Replies to post #25163 on Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[sandy4]

There are new patents in for approval that may be about different formulations of the metal, which may deal with that issue. Also, the apple connection as mentioned many times will provide little revenue to LQMT. "shards" you make it sound like it would be similar to a broken mirror, little dagger like pieces all over the floor, capable of plunging deep into flesh and causing catastrophic injury.

[Keith Stone]

Your concerns are valid points. May I offer an example of a solution that has been incorporated into nearly every portable 2.5" external computer hard drive? Such units typically employ a rubber o-ring type band that separates the drive itself from the attachment points inside the case. Those HDD's typically claim being able to withstand shock forces measured in the hundreds of G's, and yet contain very delicate components, much as the iPhone would.

In order to overcome the drawbacks of having to machine LQMT parts, a threaded insert could be attached to the mounting points inside the iPhone case. Even plastic notebook computer cases employ such methods, although for perhaps the opposite reason that LQMT would - the plastic is too weak to thread directly. But the inserts could be adhered to the LQMT case with a number of methods.

As for the case breaking into shards if dropped on the garage floor, I don't necessarily believe that would be likely with LQMT. The previous poster's example was placing an older LQMT formulation into a vice to achieve mechanical failure - much different than dropping a few feet onto concrete. I don't think that we would be seeing patents from the iPhone / iPod kids at Apple for BMG / LQMT manufacturing methods if the technology were so fragile. As for specific engineering numbers to back my speculation, I must leave that to someone more versed than I.

I think your concerns are valid, but perhaps you could speak with Dennis Ogawa at LQMT before you decide to avoid investing in LQMT for the reasons that you stated. Now, other concerns like customers, sales, revenue, etc. that is another matter entirely. One which I believe will be resolved sometime this year. Time will tell. Cheers,

Keith

[Anax]

"The material is difficult to machine because of its hardness. For the near-term future electronics cases are still going to need holes, threaded or otherwise, to accept boards and jacks."

--> Nearest-to-Net™ Shape Molding

http://036bab2.netsolhost.com/wordpress1/?s=nearest

The real innovation behind liquidmetal is that machining will become obsolete.

[Anax]

[poop deck pappy]

You certainly got some replies.

Keith mentioned bushings and shock absorption.

Our defeated Greek God covered net casting and the goal of not needing post casting machining.

I'm left with the shards concern. I'll answer right after I get rid of all these light bulbs.

Your concerns are legit and may prevent adoption. Congratulations for not losing any money.

[LQempty]

Good reasons to why Liquid Metal is not a good material for iphones, electronic devices or consumer products weighing more than a few ounces. Your non-scientific test was honestly a great one and highlights the reasons why I ended up selling at break-even back in Oct 2012 at .28. The material, IN MY OPINION, is too hard. Hardness is great for many applications but not so great when it is a housing that not only holds glass and circuit boards but also needs to be machined.
Apple's 25 mil begs to differ.

The material is difficult to machine because of its hardness. For the near-term future electronics cases are still going to need holes, threaded or otherwise, to accept boards and jacks. A material as hard as Liquid Metal is more expensive to machine. There may be less machining but that may also not matter if the machining is slower and 4-times as hard on the dies.
LQMT isn't selling a machinable material.

When it does fail it does so spectacularly. Lawyers, generally speaking, do not like shards of sharp metal on the garage floor after the case takes that 'perfect hit' when dropped. Just ask your screaming wife if SHE would want to deal with those shards.
A great reason for prototypes and testing!

LQMT is still a watcher for me but not a buyer at this time.
Perhaps you'll get back in at your old break-even!

Good luck!

[LQempty]

Liquid Metal transfers way to much energy. Aluminum and plastic may mar and dent but they also do a decent job of protecting a product during an accident. Great for a golf club head, not so for protecting phone innards.

Does LM's hardness cause it to hold its shape on impact, actually protecting circuit boards and glass? A rectangular shaped glass, held in a rectangular frame that deforms on impact seems less protected. MOAI (musings of an idiot.)

[LM2002]

Interesting take on the hardness issues, but you might want to research that a bit. In the first place, Steipp raised that issue himself and stated that the BMG alloys were not for every application.

Second, re-read the post about the experiment with the Liquidmetal case and note how difficult it was to fracture the material.

Drop an iPhone and chances are the glass case will crack. (It happened to me.) That will not happen with a Liquidmetal case.

In any case, I enjoyed your post and thank you for taking the time to present your concerns – all valid points.