Tronix3D

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the NDT specialist at Siemens Energy, a power generation service and repair company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tronix3D?

We needed a supplier for 3D-printed parts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tronix3D provides 3D printing services. We provide them with the designs, and they print them. If modifications are needed, they give us engineering recommendations. They’ve also helped us engineer a different style of product. We also do prototypes for development. They offered us assembly services, but we do the assembly here.

What is the team composition?

We work with Mike, the founder and CEO, and Christian, the account manager, is our main contact.

How did you come to work with Tronix3D?

We've known Mike for multiple years, and the connection was already there based on our historical relationship. They were a good and easy fit for us to pair up to and get the parts we needed locally.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

For us, the turnaround time is significant. Tronix3D is able to produce the product for us in a relatively short lead time.

How did Tronix3D perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re on a budget and meet deadlines. That’s never been an issue. We usually provide them with the drawings, and they’ll provide us with a quote. Then, we release a purchase order. We communicate via email and direct conversations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We're impressed with their turnaround time and quality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We probably need more improvement on our end than anything. The invoicing and vendor setups are a little goofy. However, it’s important to note that they work well with us, given all the corporate conundrums that occur with the accounts.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re really good to work with. They're quick to respond and excellent at getting our parts on the line for printing with short lead times there.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Principal Electrical & Test Engineer of Stratus Materials

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

CAM (cathode active material) battery material producer/manufacturer

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tronix3D to accomplish?

• Rapid Prototyping
• Print parts
• Iterative Design assistance

SOLUTION

How did you find Tronix3D?

Work in the same building

Why did you select Tronix3D over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Tronix3D were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Make fixtures and fixture holders for custom battery formats as well as aiding in the design of fixture holders to get a product that works and kept costs low.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The deliverables were an exact fit and function for our application. They also assisted in iterative design to get us to the final product. They helped by cutting costs but keeping the key aspects needed in our fixtures. Made prototypes that gave insights to this iterative design process. The additive manufactured items are currently in use and easy to interact with when using them.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The made timelines and exceeded them. All deliverables came in time or earlier than expected. Every time there was a change or update to the design, they were prompt with responses. They made the whole process seemless and in the end we were able to finish the project before the due dates.

What was your primary form of communication with Tronix3D?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Most impressive was their mindset to customer service and customer needs. They have a drive to deliver the best possible outcomes for both parties. The most unique is their ability to provide solutions in all different platforms of additive manufacturing and their enthusiam for their craft. Also, they have more of a personal touch to their customer interaction compared to others in the same market. They have a personal touch along with the expertise to drive solid outcomes. They are a dynamic group who can deliver.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tronix3D could have done differently?

There really isn't anything that comes to mind that they could or should have done differently. Our needs were met and we exceeded our goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the supply chain manager at Carnegie Robotics, an autonomous robotic solution provider for hardware and software. I work with our suppliers and customers to ensure that products are produced for our customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tronix3D?

We needed a partner to manufacture 3D-printed components.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Tronix3D provides us with contract manufacturing services. We initially had a web call with their CEO and discussed our requirements. We then met in person and sent them our requirements, which they quoted. We've given them design drawings for 3D-printed components, and they've manufactured what's on the drawings.

They manufacture the components using HP Multi Jet Fusion. They also offer some value-added post-processing services, but we don't require them at the moment.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–3 people from their team, including Mike, the CEO, and Christian, their lead engineer. We occasionally work with Jason, their CTO.

How did you come to work with Tronix3D?

We were introduced to them through a mutual friend. They're local to us and have a record of quickly producing good-quality parts. We have a good relationship with their CEO.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $30,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working together since March 2023, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

There haven't been any quality issues, and our customers have had no issues with the products they've manufactured for us. I had high expectations for them, and they've met all of them. I'll continue to push them and work with them in the future.

How did Tronix3D perform from a project management standpoint?

They meet deadlines and stay on budget. We communicate via email, Zoom, Google Meet, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication is excellent. They want to do a good job and provide feedback on our components to ensure they get done in the best way possible. Their delivery times are very quick. They're experts in their field, so we rely on them for technical feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any at the moment. They're great to work with.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared for discussions. They'll give you feedback and quote exactly what you want. They move quickly and do a good job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of product at Shelfmark. We produce quality control solutions for middle-market manufacturers. My job is to scope, prototype, build, and deploy new applications and solutions for different business lines.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Tronix3D?

