Modular Building 10243 Parisian Restaurant (2014 Modular Building)

[glendo]

Anyone interested in a modular build competition before the Parisian Restaurant arrives?.

modular comps should be an annual event.

[timmyc1983]

When is it likely that we would be getting pics etc of this new set? Still months away I take it....?

And I would love a modular comp, I missed the Modular Madness

[Pierre_Cochereau]

When is it likely that we would be getting pics etc of this new set? Still months away I take it....?

Yeah, I wouldn't think that we get pictures until maybe four weeks prior to the official press release. The folks over at TLG are usually pretty good about keeping images of the modulars under lock and seal so they don't leak early. With 10232 Palace Cinema, images surfaced around December 30, 2012, with the official press release following soon after, around the middle of January.

[peterab]

Wouldn't a goodly amount of olive green look great on a building? A nice subdued color that would mix well with some grey or tan?

Yeah it would, but I'm not sure it exists in enough brick types to build a modular yet. An olive green building with dark grey trim and a black roof would look quite good I think.

[TomLego]

Question.

I've seen where it costs anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 to make the mold for a new Lego piece. Just saying, that's what I've seen in a couple of different places. Cant guarantee the accuracy of that cost, but for discussion sake lets say its true. What about changing the color of an existing piece? Is there a large cost in doing that? Say some important parts aren't available in olive green but are available in other colors. Is it a big expense to make the existing parts in olive green? Just asking, I don't have a manufacturing background. Thanks.

[PsyKater]

No, not really, they just have to decide to produce them. When I understand the production of LEGO correctly, they do not produce on demand but to have in stock / on hand. Therefore the designers have to choose from the pieces, they actually produce. If a designer wants a piece that already exists in another color, they just have to fill the machine with the pellets of the other color. This is of course a change in the current production and therefore linked to additional costs etc. But not as high as making a new mold.

This is not knowledge only assuming.

[TomLego]

Thanks, man. The only experience I have in color as it relates to manufacturing is when we ordered my wife's Audi TTS roadster. If you didn't want one of the Audi TT standard colors shown in the brochure, you could get any color offered by Audi on its other models for $2500 extra. To the extreme, you could get ANY color for an extra $5000. We stayed with one of the standard colors. :-)

Again, thanks.

[peterab]

Question.

I've seen where it costs anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 to make the mold for a new Lego piece. Just saying, that's what I've seen in a couple of different places. Cant guarantee the accuracy of that cost, but for discussion sake lets say its true. What about changing the color of an existing piece? Is there a large cost in doing that? Say some important parts aren't available in olive green but are available in other colors. Is it a big expense to make the existing parts in olive green? Just asking, I don't have a manufacturing background. Thanks.

From discussions with LEGO designers, they are limited to a set number of colour changes per theme or set. There is also a cost associated with this which comes out of the budget for the theme/set, which means any set with a new coloured piece is likely to have less pieces than if it had been made in existing colours. Also if I understand it right, they can't just ask for a piece in a new colour, it has to replace an existing piece in production.

All these measures are to limit the number of pieces in production, since storage and changing colours (and mould but that is not directly related to your question) in the moulding machines have a cost associated with them. It is probably not as high as a new mould but it is also not insignificant. As an example I've been told to change moulds the machine must be allowed to cool down. This takes quite a long time, if I remember correctly of the order of a day. This means LEGO has lost the ability to produce bricks on that machine for a day. This lowers the number of sets they can produce, which obviously means less potential to earn profit.

[GRogall]

From discussions with LEGO designers, they are limited to a set number of colour changes per theme or set. There is also a cost associated with this which comes out of the budget for the theme/set, which means any set with a new coloured piece is likely to have less pieces than if it had been made in existing colours. Also if I understand it right, they can't just ask for a piece in a new colour, it has to replace an existing piece in production.

All these measures are to limit the number of pieces in production, since storage and changing colours (and mould but that is not directly related to your question) in the moulding machines have a cost associated with them. It is probably not as high as a new mould but it is also not insignificant. As an example I've been told to change moulds the machine must be allowed to cool down. This takes quite a long time, if I remember correctly of the order of a day. This means LEGO has lost the ability to produce bricks on that machine for a day. This lowers the number of sets they can produce, which obviously means less potential to earn profit.

True! But I also should point out that TLG and the designers have been very generous with giving us rare pieces in rare colours over the years with the Modular Buildings.

and that even if your not into the line, still make for great parts pack!

