I. Reference Range for Direct Sales Price
First, let’s look at the reference range for direct sales prices.
According to industry quotations, the automated conveyor belt for a double-speed chain assembly line is approximately 500 yuan/meter (Wuxi Ruichuang), the conveyor line is approximately 300 yuan/unit (Kunshan Henglusheng), the suspended assembly line is quoted by competitors at 300-500 yuan/meter, and the customized automatic TV and mobile phone production assembly line is approximately 133,600-267,200 yuan; non-standard assembly lines are even seen at promotional prices starting from 9.99 yuan on platforms such as 1688, the actual price needs to be calculated according to the drawing list.
II. Factory Direct Sales Save 20%-30%
Factory direct sales can save 20%-30%.
According to industry comparisons, large companies’ quotes include sales commissions, project managers, department managers, office rent, and brand advertising fees, which are unrelated to the equipment itself; small studios have no sales or intermediary layers, the owner personally reviews the drawings, and all costs are invested in design and assembly, saving at least 20%-30% for the same configuration.
Bypassing distributors and directly connecting with the source factory is the first lever for cost reduction.
III.
Quotation Composition Determines Quality
The composition of the quotation determines the quality of the price.
According to industry analysis, non-standard equipment quotations are usually divided into three parts: hardware costs account for about 30% (circuit boards, accessories, and other physical materials), R&D and design fees account for more than 50% (schematics, source code, hundreds of hours of debugging), and risk reserve funds account for about 20% (hidden costs such as design changes and compatibility debugging).
When the quotation is lower than the industry average, the reduction is mostly in the design and risk reserve parts.
IV. A 30% Price Difference for the Same Model Is Not Uncommon
A 30% price difference for the same equipment is not uncommon.
According to industry experience, two similar-looking automated machines can have a 30% price difference: differences lie in frame materials, component brands, mechanical structure design, debugging cycle, and after-sales spare parts solutions. Lower-priced solutions often cut costs in unseen areas, saving money in the short term but leading to higher failure rates and greater downtime losses.
Price comparisons must involve checking the configuration list and service standards item by item.
V.
Pricing Based on Equipment Tier
Pricing logic should be chosen based on equipment tier.
According to industry selection guidelines, automatic screw fastening machines range from 30,000 to 150,000 RMB, differing between standard, semi-standard, and non-standard machines: choose standard machines for simple processes, semi-standard machines for multi-model partial customization, and non-standard machines for complex processes requiring line-of-sight traceability. A 1.5 million RMB line that requires a complete rework for just a single tray reversal indicates low solution reuse.
First, determine the equipment tier; only then can pricing have a reference point.
Conclusion
The core of the direct sales price for non-standard assembly line equipment lies in three principles: “direct sales to reduce costs + transparent configuration + tier matching”: using the price per meter and the entire line range as a benchmark; reducing the premium by 20%-30% through direct factory supply; identifying the price based on the composition of hardware (30%) + R&D (50%) + risk (20%); and pricing according to the tier of standard/semi-standard/non-standard machines. Compare configurations first, then prices;
only then can the direct sales price truly translate into savings.
