But the 2000 is not your typical production run of a new product, which would normally be speculative and require marketing effort.
In this case the 2000 is guaranteed sales, the product is already known to a large audience, and there is guaranteed ongoing discussion of the product to a wide audience independant of marketing efforts. Sounds to me like these factors make this one of the least risky ways to take a stab at a new product. Unless it has major flaws which are not solved soon after launch it is practically certain it will be a success and sales will continue well beyond the 2000.
I donāt know what the ultimate over/under is on BLF special editions, but thereās typically some falloff between initial hands raised and committed purchases in these sorts of ventures. I imagine that theyāll all eventually sell even if some of the original pledges walk away, but I Wouldnāt take that 2000 figure as guaranteed sales.
Iāll agree that a project like this is probably free market research for any manufacturer that takes on the project and indicative demand outside of the BLF market.
If I recall correctly, people were keeping track of follow-through rate on the Q8 project. The main issue was that the manufacturer couldnāt keep up with demand, not that people didnāt buy what they pledged for. I think the follow-through rate was something like 95% before the purchases opened up for general audiences, and then it has continued going up since then.
Other projects have mostly gone that way too. So itās probably pretty safe for Lumintop to make 2000 units, especially if they do 1000 each of two flavors.
Perhaps it is possible to make such leds without MCU. I think it could be done similar to the illuminated tail-switch on the BLF X6 e.g.
That means hard connected to the battery.
Sure, itās no different that hard wiring leds into a side switch. The problem with doing it on the FW3A is the much smaller mcpcb. Youāve got the same four emitters, but a much smaller board to put them on and you still need room for the optics to fit over the top, so space will be tight.
I could be wrong, but I think I rember:
Lexcel did design an aux LED-board for the normal D4 but could also be the D4S. I think the D4 quad has the same diameter of the optik than the triple FW3A.
Based on a lighten tail switch.
Please search for it
Was there a signed contract? Are all BLF designed products made exclusively by Lumintop? Look at the BLF Edition Master List
It is more like lotus or mclaren sourcing different engines for different needs.
Admittedly I have no idea what agreement was made behind the scene. If Lumintop already started manufacturing or buying parts for the flashlight then there is no need to consider switching. I donāt know if the second prototype was made by lumintop or by Fritz15.
If Lumintop hasnāt started the process then I donāt see anything wrong with switching companies. Who knows, most likely they are out sourcing it to other small companies. I donāt know how much manufacturing Lumintop does in house.
edit: First prototype was made on a lathe by Fritz15. Okay, second prototype was made by Lumintop.
The host was still designed by Fritz15, Toykeeper handled the firmware, and Tom E did the driver. Lumintop did not design the flashlight.
Hum, am I wrong to say that the diameter or the boards and optics will be quite different because the D4 and D4S are quadruples and the FW3A will be a triple?
If BLF wants companies to cooperate on any future projects, or if BLF wants this project to ever be produced, it would be a bad idea to jump ship halfway through manufacturing of the final samples.
Normally for projects like this, weād have to get investors or kickstarter backers or something, collecting money up front to fund development and production. BLF projects work differently though, depending on the manufacturer to incur all the up-front costs and all the risk, based on trust that theyāll make it all back and then some, when the product goes up for sale.
Aborting or switching companies last-minute breaks that trust, leaving Lumintop to eat the costs incurred so far, and signals to other companies that the risk is not worthwhile.