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Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

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Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#31

Post by swsh »

NeedMoreTea wrote: post #23
inferiorhuman wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was actually looking at their desktop site. The filters you listed are still mediocre at best. Amazon simply doesn't get search. Example: Materials: Alloy Steel, Brass, Carbon Steel, Galvanized Steel, Nylon, Plastic, Stainless Steel, Stainless Steel 18-8 (AZ), Stainless Steel 304, Stainless Steel 316 (A4), Steel, Zinc. Now, I'm pretty sure you're not going to find fasteners made of pure zinc (typically that's an an…

LOL Galvanised Steel and Zinc separately? I wonder what they believe the difference is.

The difference between zinc plated fasteners and hot dip galvanised fasteners is actually quite significant. Zinc is usually around the 20micron thickness possibly less, whilst galvanised is usually >60micron usually quite a bit more.

The process for applying the coatings as well as the end use of fasteners with the two coatings is also quite different.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#32

Post by inferiorhuman »

tsomctl wrote: post #5

While I don't want to be too presumptuous and say this is going to fail, it is definitely not going to defeat Fastenal or McMaster-Carr. Really, it comes down whether it's a generic part, or specifically engineered for a larger assembly. If it's the former, it's going to be significantly easier to use a website like McMaster-Carr where every item is completely organized into a hierarchy. You can quickly drill down an…

In theory if you've got distance information and can keep the phone at a known angle in relation to the item differentiating between 27 and 29 mm shouldn't be an issue.

What the photo bits will not be able to do without significant user interaction is determine other key properties of the fastener including material strength and likely finish. It's a cute gimmick though.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#33

Post by wslh »

inferiorhuman wrote: post #3

I remember when Amazon bought CDNow ages ago. CDNow let me easily find specific CDs by artist and title AND they even had a great recommendation algorithm. I discovered some great new music that way. In 2002 Amazon shut down CDNow with the idea that you'd just use Amazon.com. Unfortunately, search has been one of Amazon's weakest features. Sixteen years later and I still miss CDNow. Amazon rarely shows exactly what I…

In a counter example it is great that IMDB continues working after Amazon acquisition. I think this acquisition was neutral, they removed the discussion forums and the site pretends to be "Web 2.0" but the data can be downloaded from: https://www.imdb.com/interfaces/ . The license is not permissive but the data remains there.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#34

Post by whoisjuan »

redwards510 wrote: post #17

Is there really much profit from selling a $.10 screw that the average person might need once or twice a year when they buy some unassembled product that is missing parts? I assume people who would buy bulk don't need an app to tell them what to buy. Or do they charge an insane markup for these one-offs? Personally, I love an excuse to go to an old fashioned Ace Hardware store and ask a real person for help.

Yeah. You're definitely not the audience for this vertical. Just because this doesn't seem profitable in your niche/individual usage doesn't mean that there are individuals and orgs buying these things in bulk.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#35

Post by swsh »

inferiorhuman wrote: post #21
sswezey wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The app may not have it, but Amazon's retail site has these kinds of filters for bolts: https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D1729002...

I was actually looking at their desktop site. The filters you listed are still mediocre at best. Amazon simply doesn't get search. Example: Materials: Alloy Steel, Brass, Carbon Steel, Galvanized Steel, Nylon, Plastic, Stainless Steel, Stainless Steel 18-8 (AZ), Stainless Steel 304, Stainless Steel 316 (A4), Steel, Zinc. Now, I'm pretty sure you're not going to find fasteners made of pure zinc (typically that's an an…

Fastener classification does tend to be a bit vague at best. Generally I find generic terms are used for low grade products, and often for products which you may struggle to find proper material certs for. Fine for general use home use, but no good in industrial engineering applications.

Id imagine that the problem is that software engineers don't understand hardware engineering, and it's actually not a space where a lot of good resources exist. I.e. without a little bit of familiarity with material science and industry, it's not just something you can easily google. You need an engineer familiar with the fastener industry if you want a chance for getting a decent system of classifications.

Also from a metric country, things like number and wire gauges are odd to me as well as I only occasionally have to deal with them.

If you are looking for fasteners for specific industrial use then I'd assume you would have the expertise to select the appropriate fastener or some internal engineering specification to follow. You don't just buy something from the scientific bolt category on Amazon. You may also require material certificates etc, which I don't believe is something these online options typically offer, though I may be wrong.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#36

Post by swsh »

inferiorhuman wrote: post #3

I remember when Amazon bought CDNow ages ago. CDNow let me easily find specific CDs by artist and title AND they even had a great recommendation algorithm. I discovered some great new music that way. In 2002 Amazon shut down CDNow with the idea that you'd just use Amazon.com. Unfortunately, search has been one of Amazon's weakest features. Sixteen years later and I still miss CDNow. Amazon rarely shows exactly what I…

Stainless I would argue belongs in material not in grade and class as these are different attributes. You can get grade 10.9 bolts in stainless, black, zinc plated and possibly in other materials and finishes. If it doesn't specify the type of stainless steel the safest thing to assume it's a low quality material which doesn't conform to any specific specification or at least lacks the appropriate accompanying paperwork.

I.e. I'll select a grade/class based on the mechanical properties I require, and the material will be selected taking into mind the environment the fastener is going into, any possible material incompatibilities there might be, i.e. don't want to accidentally build a battery, or select materials which gall together.

