This week’s selection is “The New Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen” by Naomi Wu.
Wu is well known in the 3D print and maker communities as someone that has long championed the idea of open source hardware. Unfortunately due to circumstances, she has shut her online channels for getting close to a year now.
I followed Wu for years, and was very disappointed when she went dark. I feared we would not hear from her again, but that’s not the case with this new book from the Shenzhen-based Machinery Enchantress.
What’s the book about? It’s all about Shenzhen, and let me tell you why.
Shenzhen is one of the world’s foremost cities for electronic components, gadgets and related manufacturing. Many notable companies have emerged from that city of 17M inhabitants, including Tencent, DJI, Creality and Bambu Lab.
Many Western companies leverage the incredibly low cost services and components available in Shenzhen, and it just may be that the 3D printer you are using was built there. At the least, it probably contains components from Shenzhen.
However, it can be extraordinarily challenging for Westerners to do this. There is, of course, a language barrier, and very few in Shenzhen will speak English or other western languages. Signage is inevitably in Chinese only.
Then there’s a series of cultural differences that must be learned and followed. It’s so challenging that many in the West are just not able to navigate the intricacies of Shenzhen, even though they could benefit by doing so.
Even worse, common services like Google Translate and maps are not available in China.
That’s where this book come in. Wu has developed a complete compendium of everything you need to know to find your way through the industry of Shenzhen. It’s part travel guide, part electronics industry guide.
Wu targets startups, DIYers and others seeking components and manufacturing services that can be had at low cost in Shenzhen. It’s provided in book form, rather than electronic, because that is apparently the best way to access the information by Westerners on the street in Shenzhen.
Wu has launched the book on Crowd Supply, a crowdfunding site, and it’s priced at the ridiculously low price of only US$30.
If you’re interested in learning more about how business works in Shenzhen, or have contemplated going there to source parts and services for your project or business, this is definitely the book for you. Wu’s campaign is open until January 16th, so don’t delay!
Via Crowd Supply
