Hmm ok I'll expand the "dream workshop" to include;
* a CNC machine, small but very accurate say 12"x12" area can cut wood, plastics and even aluminium (and mill PCBs).
* small manual metalwork lathe and milling machines, drills saws etc.
* a PNP machine, fast and reliable say 1000 parts/hour and accurate to place fiddly stuff down to 0603 and SSOP, QFN.
* reflow oven, solder paste stenciling setup etc all needed for the auto SMD work.
* good test equipment, scopes and all the usual goodies.
* good microcontroller development systems, hardware, compilers.
* welding/grinding other steel working equipment (optional) in separate room!
* heavy lathes or milling machines (optional)
* PCB production, artwork, exposing, etching (drilling can be done on CNC above)
To MisterT; nice robot on the link. I was surprised to see it as 1983 it looks almost like a classic 1950's /60's SciFi type design.
To JPanhalt; Well what would YOU do with the workshop (and I added some steel working stuff). It's interesting in a workshop primarily for electronics with pick and place facilities to make any electronics projects or products that people are all focusing on machanical fab? Maybe as we work with electronics the "dream" is to do other stuff like mechanical?
To Boncuk; I added the PCB production stuff. Initially I thought if SMD parts were the focus then professional double sided PCB would be preferred especially since they can be made fast and cheap these days and arrive in the mailbox. But it's a valid point that in-house PCB prototypes could be made by people like that, it's definitely fast enough to stick a PCB in the CNC and engrave and drill it. People get fine enough results for proto SMD work;
**broken link removed**
So nobody wants to make high tech electronic goodies at home in their dream workshop? I'm surprised.
Re the google workshop, that sounds cool too.