Honestly I think search in this area is actually extremely difficult due to all the inconsistent standards, specifications as well as random proprietary fasteners that exist.

I find that websites that sort by category to be better in this space, but that also assumes that you know what you want.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#37

Post by inferiorhuman »

swsh wrote: post #31
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LOL Galvanised Steel and Zinc separately? I wonder what they believe the difference is.

The difference between zinc plated fasteners and hot dip galvanised fasteners is actually quite significant. Zinc is usually around the 20micron thickness possibly less, whilst galvanised is usually >60micron usually quite a bit more. The process for applying the coatings as well as the end use of fasteners with the two coatings is also quite different.

> The difference between zinc plated fasteners and hot dip galvanised fasteners is actually quite significant

Yeah, but those aren't listed under coatings. They're listed under materials. And they certainly don't list the same variety of zinc coatings you could find at McMaster-Carr.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#38

Post by inferiorhuman »

swsh wrote: post #35
inferiorhuman wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was actually looking at their desktop site. The filters you listed are still mediocre at best. Amazon simply doesn't get search. Example: Materials: Alloy Steel, Brass, Carbon Steel, Galvanized Steel, Nylon, Plastic, Stainless Steel, Stainless Steel 18-8 (AZ), Stainless Steel 304, Stainless Steel 316 (A4), Steel, Zinc. Now, I'm pretty sure you're not going to find fasteners made of pure zinc (typically that's an an…

Fastener classification does tend to be a bit vague at best. Generally I find generic terms are used for low grade products, and often for products which you may struggle to find proper material certs for. Fine for general use home use, but no good in industrial engineering applications. Id imagine that the problem is that software engineers don't understand hardware engineering, and it's actually not a space where a…

> Also from a metric country, things like number and wire gauges are odd to me as well as I only occasionally have to deal with them.

Well wire gauge is typically not how one would identify a bolt. Number wire gauge would typically be referred to by the units (either AWG or mm^2).

> If you are looking for fasteners for specific industrial use then I'd assume you would have the expertise to select the appropriate fastener or some internal engineering specification to follow.

Typically, yes although a friend was lamenting in the difficulty in finding a castle nut for an automotive application on the McMaster site.

> You don't just buy something from the scientific bolt category on Amazon. You may also require material certificates etc, which I don't believe is something these online options typically offer, though I may be wrong.

Well, McMaster offers will call (at one location) and offers phone support. The other folks Amazon is trying to compete with (Fastenal, Grainger, MSC) have a variety of B&M locations. I can't speak to material certification but I've purchased a certified caliper from Grainger no problem. Meanwhile Amazon still has the counterfeit issue to grapple with.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#39

Post by inferiorhuman »

wslh wrote: post #33
inferiorhuman wrote: post #3

I remember when Amazon bought CDNow ages ago. CDNow let me easily find specific CDs by artist and title AND they even had a great recommendation algorithm. I discovered some great new music that way. In 2002 Amazon shut down CDNow with the idea that you'd just use Amazon.com. Unfortunately, search has been one of Amazon's weakest features. Sixteen years later and I still miss CDNow. Amazon rarely shows exactly what I…

In a counter example it is great that IMDB continues working after Amazon acquisition. I think this acquisition was neutral, they removed the discussion forums and the site pretends to be "Web 2.0" but the data can be downloaded from: https://www.imdb.com/interfaces/ . The license is not permissive but the data remains there.

Sure, they didn't shut IMDB down however. Amazon pulled the plug on CDNow after purchasing them.

Re: Amazon launches Part Finder, using technology acquired from Partpic in 2016

#40

Post by inferiorhuman »

swsh wrote: post #36
inferiorhuman wrote: post #3

I remember when Amazon bought CDNow ages ago. CDNow let me easily find specific CDs by artist and title AND they even had a great recommendation algorithm. I discovered some great new music that way. In 2002 Amazon shut down CDNow with the idea that you'd just use Amazon.com. Unfortunately, search has been one of Amazon's weakest features. Sixteen years later and I still miss CDNow. Amazon rarely shows exactly what I…

Stainless I would argue belongs in material not in grade and class as these are different attributes. You can get grade 10.9 bolts in stainless, black, zinc plated and possibly in other materials and finishes. If it doesn't specify the type of stainless steel the safest thing to assume it's a low quality material which doesn't conform to any specific specification or at least lacks the appropriate accompanying paperw…

> Stainless I would argue belongs in material not in grade and class as these are different attributes. You can get grade 10.9 bolts in stainless, black, zinc plated and possibly in other materials and finishes. If it doesn't specify the type of stainless steel the safest thing to assume it's a low quality material which doesn't conform to any specific specification or at least lacks the appropriate accompanying paperwork.

I'd disagree there as stainless (at least in metric land) is categorized, in part, by strength e.g. A4-80 vs A4-70.

https://www.hi-tensilebolt.com.au/bolt-strength-grades-and-h...

http://home.jtan.com/~joe/KIAT/kiat_2.htm

> Honestly I think search in this area is actually extremely difficult due to all the inconsistent standards, specifications as well as random proprietary fasteners that exist.

It is difficult, yes, but not impossible. This is why some of the folks have commenting have held up McMaster-Carr's site as an example.

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