SupaVillain
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Make money with FTIR/XRF - Start Chemical Analysis Business
So in the technochemistry section of this forum Ive discussed how Im going to build an FTIR, but will also be capable of an XRF analyzer and
eventually other similar machines. My issue now after fully understanding the design is investing in their construction without having customers. I
see some people rent out these machines or receive mail orders and fax results.
However I am not familiar at all with chemical businesses. How can i make some extra money in my hobby with these spectrometers?
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aga
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To make money you'd have to use what Money Making always requires : Confidence.
If you want to offer Analysis services, a Degree, Experience, a Snappy name and a Branded calibrated machine would be necessary.
If you can lie well enough, just make it up, and charge double.
If you get Good at that, make More money by being a Politician.
If you're really good at lying, make even more money and become a Banker.
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SupaVillain
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Business doesnt require degrees and experience, but it does require NRC licensing to use any type of XRF. Branded and calibrated isnt required either,
unless they make you go through a bunch of legal crap when the NRC examines your X ray device. FTIR wouldnt require any of that though. However im not
trying to get into forensics or body fluid analysis, trying to avoid the corrupt masses of legal registration and stick to straightforward work,
unless i should learn that thats where all the business is...
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Random
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Quote: Originally posted by aga  | To make money you'd have to use what Money Making always requires : Confidence.
If you want to offer Analysis services, a Degree, Experience, a Snappy name and a Branded calibrated machine would be necessary.
If you can lie well enough, just make it up, and charge double.
If you get Good at that, make More money by being a Politician.
If you're really good at lying, make even more money and become a Banker. |
Agree with this post chemists that run the business out there aren't the best ones they just have those "qualities" you wrote. Running a business
takes a certain personality, which coule be obtained for example by hanging around similar people... And having some luck
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BromicAcid
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Just having the instrument isn't enough. For example, there are companies out there that will do an XRF analysis free of charge:
http://www.aaametals.com/spectralanalysis.htm
The hard part is getting your equipment calibrated and certified to carry out tests for clients that demand a certain level of accountability (i.e.,
ISO certification). You need to be able to provide traceability, a certificate of analysis (CofA). This is where things run into major money on your
side. We have a few companies we use at my work for in process checks where we can get quick turnaround but don't have to worry about an impact on
quality, it's amazing how cheap those tests are, affordable even for me as an individual. Not saying it's impossible, just that it is likely not the
land of plenty.
[Edited on 12/14/2014 by BromicAcid]
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SupaVillain
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But that analysis isnt free it reads that it costs 15 bucks unless you're already paying for something from them and it's only going to take a few
seconds to scan. If you scan only 10 an hour that's $150 an hour...
ill look into these certifications and calibrations
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WGTR
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| Quote: Originally posted by SupaVillain | But that analysis isnt free it reads that it costs 15 bucks unless you're already paying for something from them and it's only going to take a few
seconds to scan. If you scan only 10 an hour that's $150 an hour...
ill look into these certifications and calibrations |
In that case, though, one is paying $15 for the use of the company's letterhead/reputation, since the labor is likely pretty minimal.
My working knowledge of FTIR is limited, but I work with a couple of people who use it regularly. What I gather, is that the libraries are the most
important part of the system. Without them all that exists is a pile of fancy optics. If you can obtain a standardized sample of each and every
thing that the system will encounter, then it is possible to develop these libraries in-house. Since this would be a waste of time for us, we use a
very, very, (very) expensive subscription service.
If the intention is only to test for a few things, then developing libraries with standardized samples is feasible. Otherwise, the $100-$100k that a
library costs is a bargain, when labor is considered.
Look here for example:
http://www.ir-spectra.com/2012/indexes/index_p.htm
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SupaVillain
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Yea keep in mind the scope of my business is the hour or two after my day job type thing that i do to make extra money with my hobby lol, if it built
up i would definitely get ISO certs if needed.
Yes the library is annoying but theres some chemical databases online where for every compound or whatever theyll have the corresponding spectrum and
as having been a transaction processor/ data entry person i can sit for hours in front of my computer copying this data (images) into a library of my
own or depending on how the files are hosted on their website's server i could actually quickly administer commands for the downloading and filing of
all these spectral images
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DrMario
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| Quote: Originally posted by aga | To make money you'd have to use what Money Making always requires : Confidence.
If you want to offer Analysis services, a Degree, Experience, a Snappy name and a Branded calibrated machine would be necessary.
If you can lie well enough, just make it up, and charge double.
If you get Good at that, make More money by being a Politician.
If you're really good at lying, make even more money and become a Banker. |
I concur 100% - sadly, this is one of the truest posts I've read on this forum to date.
More to the original topic: I think you would be better off with using refurbished equipment than a self-built FTIR. Or, as aga said, just lie your
ass off - if you're a psychopath, you will be good at that, but then you'd probably be a manager, CEO or politician by now.
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SupaVillain
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If I need to I will develop the technology needed to make a better standardization service for my company. I will make something better than this ISO
rabble and these other greedy certifications for calibrations and such, and make the information publicly viewable via video streaming on the internet
from surveillance cameras so that my customers dont give me crap. No one is going to keep me from doing my business or tell me how to do it. Not
taking crap from business oriented idiots. Science is king and always will be, it will determine who's business will thrive
[Edited on 14-12-2014 by SupaVillain]
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aga
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Cash determines who's business survives. Fact.
People argue it's Profit, but without actual Cash, you can't buy raw materials, electricity, food, beer etc.
Your best bet would be to find a local person/business who requires what you can do, and get started doing what they want, and earning some money.
That tends to lead onto other money-making things as time goes on.
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Magpie
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I once worked with a young chemical engineer right out of school who became disenchanted with the industries he had worked for: coatings and paper.
So, he started his own business in his small home town giving the locals what they needed most: water quality analyses. To my knowledge his business
is successful.
As a side note he told me he almost died when doing an extraction with freon. He spilled it on his skin from a beaker and it was absorbed into his
bloodstream. Only his wife, who was an RN, saved his life.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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S.C. Wack
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| Quote: Originally posted by aga | | If you want to offer Analysis services, a Degree, Experience, a Snappy name and a Branded calibrated machine would be necessary.
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And apparently for some testing, licensure for environmental analysis (NELAP) and who knows what else. I would assume that there is some regulation of
commercial labs beyond fire code?
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SupaVillain
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I mean I cant just lie about these certifications and regulations, wouldnt that be illegal and carry some kind of penalty?
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Fulmen
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Trying to fake credentials to get work isn't going to pay off in the long run, imagine what happens when your customers finds out and drags you to
court. You'll be broke long before the case even sees trial.
Playing this with open cards would be my advice. How many here has had the need for cheap analysis work? Find a niche where there is a lot of need for
cheap work and you might be able to work your way up from there. XRF could be interesting for both back yard metal and bullet casters...
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aga
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As Fulmen says, be up-front about everything, then there are no lies to remember, or things to come back to bite you.
Metal & Bullet casters are Great suggestions.
Search for more applications locally, by simply going out there and asking people.
Take a pen and paper, because when you start asking, people tell you all sorts of things, some of which could also end up being ways to make money.
Edit:
Once you start finding ways to make money, it is entirely possible that they have nothing to do with FTIR analysis.
Don't hang on to that for no good reason - go with the flow.
[Edited on 14-12-2014 by aga]
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