The Future of Manufacturing: A Vision by Palki Motors
As you know, making an electric car is not that hard in 2024. You engineer a body and chassis based on road conditions and your target audience, helping them get their job done. You can get pretty much everything off the shelf.
After talking with mentors, I figured there are three main ways to fail in the automotive industry:
At Palki Motors, we have overcome these three challenges at our current stage—the pre-seed stage.
I love the lean stage. Coming from Bangladesh, one of the hardest places to build a startup, my character is built to be like a cactus. I aim to stay profitable or cash flow positive at any given moment, whether it's a funding winter or drought—whatever the gurus call it. Surviving is succeeding.
At the pre-seed stage, we produce 10 cars a month. We calculate a $15k profit from selling the cars, with a burn rate of $8k, and the remaining funds go towards R&D for upgrading the next version.
The need for scaling comes from customer pressure. When those 120 customers are satisfied each year, they tell their friends. They ask us to produce more cars, compelling us to scale.
When it comes to scaling, I don’t want to follow the status quo. If I followed the traditional automotive model, I would never have come this far, nor could I contribute anything new to the industry.
The manufacturing process we know today was introduced by Henry Ford in 1913. It was a genius innovation, creating thousands of jobs and enabling car production at scale. But that process is now over 100 years old.
I have the freedom to innovate, primarily because of my customers. They need to break even faster than existing solutions allow.
Import-based ICE engine car businesses are declining in Bangladesh and in other countries where government subsidies are minimal. This is the perfect time to think differently.
I posted about my micro-factory architecture at least two years ago. People didn’t believe me because we had nothing at that time.
Now we have designs for two models, a defined manufacturing process, and proven agility.
The next phase of questions will be:
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Selling and financing will be handled by mentors and professionals. They excel in those areas. My task is to figure out if I can manufacture at scale while ensuring faster break-even for my customers and investors.
That’s where the story of the micro-factory comes in. I envision a 20,000-square-foot factory. Think of it like IKEA—a factory designed to be portable. The factory itself assembles cars, leveraging robotics and AI.
The future of the micro-factory might involve programmable matter. Who knows?
How far are we from creating the first autonomous micro-factory?
Well, we’ve laid the foundation. We’re producing cars and incorporating automation for faster production.
For example, it currently takes two days to make a door. With a stamping machine equipped with an automated feeder and releaser, it will take just three minutes to make a door.
My policy is simple: automate where necessary while keeping the big picture of the micro-factory in mind. When we scale to 200 units a month, the factory will evolve into a true micro-factory.
So, keep calm and watch as I present the micro-factory by 2027.
When I talk about Palki, I might make it sound easy. That’s because when you think 24/7 about your business, it’s supposed to be easy.
It’s not hard for a sci-fi and game lover to think this way. A startup is like a campaign game—you're faced with challenges, solve them one by one, move stage by stage, and eventually, you aim for the endgame.
Killing the boss.
Manager of Design & Manufacturing ( Sheet metal Die, Punch Mold and Product Development) at RFL Central Tool Room
1moSir, Visions are crucial points for a company. Where company sustainable are considered by update technology and process development.Also, customers are the main stakeholders for business. I think meet their requirements will continue develop your whole process. Last but not least, timewise decisions can paly vital role here. Thanks.
Manager & Head of Mechanical Maintenance, Partex Tissue Ltd. || Industry Expert in Plant Operation & Maintenance || Employee of the Year 2023 || Business & Technical Data Analyst || Lifelong Learner & Mentor🏆
1moGreat initiative & superb plan to touch your dream...Best of luck...
Founder & CEO of Flourish Academy.
1moVery informative
Full-Stack Developer
1moMustafa Al Momin, great insights! This is helpful for our work
Joined State University of Bangladesh as an Advisor to the Board of Trustees
1moSounds possible. Flexibility and resilience will be the keys. All the best.