degree.

Let me know what you think

Yes, it’s feasible but you need to clamp down on group culture. Bad apples will spoil the bunch. Focus on inclusion and empowerment via education/practice.

Watch for people who complain about challenges. Have a plan in place to redirect these negative concerns into focused efforts. Have a back up plan ready to isolate people adamant about remaining negative. This is referred to as not feeding the trolls. Typically negative people are negative in a communal fashion because they are seeking comfort from a group dynamic, misery loves company (sympathy). If such concerns are not fed these individuals will typically leave voluntarily. As frustrating as the few bad apples may be always remain positive and encouraging for the benefit of the rest of the group.

To be safe though provide written community guidance for acceptable behavior. This provides guidance for better mentorship/contribution as well as unacceptable criteria. Let it be known that violations are not tolerated and violators may be asked to leave.

To encourage a more engaged community identify experienced people who want to mentor. Seek funding for tools and safety equipment to ensure people can put hands on and actively participate. There is an art to something mundane like welding that can only be realized by putting hands on with a little bit of direction.

What are the applications for microcontrollers and software that are of similar priority to metal fabrication?

Is the market for traditional fabrication underserved?

Have you talked with the potential customers?

Have you considered partnering with an established shop?

Ask yourself the honest question, is this about your desire to work on tech or to solve people's actual problems one at a time?

Neither answer is wrong or bad. The problem arises from pretending one is the other. Good luck.

Imagine a concept shop where multiple fabrication types are represented, with a standardized set of software tools for model creation, linting (supports / material optimization), scheduling and materials management / procurement.

You'll soon find that you're building a factory, and that common industrial management scenarios apply; perhaps scaling down a typical factory scenario is your best bet.

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