Detailed Cost Breakdown of ATO Dash Display Kits
- Brandon Mohn
- Apr 22
- 4 min read
Understanding the exact cost involved with each product helps me price them fairly and make enough to keep moving forward. I wanted to take a few minutes to share a detailed cost breakdown for ATO Dash Display Kits, highlighting the cost of each component and shipping. This transparency is aimed primarily at those curious how the retail price is set for my products, but it can also be viewed as a baseline for those who want to price their own items.
2013-2019 Ford PIU Dash Display Kit Cost Breakdown
Production Component Costs
Krunia 9.26" Display Screen: $100
Reputable displays with a 2yr warranty that is honored through ATO, which costs more but ensures smooth coverage if ever needed.
Anker 6ft USB-A to 90 Degree USB-C Power Cable: $5
Pre-installed and included in the price of the Display Kit.
Anker 320 Car Charger: $10
Included in the price of the Display Kit.
Display Housing Plastic Filament Material: $25
Often overlooked, the cost of producing a finished display housing from a quality filament, such as Polycarbonate-Carbon Fiber, is not a $5 ordeal.
Total Print Time: 36hrs @ $5/print hour $180
The cost to run printers is a set rate of $5/hr. This includes the purchase price of printers, maintenance, electricity to run both printers and filament dryers, post-processing cleanup, and product assembly.
Display Housing Hardware: $2.50
Small screws, heat inserts, springs, and nuts are used to assemble everything into a finished product.
Custom Key Chain: $.50
Who doesn't love an included key chain?
Shipping Expenses
Packaging Materials: $12
Sturdy and protective packaging materials don't come cheap, the box, labels, tape, expanding foam, plastic bagging, and air bubbles add up quick.
Shipping Label: $25
In order to ensure a quick, reliable delivery that's covered for damages or loss, USPS and insurance are not a small cost.
Total Cost: $360
Retail Price: $350
Cost of Print Time Only: $180
Profit Minus Printer Operation Costs: $150
2020-2024 Ford PIU Dash Display Kit Cost Breakdown
Production Component Costs
Krunia 9.26" Display Screen: $100
MRGLAS 10ft USB-A to 90 Degree USB-C Power Cable: $7
Longer cord costs more money, just how it goes
Anker 320 Car Charger: $10
Display Housing Plastic Filament Material: $40
Large jump in filament needed to produce the larger housing than what is used on a 2013-2019 Display Housing
Total Print Time: 44hrs @ $5/print hour $220
Significantly increased print time from the 2013-2019 Display Housing
Display Housing Hardware: $2.50
Custom Key Chain: $.50
Shipping Expenses
Packaging Materials: $12
Shipping Label: $25
Total Cost: $417
Retail Price: $425
Cost of Print Time Only: $220
Profit Minus Printer Operation Costs: $185
2020-2024 Ford PIU Lock-On Grid Dash Display Kit Cost Breakdown
Production Component Costs
Krunia 9.26" Display Screen: $100
MRGLAS 10ft USB-A to 90 Degree USB-C Power Cable: $7
Anker 320 Car Charger: $10
Display Housing Plastic Filament Material: $40
Nearly the same amount of filament used compared to a base model 2020-2024 housing
Total Print Time: 48hrs @ $5/print hour $240
More print and assembly time due to the Lock-On Grid Assembly
Display Housing Hardware: $17.50
More hardware required
Lock-On Grid: $100
Laser Cut 3mm Steel, AMPS Compatible, Cerakoted Armor Black
Custom Key Chain: $.50
Shipping Expenses
Packaging Materials: $12
Shipping Label: $25
Total Cost: $552
Retail Price: $525
Cost of Print Time Only: $240
Profit Minus Printer Operation Costs: $200
Cost vs Retail
Breaking down the costs reveals some interesting findings:
The display housing is by far the most expensive component to produce, mainly due to the time involved in printing and post-processing.
Margins are truly only made based off of the print time, as the cost in components and shipping alone falls between $180-$310.
All of the Display Kits fall within nearly identical margins when compared to the their total production cost.
The cost of my products often exceeds what I actually list them at when including the print time at a set rate. Buyers may overlook these costs when looking at an item, but it's simply not something you may think about. The overhead to run machines that break, fail, and require constant tinkering is something that cannot be forgotten. As a business, I must make a reasonable amount of money for the time and effort involved. I cannot simply sell items without making some sort of profit or I will not be able to grow, let alone support, my company.
Final Thoughts on Cost Breakdowns
This breakdown is meant to help anyone curious about prices they see listed on my products. With the goal of full transparency to anyone curious about what you're paying for, this post was my best solution. I hope this helps answer any questions buzzing about how a "$50 display is worth $400." The pricing structure I use to price all of my printed products is $5/print hour + materials. If you print things to sell, I highly encourage you to evaluate your costs to see where your margins are at. The cost of protoypes was not shown, and the tools to get to a functioning prototype aren't included in the costs. There are countless hours involved to get 3D scans, then turn them into working designs in CAD, tweak that CAD file multiple times, and then personal dollars spent on the physical trial and error. When you look at it from the business perspective, it's unrealistic to charge anything less than what I do. Some folks ask for the files, the simple answer is no and not anytime in the planned future.
Comments