[tedbeard]

I've seen where it costs anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 to make the mold for a new Lego piece.

I believe that is the lower end of the spectrum for a short-run/low numbers element. I am sure I heard a talk at a BrickCon one year that indicated you have to add another zero for long-run/high numbers production elements.

[Wodanis]

Well I do have an idea of what one of the buildings colours will be and it is coming out next year. I will say that it will be a new shade, not something we have previously seen.

On a different topic I was thinking Lego must be spending quite a bit on moulds lately. There seems to be more new parts than I've seen in years. I just hope they do not have a repeat of the 90's where they produced too many new part types.

[peterab]

True! But I also should point out that TLG and the designers have been very generous with giving us rare pieces in rare colours over the years with the Modular Buildings.

and that even if your not into the line, still make for great parts pack!

Oh yes, the modular line has been very good for getting lots of rare coloured bricks. On his visit to BrickExpo a couple of years back Jamie Berard indicated he selected colours he thought AFOLs would desire. I doubt this has changed with Astrid's designs. Being a part of the creator line though, and considering the great value as far as price per part the modulars represent, I'd guess they tend towards rare but existing part/colour combinations where ever they can, rather than truly new ones. Then again, originally there were no stickers, and only existing printed parts and that has changed recently so perhaps the budget has been expanded for the modulars.

Well I do have an idea of what one of the buildings colours will be and it is coming out next year. I will say that it will be a new shade, not something we have previously seen.

Intriguing, any hints? Where did you here this? From a reliable source?

[Zzz]

And I was hoping for a police station...

[jonwil]

The modulars have been good for getting new part/color combinations. The dark green windows for example first appeared in the Grand Emporium and the dark green quarter dome pieces are exclusive to that set according to Bricklink.

And the large windscreens first appeared in that set (and to date the only other set to include that part in that color is a Star Wars UCS set). The PoP half-arches also first appeared in this set in Tan.

Until the Pet Shop brought them back, the Cafe Corner was the only set to include the dark red 2 x 1 x 3 slope pieces.

And the green grocer first introduced the 1 x 2 brick with garage door groove in sand green

Not to mention the dark orange dog in the Pet Shop, The Pet Shop is also still the only place to get the 1 x 1 clip horizontal in orange and the white saucepan and the only mainstream-release set to include the orange fish. And it was the first to include the 1 x 2 garage door groove brick in sand blue. And it is the only non-board-game set to include the yellow frog.

The fire brigade introduced the fire helmet in metallic gold and the minifig shoulder bag in tan.

The town hall featured an exclusive bride torso, an exclusive clock-face print and an exclusive shield print.

Then of course the Palace Cinema has the sticker sheet, 2 x 2 printed tile with star pattern and red 32 x 32 baseplate.

So there are definatly examples of where the modulars get new part/color combos made for them. (some of which then end up in other sets later on). Although some of the examples above were probably green-lit because they appeared in another higher volume set that was being designed at the same time and then the modular designers were able to get it because it was an "active" part/color combo.

[baron]

I'm looking forward to a real Lego Post Office one of these days...but still have so many modulars to catch up on!

[Wodanis]

Intriguing, any hints? Where did you here this? From a reliable source?

I was speaking with TLG customer service. No definite colour numbers yet as its still too new but will likely be a new favourite colour for people. :) (Purposely not saying as I don't want to spoil the excitement.)

Edited August 15, 2013 by Wodanis

[TomLego]

'No definite color numbers yet as its still too new but will likely be a new favorite color for people.'

Well, that bit of info can certainly be shortened to read: 'I really don't know'

[Wodanis]

Actually Tom I do know. I was referring to the how Lego attributes number to various colours. That is the part I don't know.

[cimddwc]

Sounds interesting. My guess would be the Simpsons house's color... but whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it won't be ugly. :)

[Faefrost]

True! But I also should point out that TLG and the designers have been very generous with giving us rare pieces in rare colours over the years with the Modular Buildings.

and that even if your not into the line, still make for great parts pack!

Didn't the Modular line start out with the design stipulation that they be made entirely not simply from existing parts (no new molds) but that they e made from existing inventory? I thought that they did not actually start allowing non inventory elements until the line took off. Either the GE or FB?

Well I do have an idea of what one of the buildings colours will be and it is coming out next year. I will say that it will be a new shade, not something we have previously seen.

On a different topic I was thinking Lego must be spending quite a bit on moulds lately. There seems to be more new parts than I've seen in years. I just hope they do not have a repeat of the 90's where they produced too many new part types.

