# Julie Schulte | Parts & Hardware Tools for R&D Engineers

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2023-04-28
- Length: 37m
- Episode: 17
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/julie-schulte-chamfr/

## Summary

Julie Schulte, co-founder and CEO of Chamfr, explains how her platform connects R&D engineers with suppliers of low-volume medical device components to accelerate product development. She details the historical pain point where engineers struggled to source small quantities of custom parts due to high minimum order quantities and manual quoting processes. Schulte describes how Chamfr solves this by maintaining real-time inventory of 'close enough' components, allowing engineers to iterate quickly without waiting for custom manufacturing quotes. The company bootstrapped its growth, overcoming supplier resistance to holding inventory, and now serves as a transparent marketplace for medical device innovation.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=0) Introduction: Julie Schulte and Chamfr's Mission
- [1:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=84) Schulte's Background in Contract Manufacturing
- [1:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=115) The Origin Story: Solving the Low-Volume Sourcing Problem
- [4:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=297) Why Suppliers Couldn't Serve R&D Engineers Before
- [7:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=458) The Old Workflow: Google, Quotes, and Lead Times
- [9:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=566) The Branding Strategy Behind the Name 'Chamfr'
- [11:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=696) Focusing Exclusively on the Medical Device Market
- [15:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=936) Product Examples: From Tubing to UV Curing Stations
- [17:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1070) Real-Time Inventory and the 24-48 Hour Shipping Promise
- [19:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1142) The User Journey: Search, Filter, and Checkout
- [23:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1408) Transitioning from R&D to Production Volumes
- [25:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1543) Challenges: Convincing Suppliers to Hold Inventory
- [28:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1698) Bootstrapping and Product-Market Fit
- [30:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1856) The First Sale and Beta Launch
- [32:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-04-28-julie-schulte-parts-hardware-tools-for-r-d-engineers#t=1962) Future Features: Net Terms and Back-in-Stock Notifications

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Chamfr (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- TeamPipeline.us (other)
- ISO 13485 (other)
- LinkedIn (other)
- Twitter (other)
- Facebook (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Component Management with Jan Rychter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-05-17-component-management-with-jan-rychter) (The Amp Hour)
- [Matchmaking Supply and Demand for Parts Manufacturing w/ Markus Seibold](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2024-10-15-matchmaking-supply-and-demand-for-parts-manufacturing-w-markus-seibold) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Ep. 12: Why Robotics Teams Lose Momentum Before They Ever Ship | The Robo Success Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robo-success-podcast/2026-07-14-ep-12-why-robotics-teams-lose-momentum-before-they-ever-ship-the-robo-success-po) (The Robo Success Podcast)
- [That SCOOPshow - Season 6, Productronica 2021 - Håvard Korsvoll, CTO at Circular Components](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2021-11-11-that-scoopshow-season-6-productronica-2021-havard-korsvoll-cto-at-circular-compo) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Accelerating the Pace of Innovation and Hardware Manufacturing with Nick Pinkston (Part 1 of 3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-10-18-accelerating-the-pace-of-innovation-and-hardware-manufacturing-with-nick-pinksto) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

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