# Shifting Away From DIY - Pedetentious PnP Progress

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Length: 1h 18m
- Episode: 251
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/251-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress/

## Summary

Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics and Dave Jones of EEV Blog discuss the shifting landscape of hardware development, moving from DIY hobbyism to professional manufacturing. They review Maker Faire exhibits, including Volterra circuit printers, Cartesian Co routers, and various pick-and-place machines, debating their practical utility. The hosts analyze the impact of new software tools like Altium's CircuitMaker and the rising cost of components, arguing that while entry-level hardware is becoming commoditized, professional board design and manufacturing remain essential for successful products.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=0) Introduction: Dave Jones and Chris Gammell
- [3:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=219) Google Grants and Web Series Ideas
- [9:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=568) Maker Faire Recap: Robots and 3D Printing
- [17:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=1044) Circuit Printing: Volterra and Cartesian Co
- [24:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=1498) Pick and Place Machines and Automation
- [32:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=1962) Maker Media Bankruptcy and Industry Shifts
- [40:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=2407) Commoditization of Hardware and IoT
- [51:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=3084) The Necessity of Professional Electronics Design
- [1:04:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=3851) Altium CircuitMaker and EDA Tools
- [1:16:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-05-28-shifting-away-from-diy-pedetentious-pnp-progress#t=4576) Contextual Electronics Hiring and Conclusion

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Volterra (product)
- Cartesian Co (company)
- Altium CircuitMaker (tool)
- KiCad (tool)
- Eagle (tool)
- Arduino (product)
- Teensy (product)
- ESP8266 (chip)
- Onion Omega (product)
- Tesla (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 072: Back FROM Maker Faire](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-05-27-episode-072-back-from-maker-faire) (Making It)
- [Making It #012: Handmade?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-03-12-making-it-012-handmade) (Making It)
- [508: The Trampoline is at Zero](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-12-12-508-the-trampoline-is-at-zero) (Making It)
- [Episode 211: Uncle Joe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2019-04-26-episode-211-uncle-joe) (Making It)
- [Episode 035: 47,793 unread messages](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-09-04-episode-035-47-793-unread-messages) (Making It)

## Citing this page

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