# 57: Mashed in the Gears

- Show: [Thoroughly Considered](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered)
- Published: 2020-02-19
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 57
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears
- Listen: http://relay.fm/tc/57

## Summary

Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the assembly of the Apollo Pin, noting that hiring part-time help from a family nanny alleviated a bottleneck where manual assembly was stifling new product development. They detail the iterative design revisions to the mechanism and PVD finishes, which improved consistency and reduced reject rates compared to the original Mark One. Myke Hurley updates listeners on the Theme Journal System, explaining the stress of managing inventory, unexpected sell-outs, and supply chain delays caused by the Lunar New Year and coronavirus, while highlighting the unique challenges of scaling paper product manufacturing.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears#t=8) Introduction: Studio Neat and Apollo Pin Assembly
- [1:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears#t=75) Apollo Pin Assembly Process and Hiring Help
- [4:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears#t=253) The Bottleneck of Manual Assembly and New Product Development
- [11:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears#t=684) Apollo Pin Mechanism Revisions and Quality Control
- [17:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears#t=1072) Theme Journal System Inventory and Supply Chain Issues
- [27:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears#t=1647) Scaling Paper Products and Manufacturing Constraints

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Studio Neat (company)
- Apollo Pin (product)
- Mark One (product)
- Theme Journal System (product)
- Cortex Journal (product)
- Cotton Bureau (company)
- Relay FM (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 065: A mallard is a tool you use when you do chisel work](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-01-episode-065-a-mallard-is-a-tool-you-use-when-you-do-chisel-work) (Making It)
- [Episode 274: Fold time back on itself](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2020-08-28-episode-274-fold-time-back-on-itself) (Making It)
- [211: Establishing Product Manufacturing Operations](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-01-28-211-establishing-product-manufacturing-operations) (Product Startup)
- [Merry Keyzermas!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-12-25-merry-keyzermas) (The Amp Hour)
- [#037 - Disrupting with digital manufacturing, with Nick Pinkston of Plethora, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-02-19-57-mashed-in-the-gears. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Thoroughly Considered.