ASML's Best Selling Product Isn't What You Think It Is

(siliconimist.com)

64 points | by johncole 1 hour ago

7 comments

  • cassianoleal 1 hour ago
    > Even at the absolute bleeding edge of human physics, we still have a fundamental desire to play.

    I'd say play is of fundamental importance at the bleeding edge of knowledge and technology. Without play, there's no appetite for failure. Without appetite for failure, there's no progress, no novel solutions, no creativity.

  • voidUpdate 57 minutes ago
    I'm not particularly surprised that the $600 Lego set sells better than the $400 million lithography tool...
    • mrweasel 36 minutes ago
      It's $200, otherwise I think it would be a bit on the high end in terms of price per piece. $600 is the cheapest version on eBay.

      Unless you need the box, you can get the instructions online (https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-215601/NightHawk11991/asml-...). Though that might be a recreation.

      • voidUpdate 33 minutes ago
        (I couldn't see a listed price in the article, so I just went for the cheapest resale price they said. Thanks for clarifying)
  • nikitaga 36 minutes ago
    > Employee Only: You cannot buy these in stores. They are sold exclusively to ASML employees with a strictly enforced “one per person” rule.

    Wonder if they include this lego set as a gift with their real machines? Or are they like – our commercial agreement is worth $400M and not a lego set above that.

  • AntiUSAbah 12 minutes ago
    "Why it matters"

    No it doesn't.

    And the only thing it does again, to remind me, that this is cool as hell but i'm not able to buy it...

  • nottorp 1 hour ago
    When I saw the title I thought it would be some plushie. Turns out I wasn't far from the truth!
    • behohippy 1 hour ago
      You might have a business idea there. I wouldn't mind a twinscan plushie for sitting on top of the workstation.
    • johncole 1 hour ago
      Spot on!
  • afandian 1 hour ago
    Saved you a click:

    > But right now, the most coveted product coming out of ASML is the 1,000-piece Lego version.

    I thought it might be something like service contracts or chemical refills.

    • newsclues 1 hour ago
      And it's not available to the public. Bummer.
      • cassianoleal 1 hour ago
        • haddonist 53 minutes ago
          Might be worth contacting the seller before buying.

          The "Color" (ie: type/what's being sold) is "PDF Manual By Email", so it's possible they selling just the PDF assembly manual...

          • wolfi1 41 minutes ago
            getting the bricks shouldn't be that difficult, should it?
        • loudmax 53 minutes ago
          The Chinese knock-off TwinScan is almost as good as the original and far less expensive.

          Because of course it is.

        • johncole 59 minutes ago
          Brilliant. I knew there had to be a solution somewhere.
      • doe88 33 minutes ago
        It must be to prevent corporate spying ;)
      • johncole 1 hour ago
        Find a friend that works at ASML?
        • bell-cot 58 minutes ago
          > ... sold exclusively to ASML employees with a strictly enforced “one per person” rule.

          You'll need to be their very best friend. And make sure they're not too close with their family, nor a big fan of either Lego or collectables, before you cozy up.

  • 2ndorderthought 31 minutes ago
    "why does this matter?" Oh hello AI slop how are you today?
    • johncole 27 minutes ago
      Is this some sort of ai indicator now?
    • markovBaj 25 minutes ago
      for me it was the 3 bullet point list, esp. the "The Sales Gap"
    • amelius 18 minutes ago
      Maybe. At some point, humans will start sounding like AI.