The Energon Pub

I was sitting here thinking to myself that I would have loved it if they made a leader class Ratchet for prime because having an Ambulance the same size as a Lancia Stratos or a Camaro.

Of course Ratchet is not going to be as popular as other characters so they didn't make one. Which got me to thinking, what if figures were made to order? You go to the store and look at the figures and if there is one you want they can just print it and ship it to you.

This would eliminate shelf warming and make it possible to have different sizes of figures for people to scale. Also if you missed out on a figure from years ago they can print you a copy no problem.

Same thing with replacement parts- a panel pops off and flies into the abyss, no problemo they can just print another. Lose a sword/gun/teeny tiny thing? Just print an extra, NBD.

WreckerJack wrote:I was sitting here thinking to myself that I would have loved it if they made a leader class Ratchet for prime because having an Ambulance the same size as a Lancia Stratos or a Camaro.

Of course Ratchet is not going to be as popular as other characters so they didn't make one. Which got me to thinking, what if figures were made to order? You go to the store and look at the figures and if there is one you want they can just print it and ship it to you.

This would eliminate shelf warming and make it possible to have different sizes of figures for people to scale. Also if you missed out on a figure from years ago they can print you a copy no problem.

Same thing with replacement parts- a panel pops off and flies into the abyss, no problemo they can just print another. Lose a sword/gun/teeny tiny thing? Just print an extra, NBD.

I would love to do this. Who knows? Maybe at some point in the future.

I highly doubt this would happen. Transformers are more complicated than any other action figure so on top of printing every single little piece someone would have to assemble the figure which would take a lot of time to do on a order by order basis. Plus 3d printing hasn't gotten to the point yet where anything made would be quality anyway. So in the end you'd have an extremely expensive but low quality figure. Cool idea but it's just not practical.

steals_your_goats wrote:I highly doubt this would happen. Transformers are more complicated than any other action figure so on top of printing every single little piece someone would have to assemble the figure which would take a lot of time to do on a order by order basis. Plus 3d printing hasn't gotten to the point yet where anything made would be quality anyway. So in the end you'd have an extremely expensive but low quality figure. Cool idea but it's just not practical.

Do you think there is a better way for this to be done currently or in the near future?

WreckerJack wrote:

steals_your_goats wrote:I highly doubt this would happen. Transformers are more complicated than any other action figure so on top of printing every single little piece someone would have to assemble the figure which would take a lot of time to do on a order by order basis. Plus 3d printing hasn't gotten to the point yet where anything made would be quality anyway. So in the end you'd have an extremely expensive but low quality figure. Cool idea but it's just not practical.

Do you think there is a better way for this to be done currently or in the near future?

Not really, but I think the standard factory method is going to be around for a long time. Companies look for ways to save money, it's unlikely they'll take the risk to completely change their manufacturing process especially on something as complex as Transformers

Made to order in some aspects. Bandai does this with their Macross figures like the 1st "Monster" that transforms (nope not the Yamato version). It was like a limited release. Depending on the number of orders, then the order depending on the number.

I didn't want a leader size Ratchet, I just wanted a Ratchet that Transformed like the show model instead of all the freaking fake parts. I needed that.

Optimum Supreme wrote:I didn't want a leader size Ratchet, I just wanted a Ratchet that Transformed like the show model instead of all the freaking fake parts. I needed that.

As long as animators take liberties for the sake of general looks, no toy will ever fully match any on-screen design. Period.

And 3D printing is a long way away from becoming a manufacturing standard, as it's currently nowhere near viable for the amount of toys produced in a single year. It is being used in design stages I believe, didn't FunPub make 3D-printed prototypes before having the actual molds carved?

What also hampers things is that no toy is made of a single type of plastic, or any single type of material for that matter. The main type used is ABS plastic, PA is a second type, and don't forget metal, for the screws and pins. And don't get started on color...

You know, now that I think of it, the only viable application for 3D printing is for Kabaya's candy kits.

fenrir72 wrote:Made to order in some aspects. Bandai does this with their Macross figures like the 1st "Monster" that transforms (nope not the Yamato version). It was like a limited release. Depending on the number of orders, then the order depending on the number.

A big fad in Japan, again looking at Macross here, is putting models of figures together. ITs a fully transforming Valkyrie, and you just buy a box full of the parts on trees. Then you paint it, and put it together.

I don't see that as ever catching on in America, but it would be the first logical step before made to order figures.

Ironhidensh wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Made to order in some aspects. Bandai does this with their Macross figures like the 1st "Monster" that transforms (nope not the Yamato version). It was like a limited release. Depending on the number of orders, then the order depending on the number.

A big fad in Japan, again looking at Macross here, is putting models of figures together. ITs a fully transforming Valkyrie, and you just buy a box full of the parts on trees. Then you paint it, and put it together.

I don't see that as ever catching on in America, but it would be the first logical step before made to order figures.

The JP collector scene is so waaay out there indeed. Even if it (a figure)costs like 3 MP10s, it still sells out.