That heaps of waste bags and boxes when making something

[Miyuki]

I'm making some prototype of VFD motor controller and Welding inverter
And when I put everything on pcbs I was shocked that I have so big heap of waste and so small final product
There is so much ballast and padding when ordering components. That huge bags for "small" tqfp chips, they are in plastic box with antistatic foam and that all sealed in metallised bag with desiccant and moisture monitor and everything is so huge compared to size of modern component
And then you order ten resistors of desired value even if need just six but at ten you have discount so total price is less

I just have to share my mind

[Galenbo]

That's one of the reasons why one-off production is so much more expensive than mass production.
A 40-ft container filled with those tqfp's is really much cheaper.

[System Error Message]

You can reuse those unused components for other projects. Thats why you see many tiny drawers on shelves.

[Gyro]

I remember when we used to buy chips from LSI Logic. They used to package the IC tubes (in their vacuum bags) in Nice strong cardboard boxes. They would then put them in their standard shipping box and fill the remaining space with identical boxes stamped "EMPTY".

We built up most of our lab parts storage with LSI boxes. If only the reels had fitted (actually they were stacked in an outer box).