SFA

I was wondering if this is possible. If I open up a showroom and work with a shop or shops that have Slabsmith technology is it possible for me to do the layouts with the customer at my showroom and then send it over the shop. Or this is wishful thinking on my part.

I don't see why not, but you would have to have access to their pictures of slabs / partial slabs to make the layout. That means they have to have all pictures updated for you to pull from at all times. And then they have to make sure they pull the correct slabs that you specify to cut from.

Sounds a lot better in theory than in practice to me.

I don't think this would work. You would be dictating how someone else's shop is to cut jobs. The shop would end up having final say on yield and waste causing another headache when you tell the custy that the original layout has changed because your slab yield isnt acceptable, etc, etc.

Like nick said, better in theory...

VThartzog wrote:I don't think this would work. You would be dictating how someone else's shop is to cut jobs. The shop would end up having final say on yield and waste causing another headache when you tell the custy that the original layout has changed because your slab yield isnt acceptable, etc, etc.

Like nick said, better in theory...

That makes no sense, of course you will dictate how they are to cut the slabs thats what lay out means, yield and waste will be accounted in to the price, if the fabricator deside to cut it differently than agreed up on then you need a different fabricator.

disclaimer: no digital equipment.

The question I have is... Why wouldn't it work? Is it any different sending it from the office to the machine in a shop? I would assume access to the slab library is a given at this point in the conversation. All the other fabricator fears of wrong cuts and no control are crazy.
WHAT WE DO IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE! WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS. It is following directions, if you are bad at following directions or skimp on processes, then you will have a crappier job than if you followed directions and processes. The crappy job will be your responsibility no matter how much you wish to deflect the responsibility by claiming black list stone, bad diamond, poor template, etc...YOUR FAULT.

Scott asked a legit question. I have not seen one response that has given a reason not to do this. I assume he has a plan (of sorts) in mind. I think slabsmith can be as much a sales tool as it is a production tool.

I am will Ken on this subject.

Yes, it is possible. The hard part to keep up with is shooting every slab as it comes in so you have a true running inventory.

We just shoot the slabs that we need to right before we do a Slabsmith layout. Shooting all the slabs is going to take a lot of time.

You would also need a pretty large shared file where the slabsmith photo's are kept. Each file is pretty good sized and if you carry a lot of slabs then that's a lot of information to push around.

I just look at the hold on production that this could cause if you have questions, need of new layout, change in pricing(approval of new price), the time to go back and forth with the middle man and customer, etc. Typically layout is right before production(we lay out with customer the day before cutting). If cutting is delayed, it's time we never get back ie money lost. Our lead time, 5 days from template to install, isn't ideal for this. It's probably better with a two week lead time.

VThartzog wrote:I just look at the hold on production that this could cause if you have questions, need of new layout, change in pricing(approval of new price), the time to go back and forth with the middle man and customer, etc. Typically layout is right before production(we lay out with customer the day before cutting). If cutting is delayed, it's time we never get back ie money lost. Our lead time, 5 days from template to install, isn't ideal for this. It's probably better with a two week lead time.

How can one give a price before knowing how many slabs a job is requiring, vein matching is an important aspect in fabricating a topnotch job and that can really only be acomplished if a layout is done, Slabsmith is very usefull for doing exactly that, its a primarily a sales tool and therefor it should be used long before a contract is signed. I would argue if anything it will take away the delays that typically happens when layout is done right before cutting.

Ken Lago wrote: How can one give a price before knowing how many slabs a job is requiring, vein matching is an important aspect in fabricating a topnotch job and that can really only be acomplished if a layout is done, Slabsmith is very usefull for doing exactly that, its a primarily a sales tool and therefor it should be used long before a contract is signed. I would argue if anything it will take away the delays that typically happens when layout is done right before cutting.

You price it the same way people did it before slabsmith was created. I can nest slabs with a piece of graph paper and dimensions(or autocad) and be pretty sure that my layout will not have any vein problems.

I guess you'd have to create a kitchen from cutomers dimensions, import to slabsmith, nest, price it, template, layout in slabsmith, begin cutting?

So you already do a layout before giving a price so whats the problem? Slabsmith will just make it easier.

Wow, sorry guys didn't realize people were answering this. Because I always got emails to my phone when someone would reply to your question.

