The Core

Thats a serious job.  took more than several  days.... to save $150.

Not for $150. To test himself. To see how far he can go. To learn something. To create fodder for a mega blog post. Despite his comment at the beginning, I don't think the $150 was a top-5 consideration on doing this, it was just the excuse (if it were a $6 part it would be hard to justify... but $150 was *just* enough that he could justify all this time, trouble and hacky look to his spouse... and I bet she still wishes he'd just bought the damn control board).

I thinking of washing dishes by hand. 

I think 7 years is stretching it in the UK>

To test himself. To see how far he can go. To learn something.

  Yes I get that, and would do it myself if I had time.  But when time is short, you need a quick fix. Buying all the parts off him might be a part solution for some, but he would then have all sorts of warranty issues to work with if he started doing it commercially.
While it is being done as a hobbiest, I get it.  I just cannot help my brain trying to see a commercial angle.  And I don't think it is there.

Although sold as a kit, then you buy the ardino.... so it takes away the warranty problem..... that might work.  He just needs to offer a parts list, the code, and the plastic front.  Might work.

Once he has one machine worked out, doing it for others as a kit is even easier.

Maybe when I retire

Ergo, no your missing nothing. 

I am just trying to think of it commercially.

>>more electronic bells and whistles fail first.

>One of my SILs is an absolute sucker for high-end crap.  I've seen several of his high-$$, exclusive, TV-Chef endorsed, uber-name-brand appliances (dishwasher, now on his 3rd. Microwave. Gourmet gas range & oven) go t##s-up in less than 2 years.

Samsung in talks with US regulator on washing machine safety issues.  Another of my daughters has one of these high-end washers. Cost was >$800, IIRC.  Feature-set is great, but apparently mechanicals are crap.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/28/samsung-in-talks-with-us-regulator-on-washing-machine-safety-issues-after-note-7-recall.html

Sort of related:

Sweden gives tax credits for repair over toss and replace.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/europe/sweden-money-for-repairs-trnd/index.html

It has taken an early morning without sleep for me to find this.  Sorry RC for not getting back to you.

 That is amazing.

I am having 5 pcb boards being built at the mo, and the process is so much more complex than that.  I am Imagining software that can be written as a drag and drop ITTT process, the hardware pcb design as a drag and drop, the logic tested on screen, and then the board printed with this. Simple electronics is still complex, but could be done at home. Oh and a 3D printer to put it all in a pretty box. a 1 off for a parts cost of say $30.

I have passed it on to my Prototype engineer.

<Thinking>The key is then probably understanding the correct design process for a robust unit. Its not easy still to design like that. </Thinking>

that is so cool.