Find a cheaper way to produce hand rest

[floesche]

Currently the laser cutting service costs $150, more than half of what everything else costs. Find a cheaper way to do this, possibly using 3D printing instead of introducing a separate technology stack.

This is a task derived from the lab meeting presentation, page 14.

[InchoateArtichoke]

I'm not exactly sure how they price files, but another thought is to split the parts into different files so that it does not have to ship as a large sheet. At the very least, we should also separate out the baseplate drawing so that it can be ordered in a thicker material for stability.

[floesche]

Is it possible to check prices without actually ordering it? What is the total for the different options?

[InchoateArtichoke]

I realized the cost I was thinking of included the other acrylic parts as well. I think most of the extra cost was rushed shipping and the thicker acrylic, which costs a bit more. Typically, shipping is free.

$30.69 - Tethering station, 3mm clear acrylic for all parts
$50.67 - Tethering station, 5.6mm clear acrylic for baseplate ($25.93) and 3mm for all else ($24.74)

$8.48 - Heat pad plate, 3mm black acrylic
$36.85 - Setup baseplate, 5.6mm black acrylic

The cheapest combination would be $76.02 (30.69+8.48+36.85), for all the acrylic necessary for the setup. This is still pretty pricey, but it's a bit better.