Carbon Fibre Emotion Control Unit

[mb1]

I think everybody will agree with me that the plastic key is a bit disappointing to say the least...



The glass key is nice but fragile and as I understand many users do not dare taking it all the time due to the cost of replacing one (£950 !!!!)

One of my companies makes bespoke limited run carbon fibre items and I am tempted to do a carbon fibre case to replace the plastic one of the spare key.

The case would be high quality real carbon fibre, twill weave (1.5k or 3k size), high-gloss finish. Cost would be in the order of 1/10 of the glass key :-)

If I can get a few people interested here, I will get costings. Let me know what you think.

ETA

Company link removed.

Edited by Big Al. on Saturday 12th May 22:58

[mb1]

Thank you very much for the feedback. Looks like the interest is there.

Logo. Yes, needs to have something on top.
Buttons. I do not really want to touch them right now.
Finish. Both gloss and matte can be made.

The idea would be to keep all internal parts from the plastic key and just swap the shell, which should be a straight forward job.

I will get tooling cost next week, and come up with a no-margin cost for Pistonheads members willing to pay upfront - the more of us and the lower the cost will be obviously ;-)

Mb1

[mb1]

Yes, I have a list of about 25-30 who have shown interest.
I made the CAD models this week and sent to manufacturer for quotation.
I will come back later this week with a price.
Mb1

[mb1]

So far I have 27 for the ECU and only 3 Volvo. So I am starting with the ECU. We will see about the Volvo after the ECU is successful.
It might take a couple of weeks before I get the prices. So please be patient :-)

[mb1]

10ish will be enough for me to go forward. The issue is more time to CAD the case.
I also want to see how much the ECU is going to cost before looking at the Volvo one.
It has quite a few little details that could increase the cost.
Let me get costings for the ECU and then if the costs are acceptable, I will ask for somebody to send me one of their keys and get on with doing them as well.
Mb1

[mb1]

George H said:

The case shouldn't take long to model, only a few hours.

Well, I wished I had a few hours to spare ;-)
But the cost is the main issue. Let's see how much I can get the ECU made for.

[mb1]

Ok, ok, looks like the Volvo key has gathered momentum !
I should have costing later today or tomorrow for the ECU.

[mb1]

Not yet.
Still sorting out a few details so that the case can be open and closed to change the battery !
It means little details to be tooled up.
I will post costs as soon as I have them.

[mb1]

All,

I finally have some numbers for you !

ok, it is a bit more expensive than I would have liked but if the case has to be open and closed for battery replacement and also easy to fit, then the tooling becomes a bit more complex.

The case will be entirely carbon fibre with a matt finish to match the look of the carbon used inside our cars. A logo will be available to fit on the front of the key (so it can be seen when fitted).
It will use the same buttons as the plastic key.

It will be provided as a kit, whereby the owner will be able to open the plastic key, take out the internals and buttons and fit them to the carbon shell provided. It will be an easy swap. I will also offer to fit if the user is happy to send me his plastic key.

Now, bearing in mind that a glass key is £600 and a plastic key £350, I arrived to a RRP of £200 for the carbon fibre key.

The tool supplier is ready to proceed with the moulds and first prototypes. I just want to have your feedback first.

What I intent to do is as follows. If you guys tell me that you are still interested, then I would order a first batch of 20 keys (ECU keys). Obviously first come, first serve basis (reading through the thread, there was more than 30 people interested in the ECU).

I am happy to finance tools, but I will give 25% off to anybody who wants to secure a key now and ready to pay in advance.

Prototype should be ready within the next 3 weeks. First batch of keys by the end of June.

Depending on feedback I get on cost now, I will start working on the volvo key.

I look forward to your feedback.

Mb1

[mb1]

I am not planning a metal one.
However, now that I the CAD, I can easily have one done by CNC.
What material would you like ?
I am not too sure how the transmitter will be affected by an all metal case though...

[mb1]

yg649 said:

Still in. How do you want to do payment ?

Great. I will PM interested parties with the bank details so they can do a transfer. I will provide an invoice so if anything goes wrong you can get your money back.

Right, 18 left then ;-)

[mb1]

For the ECU:
I will PM all of you who have registered their interest through this thread.
I will do this over the weekend.
I will send payment details.

For the Volvo key:
A dealer has kindly offered to send me a spare key.
I get the CAD going sometime next week.

Mb1

[mb1]

notsaV8V said:

I think I'm still interested. By offering a 25% discount, does that mean you will be seeling them at or below cost or, put another way, is the £200 price inclusive of a 25% profit margin? Does that also include VAT? The price is now closer to the £400 for the glass ECU which is still the thing to have if only it were not so fragile. At £150 though I think I'm in. Will the first batch be full production models?

Regards Notsa

Cost includes VAT as I will go through one of my companies to provide safety to whomever buys and also in case it starts selling more. VAT invoice will be provided.

There will not be such thing as full production as it is a small series of 20 up to may be 50. Not sure if it will sell beyond that.
I am going straight for aluminium tools and it will be autoclaved so the quality should be right up there.

At the proposed price, I am paying for the moulds and the keys. There is a small margin on top at £150 just in case there is anything to change on the moulds or if anything go wrong.

The carbon fiber key is very much a substitute for the plastic key (I am still at a loss to understand how that 'thing' landed in an Aston...). And the CFRP ECU is still cheaper !

[mb1]

X7LDA said:

For the Volvo key, bear in mind it's not the key you need, it's the fob......

Yep, got that ;-)

[mb1]

So far I have...

Let me know if I have missed your interest in one of those or if I have incorrectly allocated your name to the ECU vs Volvo.
I will start PM everybody !

For the ECU:
jac6909
AstonZagato
silverspeed
AMDBSnick
v8xdm
CarbonV12V
v8woollie
Mr Purple
Colesie
Rex Racer
ipd57
AdamV8V
Ice27
Tony V12V
Zod
mcm66
johng39
GlynV8
Jay_Davis
CraigV12V
yeti
Adam2S
yg649
MattV12V
notsaV8V
LukeyLikey
lady topaz
Captain Beaky
MSPV12
SnowMachine
Highrisedrifter
foldespace
kent_phil
franki68
bananarob
DavidV12V
clorenzen
lime1
klaiberp
J12MOC

For the Volvo Key:
KarlFranz
B4rnst4ble
X7LDA
klaiberp
PhilSm
897sma
apotek
helipilot
D16RR_Rich
macpaul
GerryS
jamespconnor
DAMIT
JaseB
brakedwell

[mb1]

Ice27 said:

I'm in the wrong list.
I'd like a Volvo key please.

Now corrected. Thanks !

[mb1]

mb1 said:

Now corrected. Thanks !

Ok. Emails already gone out so apologies if you get an email about the ECU :-)

[mb1]

v8woollie said:

v8woollie for Volvo key please, not ECU. Thanks.

Ok. Emails already gone out so apologies if you get an email about the ECU :-)

[mb1]

All,

If you are interested in the ECU and you were on the list I posted earlier today, you should have received a private mail from myself. However, I think Pistonheads might have stopped a lot of them with their automatic spam detection...

So, if you have not received an email from me today, please email at [e-mail]

Thanks !
Mb1

[mb1]

Quick status Update.

ECU:
16 firm paid orders in, which is enough for me to proceed with the manufacture of the tooling. I am trying to find a slot with the CNC machine shop now.
I will have to give final numbers for the first batch of CFRP ECUs within the next week or so.
Please contact me if you want to secure a slot by then.

Volvo fob:
Enough interest to get going on CAD. Trying to find a spare key with one of the dealers. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for your support !

Mb1