{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Additive Snack","title":"AM as a Moat: How Annihilator Created a Competitive Advantage in Broadhead Manufacturing","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4137,"description":"Fabian Alefeld interviews Brandon Brodie, co-founder and CEO of Annihilator Broadheads, about how an Idaho elk hunt and a lost bull sparked a new broadhead concept sketched by Brandon’s future partner Micah. They describe turning the 2D sketch into plastic CAD prototypes via Boise State, a makeshift “wind tunnel” test using Instant Pot steam, and early performance goals of flight, penetration, durability, and lethality. Field and improvised tests (steel drum, long-range accuracy, animal kills) plus third-party fluid dynamics modeling suggested Annihilator’s design created unusually large high-pressure and low-tension effects.  \nAfter major supply failures with investment casting and metal injection molding - causing shortages, high scrap rates, and lost dealers - Brodie brought manufacturing in-house, adopting metal laser powder bed fusion, improving repeatability and enabling new geometries like the Katana. He outlines ongoing innovation, potential adjacent products, and plans to leverage Annihilator’s additive capabilities for partnerships and contract manufacturing. \n02:26 Elk Camp Origin \n06:43 Sketch to Prototype \n11:36 Instant Pot Wind Test \n14:44 Performance Pillars \n18:41 Steel Drum Proof \n22:45 Real Hunt Validation \n26:45 Fluid Dynamics Breakthrough \n30:41 Engineering Led Marketing \n33:32 Manufacturing Growing Pains \n34:27 Industry Award Surprise \n35:53 COVID Demand Crunch \n36:54 Casting Supplier Failures \n39:40 MIM Tooling Disaster \n42:30 Additive Breakthrough \n46:35 Learning Metal Printing \n49:55 Repeatability and Materials \n52:56 Katana Broadhead Innovation \n57:49 Scaling R&D Team ","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/27ZYLdyZ8MHWZlxUWh87sIQyB5ttPhwcP3_CmUBDsv0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE2NDk0LzE3MDU5/NDgwMjItYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}