> Just look at the myriad failed Kickstarter projects that tried to make consumer stuff. Even getting something normal made in China can be serious work.
....coz they are making 50k of a thing. Not four a year.
Re:The Pentagon’s $52,000 trash can
by dale_glass on Friday June 23, 2023 @10:23AM
(#36447200)
50K is easier in this regard. Things like molds are expensive to make and are amortized over thousands of copies. So making 5 costs a lot per unit, making 50K is cheap per unit.
IMO, the claimed price is never to cover these so called "testing for requirements", It is a random / maximum amount they can charge basically. Sure they could give you a nice explanation that looks nice on paper, but it is rarely true. It is always the smoke and mirrors bullshit that happens for government contracts.
Re:The Pentagon’s $52,000 trash can
by cushychicken on Friday June 23, 2023 @09:07AM
(#36446313)
Excellent corollary example.
Making real, physical goods is very, very challenging, and I don't think a lot of the denizens of this site (as SWEs) appreciate that.
Just look at the myriad failed Kickstarter projects that tried to make consumer stuff. Even getting something normal made in China can be serious work. And far more if you actually want to do a good job of it. Linus Tech Tips put a surprising amount of work into making a screwdriver.
Then consider that the military probably has a bunch of requirements like "this can't break into sharp shards" and "it can't emit toxic smoke if it burns", and they'll want that to be proven. Certifying all those things is a whole job on its own.