Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy dive into the intricate process of deciding what to work on next. They explore the challenge of prioritizing tasks in a landscape where everything seems important, while sharing insights on how to navigate this complexity within the framework of a company's structure.

They emphasize the significance of customer feedback and interviews as a guiding compass. They also touch on the importance of understanding customer challenges rather than just their suggestions, and how this can lead to innovative solutions that may not have been initially considered.

Key topics include:
The role of customer interviews and how they can shape product development
How to discern between urgent and important tasks
Strategies for gathering and utilizing community feedback
The importance of having a clear mission to guide decision-making
Balancing incremental improvements with larger overhauls
Insights into the operational side of decision-making

Mentions in this episode:
YouTube - Bill Hader quote - https://youtu.be/NHHZSNw9J2o?t=26
Book - Death by Meeting - https://www.amazon.com/Death-Meeting-Leadership-Solving-Business/dp/0787968056
Blog Post - The Three Machines by Brad Feld - https://feld.com/archives/2017/01/the-three-machines/
Comic - XKCD Is It Worth the Time? - https://xkcd.com/1205/

---

Join the conversation and share your thoughts at hardware.cafe.

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

To learn more about what we do, visit Opulo.io.
To see everything else we do, including social media, visit Opulo.start.page.

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.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy talk about what it’s really like to advertise in the open hardware world. From running social media ads to trying out print campaigns, they share what worked, what didn’t, and what they learned along the way.

They touch on things like figuring out who your audience actually is, why selling machines like the Lumen pick and place takes patience, and how good messaging and customer feedback make all the difference. Instead of chasing quick wins, they dig into how brand awareness can matter more than immediate sales.

You’ll hear them cover:
Marketing vs. advertising and why the difference matters
How to understand what customers need (and how to show you can solve it)
The tricky part of measuring ad results
Social media, search ads, sponsorships, and where they fit
Examples of ad campaigns that hit the mark, and ones that missed

---

Join the conversation and share your thoughts at hardware.cafe.

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

To learn more about what we do, visit Opulo.io.
To see everything else we do, including social media, visit Opulo.start.page.

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.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy talk about the role education plays in engineering and open hardware. They share their own experiences, what they gained from pursuing degrees, what they learned outside of school, and how both shaped their careers.
They get into the cost of formal education, the value of personal projects, and the lessons that only come from real-world work. Join them as they explore when a degree is necessary and when practical experience can be just as powerful.

You’ll hear:
The ups and downs of earning an engineering degree
How different educational paths influenced their careers
Why side projects matter for learning and growth
Ways to balance classroom learning with hands-on experience
Thoughts on job hunting with or without a degree

---

Join the conversation and share your thoughts at hardware.cafe.

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.io.
To see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.page.

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.

This week on the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Thea and Lucy talk about what collaboration really looks like in open source hardware. They share how they each found their way into the open source world, with stories ranging from building Nerf blasters to creating massive community-driven projects, like Nox or the LumenPnP.
The conversation touches on different ways people come together to build projects, why documentation matters, and how simple things like clear expectations or a quick thank-you can make a huge difference for contributors. They also highlight a few projects, such as Arduino and QMK (open source keyboard software), that demonstrate what strong communities can achieve.

In this episode you’ll hear about:
What collaboration means in open source hardware
Personal stories from the team
Lessons from successful projects like Nox, Arduino, and QMK
How to encourage community contributions
Why documentation and recognition keep projects thriving

Check out the episode and join the conversation at hardware.cafe

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.io
To see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.page

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.

In this episode of the Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast, Stephen and Lucy explore the complex world of product certification, an essential yet often intimidating part of bringing hardware to market. They discuss the details of obtaining certifications like FCC and CE, sharing their experiences and insights from the certification process of the Lumen PMP V4. Addressing the challenges of navigating regulatory requirements, they emphasize the importance of understanding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and cover the various tests involved, such as radiated emissions and immunity.

Key topics include:
The significance of certification
Understanding the costs and time involved in the certification process
Insights into the various types of testing: emissions, immunity, and ESD
Strategies for preparing your product for certification
The role of open source communities in enhancing product design and compliance
Practical advice for navigating the certification landscape

Don't forget to check out https://hardware.cafe and contribute what you know! Be a part of something that will truly help small businesses around the world.

Mentioned in the episode:
Sparkfun blog post: https://web.archive.org/web/20200114052820/https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/398
Stephen's Certification YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCjFhsOvi2I
Blog post about the certification process: https://hardware.cafe/lumen-certs/

----------------------------------

Do you have any questions, comments, or topic suggestions? Email us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

To find out more about what we do, check out Opulo.io
To see everything else we do, including social media, check out Opulo.start.page

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.