Hmmm? Isn't there some rule these days that for a new color something has to be retired? Or something strange like that?

As far as the new molds and elements, they seem to be taking a bit more care with the new ones nowadays. What they design now seems to be mainly very broad use building elements. Where they ran into trouble in the past was an over abundance of more specialized things. Strange large custom or limited use pieces and similar.

[snaillad]

I saw a Lego Simpsons project somewhere, it wasn't a real build as far as I could tell but the house had a pinkish hue, not one that I would have recognized but obviously trying to be similar to the house in the show. Although only speculation what sets will come out. That sort of colour would be quite nice. I've seen similar colours prominent on buildings in countries around the Mediterranean, maybe not Paris though.

[jonwil]

Oh and for those interested, there IS precedent for a new mold to appear first in a D2C set, the train wheels on the Emerald Night (although I suspect at the time the mold was green-lit, they already had buy-in from the Toy Story team to use the wheels on the Toy Story train)

[medib]

Faefrost,

IIRC, the early Lego Direct sets had to come out of parts existing in the current inventory. However, I think Lego realized what a cash cow the modulars and other direct sets have been and now may have a more liberal policy on things.

I know the Factory line: Market Street, Space Skulls, Star Justice, Factory Train set, Garage set all had most of their elements available for purchase through Online pick-a-brick.

[Wodanis]

Didn't the Modular line start out with the design stipulation that they be made entirely not simply from existing parts (no new molds) but that they e made from existing inventory? I thought that they did not actually start allowing non inventory elements until the line took off. Either the GE or FB?

Hmmm? Isn't there some rule these days that for a new color something has to be retired? Or something strange like that?

As far as the new molds and elements, they seem to be taking a bit more care with the new ones nowadays. What they design now seems to be mainly very broad use building elements. Where they ran into trouble in the past was an over abundance of more specialized things. Strange large custom or limited use pieces and similar.

IIRC, the early Lego Direct sets had to come out of parts existing in the current inventory. However, I think Lego realized what a cash cow the modulars and other direct sets have been and now may have a more liberal policy on things.

I know the Factory line: Market Street, Space Skulls, Star Justice, Factory Train set, Garage set all had most of their elements available for purchase through Online pick-a-brick.

As far as I know there was only a precedent for removing a mould in order to allow for a new one. I don't think they do that with colours. However I think with the recent amount of profits reported last year by TLG, they can afford to make a new colour. Actually I like the fact that Lego reuses their existing selection of parts. It makes things much more interesting and falls in line with the Lego system as a whole. You just know they will use the new colour for a variety of sets.

[Faefrost]

Question.

I've seen where it costs anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 to make the mold for a new Lego piece. Just saying, that's what I've seen in a couple of different places. Cant guarantee the accuracy of that cost, but for discussion sake lets say its true. What about changing the color of an existing piece? Is there a large cost in doing that? Say some important parts aren't available in olive green but are available in other colors. Is it a big expense to make the existing parts in olive green? Just asking, I don't have a manufacturing background. Thanks.

$50,000 to $80,000 is the bare minimum cost for a mold. That would be the cost for a less precision required item, such as a minifig hand held accessory or softer custom hair piece. Things that only have a single point of connection. These types of molds are not as precise and they aren't expected to produce high volume over a longer time.

A new mold for an actual construction element starts around $300,000 and goes upwards from there. Much more precision is required, and the molds are designed for higher production volume. Higher pressure higher temperature plastics, and to last many more years than the specialized part molds.

There is not that much cost difference in changing the color of a piece. Their machines these days inject the color into he neutral plastic just before molding. So within limits any color change is really just a matter if factory changeover and runtime costs (which can be hard to come by. Factories are kept tightly scheduled.) the main exceptions are when dealing with certain specialized colors such as metallics and chromes or different plastic types, such as trans clear polycarbonates.

As far as I know there was only a precedent for removing a mould in order to allow for a new one. I don't think they do that with colours. However I think with the recent amount of profits reported last year by TLG, they can afford to make a new colour. Actually I like the fact that Lego reuses their existing selection of parts. It makes things much more interesting and falls in line with the Lego system as a whole. You just know they will use the new colour for a variety of sets.

I could swear that when they cleaned up their all over the place color spectrum, and retired a bunch of colors a few years back they put in place some sort of limitation on new colors. Something to prevent the pallet from getting out of control again?