They could make one of these pretty easily once I upload the STL’s somewhere…
Project LaserScythe - Or, what exactly do you do with leftover TAZ rods? Part cost for that was around $230 for a one-off. (laser was $100, Controll circuitry was $50, Motors and belts $30) In bulk from different suppliers you could probably get it down further, though the enclosure would probably cost a bit more if you don’t get lucky and find a fleet of surplus metal printer cabinet boxes for $5 each like I did heh.
I’d like to see a “pro” version of the Taz, maybe with a smothieboard or duet board core. There is a small but growing market for a completely solid, built and no adjustment required printer that can outperform the Stratsys machines at the $3-$5k pricepoint. There would also be a market for a larger machine, but again that would be somewhat limited.
You could look at CNC manufacturing, but thats a pretty crowded market. That would give you theoretically an in house milling capability though which might come in handy.
There’s always the ROV market!
There is definitly room for improvement in the 3d scanner market too. That reminds me I need to finish the BQ scanner frame redesign sometime in here.
There is also a market for small specialty machine tools. If you look at a micromark catalog there are all sorts of small bandsaws and sanders and whatnot selling for $300. An open source version of any of those tools, or even a desktop small version of something modular and upgradeable along the lines of a shopsmith Mk 7 (http://www.shopsmith.com/markvsite/index.htm) would be of interest.