Tronix3D has helped us on the early end of the product development process. They’ve supported us with the design, prototyping, assembly of new units, and testing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our platform is a hardware-enabled SaaS product, and Tronix3D has helped us with hardware prototyping, specifically the casing solutions of the end products. They’ve worked on anything plastic, 3D-printed, or prototyped parts.

When we have a new application and need to figure out how to get a certain camera into a manufacturing setting, Tronix3D helps us decipher the requirements. They ask questions about the environment, the application, and what we need. Then, they do some design services and mock-up different case options and designs using CAD software.

After a couple of iterations, they do the 3D printing. We check it out, make sure it fits our requirements, and test it. Then, they manufacture some of the 3D-printed parts. When we need to go to market, we take those pieces of hardware, and Tronix3D puts together a batch of 3D-printed parts that we take out into the world. These enable our QC machine learning and software for our clients.

The final product is a 3D-printed plastic case and enclosure that houses PCBs or computer hardware for an industrial camera application. It’s similar to a ring doorbell. The team doesn't touch the internal components, but they design and manufacture the plastic that holds everything together.

Overall, they're a collaborative partner for us. What happens is I like to get super tactical and tangible to give as much color as possible; I will call Mike or Jason and say, "Hey guys, I have this new use case. Here's the general premise. Can we talk? "And I go over to their office. We sit by a whiteboard, and I show pictures and videos of the context. We get on the whiteboard and start diagramming out real-world requirements, and then Jason, Mike, and the team will take that given environmental constraints and development processes. They're very much like a design partner or collaborator. They make material, design methods, and feature recommendations for us. We give some preferences, and then they do the design work, build the test pieces, manufacture the test pieces, and so on and so forth.

We usually do a couple of iterations. It's impossible to nail anything on the very first try, so I can't speak to any rigorous testing or certification processes with anything. However, essentially, what my experience has been, and our experiences have been with the testing, is that they manufacture a prototype for us. They do the first iteration, build it, and give it to us. We test it against our specs and ensure everything fits. We give notes and iterate until it's ready.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with them for almost three years. In the beginning, I worked closely with Mike, the founder. Then, I started transitioning some of the work to Jason, the other founder. I've also hung out in their shop for a couple of days while we were prototyping things run into Ryan, a mechanical engineer, and other teammates. Overall, I've worked with Mike, Jason, and Chip, a mechanical Engineer.

How did you come to work with Tronix3D?

We found them through our network. One of my coworkers met Mike at a happy hour. When we were doing our first camera iteration a couple of years ago, we remembered they did prototyping and 3D printing.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $20,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first meeting was in November 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Mike, Jason, and the team have made numerous recommendations in our design process. They've optimized the hardware products for function and cost in unique ways.

How did Tronix3D perform from a project management standpoint?

We're a small company, so we'd much rather have incredibly aggressive deadlines with many risks than very buffered deadlines with no risk. I'm confident that if we had a standard timeline and added some buffer and considerations, they'd hit it 10 times out of 10. Tronix3D does what many people aren't willing to do for us. They tell us they'll get us the product as fast as possible. It might not be perfect, but they’ll iterate — that's more than fine. Our working relationship is not all about deadlines. We communicate over the phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity and the breadth of their experience and understanding are impressive. Mike, Jason, and their team have their hands in many different projects and have a pulse on the product ecosystem in Pittsburgh. It’s cool that whenever we bring them a use case, they have a knack for finding analogous projects, methods, or techniques that work well in other places and can be brought to our solution. Also, Mike and Jason are fantastic. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having a customer support or project manager handle all the administrative stuff and client communication would be good because they can sometimes get lost in translation or an inbox. Engineers doing design and project management work is hard. They don’t have time and shouldn't be doing it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about what you want and your requirements. They do well if you have the exact thing you want and need to whip up the design and manufacture it. They can do it well if you have an idea and need help with the solution. Being conscious of which of those camps you fall into will immediately start the engagement and frame it for them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President & CEO of SKA Robotics

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Robotics engineering 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Tronix3D to accomplish?

• 3D print parts
• Design for manufacturing
• Client expectation understanding

SOLUTION

How did you find Tronix3D?

Referral

Why did you select Tronix3D over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Tronix3D were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

These guys do great work

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Great parts, good value, great insights

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Always on time or early

What was your primary form of communication with Tronix3D?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Pragmatic leadership, practical approach, good people

Are there any areas for improvement or something Tronix3D could have done differently?

They were great.