Anyways

VThartzog wrote:I just look at the hold on production that this could cause if you have questions, need of new layout, change in pricing(approval of new price), the time to go back and forth with the middle man and customer, etc. Typically layout is right before production(we lay out with customer the day before cutting). If cutting is delayed, it's time we never get back ie money lost. Our lead time, 5 days from template to install, isn't ideal for this. It's probably better with a two week lead time.

My answer is that I'm the subcontractor who sold this job and it wouldn't have anything to do with your time frame...Because I would be doing the installation and I would give my customer time frame when the installation will take place.


by Carmine Pantano » Sun Apr 14, 2013 7:36 am
I don't see why not, but you would have to have access to their pictures of slabs / partial slabs to make the layout. That means they have to have all pictures updated for you to pull from at all times. And then they have to make sure they pull the correct slabs that you specify to cut from.

Sounds like a lot of work..Instead I will sell the job and buy slabs...so that those slabs can be put a side and i can do the layout with the customer in satellite showroom ( My showroom )...does this make more sense and less work the fabrication shop

You would still need a steady stream of justified photos of the maerial. This extra handling may get old for the fab shop, possibly, expensive for you. Material handling could add up pretty fast.

Scott, are you talking about doing the layout pre or post template? If post template, I don't see why this couldn't work. DISCLAIMER: We do not currently have Slabsmith. It is in our plans to add this or a similar system in the future. Our fab shop is in another building across town from the showroom. Our thought on implementing this system shouldn't be much different than what you are considering, but please correct me if I am wrong. It is our intention to do the layouts with the customer here at the showroom (post template) and then send the files over to the shop for fabrication. If we have all of our ducks in a row before going to production, (as we typically do now) there shouldn't be any issues once all of the information gets to the shop.

I think this can still be an effective selling tool before templating by showing your potential client some of the layouts that you have already done and explaining the process up front. If I am naive on this, someone educate me.

Darryl, you are right on, imo.

It is just another step in the information chain for some. For others, it is simply deploying the technology in 2 separate locations.

Darryl,

Exactly and thank you for explaining way better then I did

As a side note, spoke with the gm of the Cosentino San Diego location yesterday. They are now photographing all their slabs using Slabsmith at their factory. I'm considering buying a container direct from their factory. I would put at least a 50 cent psf value factor on that... and maybe $1 psf. The reduction in material handling and quicker process times would be nice.

Also, for those who import, I was surprised to learn that to bring a container of 3cm the transportation costs them about $1.43 psf including duty and trucking from LA to San Diego. I budget $2.25. I would bet their ocean freight is at least 1/3 less than what I pay.

Seen this thread and had a quick Question... How well does Slabsmith detect flaws running through slabs? Are you having to lay slabs flat, and mark flaws with tape before inventorying the slab in Slabsmith?

We check them on the a frame before shooting the picture. We mark them with tape befor the pic is taken.

DavidL,

I'm just skeptical about being able to detect all visible flaws, while sitting upright on an A-Frame. Some flaws hide rather well in certain materials... I Suppose you just have to know what materials to take an extra look at... Thanks for the post David!

Yep, know what you are looking for, run your hand over the slab, use good lighting. Remember, its stone, not brain surgery. Dont make it harder than it really is.

We look all our slabs over standing upright on the a-frame and mark all imperfections with a white out pen good enough to be seen on the pictures. White stones require tape to mark properly to see on pictures. As David said, look them over very well while rubbing your hand over slab with proper lighting and you will find the majority of imperfections this way. We still train our sawyers to check slabs thoroughly when laying flat on sawbed before cutting even if it has been photo'd in slabsmith just to double check. I think Carmine has a flip cart he uses to view slabs before photo in slabsmith but not certain of this.

We make sure our customers understand that it is a picture. And pictures can't show everything. So if they are concerned, they can come view the slab in person. But if they approve the slabsmith layout, they are approving the slabs as is. If you fail to set expectations, you will have problems.

Miles wrote:We make sure our customers understand that it is a picture. And pictures can't show everything. So if they are concerned, they can come view the slab in person. But if they approve the slabsmith layout, they are approving the slabs as is. If you fail to set expectations, you will have problems.

x2

Scott,
We have been doing a version of this for almost 3 years now at our denali slab studio. It is doable and profitable.

We do it for other shops as well! The biggest hurdle is the fabricator-as-a-customer , rather than the technology that exists to accomplish the task. We even do it for shops that don't have slabsmith. If anybody wants to talk about this feel free to ring me, its a bit much to type. (my finger hurts....long story)