Hello Aqara Team,
I’m writing with a constructive proposal that can strengthen customer trust and reduce waste. Some users have reported that the screw bosses in the Radiator Thermostat E1 housing can crack over time, likely due to the screw/Plastic interface. The electronics still work, but the enclosure fails—leaving a perfectly good device unusable.
Would you consider releasing the official 3D model (STEP/STL/3MF) of the E1 housing along with basic printing guidance? This small step would let customers repair a low-cost part instead of discarding a full device.
Benefits for Aqara and customers:
- Stronger brand trust and loyalty by showing responsiveness and care for product longevity.
- Tangible sustainability impact: fewer devices scrapped for minor mechanical failures, aligning with EU circular-economy goals and the growing Right to Repair movement.
- Lower support and warranty costs by diverting simple mechanical failures away from RMAs to self-service repairs.
- Competitive differentiation: a customer-first, repair-friendly stance that attracts tech-savvy Home Assistant users—many already own 3D printers and love to share projects online.
- Community innovation: users can contribute improvements (e.g., reinforced screw bosses, optional heat-set inserts), giving you insight for future revisions at essentially zero R&D cost.
- Minimal IP risk: sharing an exterior housing model does not expose firmware, electronics design, or radio IP. You can provide a simplified shell that preserves thermal and RF performance.
- Controlled quality and safety: include recommended materials (e.g., PETG/ABS), wall thickness, infill, torque specs, and guidance for brass inserts to prevent future cracking.
- Positive environmental and regulatory optics: supports reparability expectations across the EU (e.g., repairability index initiatives) and reduces e-waste under WEEE objectives.
- Optional revenue path: offer an official low-cost replacement shell or repair kit alongside the free files for those without printers.
As a long-time Aqara user, I’ve built much of my smart home around your ecosystem. Facing enclosure failures makes me hesitate to buy more, even though I like your products. Enabling a simple, reliable repair—backed by your official files—would restore confidence and encourage me (and many others) to keep choosing Aqara for years to come.
If releasing the full housing feels too broad, a compromise could be:
- Make replacement shells available as spare parts at cost.
- Run a limited “community repair” program with a disclaimer that prints are at the user’s own risk.
Thank you for considering this. A small action here would create outsized goodwill, reduce e-waste, and showcase Aqara’s commitment to durable, repairable products.
You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain with this action!
If you support this idea, please like so the team can see the demand
Best regards,
Robert
