Is My Flex Arm Cost Going to Be Insanely High?
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So you’re designing a device that requires a flex arm mounting solution? That’s great. Here’s the thing: all flex arms aren’t created equal. Depending on your needs, you’ll need varying levels of durability, customization, and flexibility. We already created a great guide if you’re an engineer who is building a flex arm device — but for those of you who just want the facts now: here’s a little mini-guide for what your flex arm will cost in your next product design.
What are the cost tiers for a flex arm?
The cost for a flex arm is usually at the top of the list in terms of importance during the design process. We get that. The best way to look at this is to see what you need for the design, THEN look at the price — not the other way around. That said, here’s a general breakdown of the cost tiers for flex arm mounting solutions.
Tier 1 Flex Arm Cost: $15-$30
These are ready-made flex arms that can be sold for product design. For many of our clients, this is a totally legit option! While the cost is the lowest, these are still quality flex arms. They work well for devices that may not need complete customization. If you do have some needs in that regard, you may need to move up to Tier 2 or 3.
Tier 2 Flex Arm Cost: $35-$50
These are semi-customizable. Perhaps that means a different attachment, or it needs some premium materials to get the job done right. While these are typically double the cost of our Tier 1 flex arms, they also offer a lot more range and options. These are high-quality flex arms and some of the best in the world, but occasionally, even these need even more modification.
Tier 3 Flex Arm Cost: $55-$70
These are our top of the line flex arms. That means we’re designing them from the ground up for whatever your device needs. Maybe that includes custom finishes, a specific type of coil, or different attachment options. Many times our customers THINK they need this option, but checking with us can often reveal less expensive options from Tier 1 or Tier 2. Our rule is, if you have a question: ASK!
Why does a flex arm cost so much?
Now you understand the differences between the tiers, so let’s get into the meat and potatoes: people don’t just want to know what our costs are, they want to know why — what are they paying for? As engineers and designers ourselves, we appreciate that concern. In that spirit, we’ve decided to pull back the curtain and reveal the answers to some of the questions that relate back to the biggie — why does my flex arm cost so much?
What is behind the cost of a flex arm?
A great flex arm doesn’t happen by accident. Premium results come from premium materials and premium processes. These begin with little things like accurate coiling, accurate cutting, thorough cleaning, controlled assembly, meticulous finishing, care for the finish during processing, care during packaging, etc.
Then there are engineering and sourcing costs to build and maintain a great team of component part vendors, which we absolutely have. It takes time and effort to find and maintain this vendor team, but they are invaluable to what we offer you.
3 things to consider for flex arm costs.
Here’s what you should always be considering when choosing a flex arm vendor: inventory, size, and durability. There is the cost involved in carrying sufficient inventory to meet unexpected demand, which is one of the benefits of working with a vendor in the USA. You might not think about it now, but what if your product is in demand and you need to step up the production process? It’s very important when it happens that you aren’t held up by waiting for more flex arms to be produced. That’s a huge part of being a fully committed supplier for you. Then, there are also the costs involved in offering a full spectrum of sizes and stiffness options, especially in the quantities our clients need. It’s more costly, but it’s worth it to give you the exact options you need.
Expectations vs Reality
Like you, we’ve had customers tell us our flex arms are over-priced and others say they are under-priced. Same product. You know what? We believe they’re both right. Sounds crazy? It’s not. The first customer doesn’t have an application that needs our arm, the second one does. If the product you’re mounting on a flex arm 1. can’t function well if it’s not reliably supported and easy to adjust and 2. your current flex arm doesn’t do your product justice with a great look, our flex arms will represent high value to you and our pricing will make perfect sense.
Most folks simply haven’t had a good flex arm. Often we find that expectations are low because the customer has experience in flex arms being used in low-end products. Unfortunately, it’s pretty typical for those low-end products to be unreliable, weak, and not what they’re looking for. It’s too bad, because if you raised your expectations on what a flex arm is — you’d see that it’s a pretty amazing piece of engineering! If you want to see an example of high quality work, check out this medical exam light we worked on with Midmark.