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New manufacturing equipment installed at Parallax today! — Parallax Forums

New manufacturing equipment installed at Parallax today!

Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
edited 2010-05-22 01:27 in General Discussion
Exciting days in our manufacturing department, recently. Over the last year almost all of our manufacturing equipment has been replaced. We value building product in the USA; if we can't build it then we shouldn't design it! This helps achieve our goals of quick-turn, high-quality, careful testing followed up with the best documentation and support we can offer.

First, we started installation of our new closed-loop chemical washing machine and dryer for our PCBs.

attachment.php?attachmentid=70402

We've also put on-line a new chip programming machine especially for BS2p/sx product lines, too.

attachment.php?attachmentid=70403

About the only hangup these days is through-hole - still requires lots of human effort though we automate certain processes with solder dipping when possible.

attachment.php?attachmentid=70404

The P&P machine can do 6000 BS2 modules in a single day, too.

attachment.php?attachmentid=70405

Next up I'll share our P&P reflow line and the CNC room, where we shall add CNC routing for the solar panel products over the next two weeks.

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Ken Gracey
Parallax Inc.

Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.

Post Edited (Ken Gracey (Parallax)) : 5/17/2010 6:38:05 PM GMT
Washer.jpg
800 x 600 - 68K
ChipProgrammer.jpg
800 x 1067 - 166K
PropScopePCBs.jpg
800 x 600 - 175K
6000BS2s.jpg
800 x 600 - 132K

Comments

  • DaveJensonDaveJenson Posts: 375
    edited 2010-05-17 17:37
    Thanks for the insight into operations at Parallax. I look forward to seeing it all in person when we come to UPEW!
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2010-05-17 17:38
    Seeing those stacked sheets of BS2 boards makes me think of the U.S. Mint prining presses turning out sheets of 20 dollar bills (befor they are cut).

    Great news Ken!

    Don't let anybody wash their dishes in the·PCB cleaner!

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    Post Edited (Whit) : 5/17/2010 5:46:00 PM GMT
  • Martin HodgeMartin Hodge Posts: 1,246
    edited 2010-05-17 18:07
    Looks to be about $280,000 retail worth of BS2s there. shocked.gif

    So, in a way, it is printing money. Nice stuff!
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2010-05-17 18:19
    Do you enjoy seeing photos of the inside guts of Parallax?

    I can share more, if you are interested.

    Ken

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    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-05-17 18:32
    Yes, please do! 'Especially interested to see how the Stamps are cut apart and the legs attached.

    -Phil
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2010-05-17 18:34
    Having been to Parallax twice now, it looks like there are a lot of NEW changes and things to see this year at UPEW.

    Thanks for sharing!

    OBC

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  • bill190bill190 Posts: 769
    edited 2010-05-17 19:34
    Seeing all those PCB's on the rack reminds me of when I used to test/fix PCB's totally made by humans. One board I tested had a switch bounce eliminator chip on it and the output was determined by the value of a capacitor.

    You would press a button, then the output of the bounce eliminator would stay on for a brief moment and this would also flash a light on the switch...

    So I tested one board, pressed the button, and the light stayed on for a very long time, then turned off. I checked the components installed and there was a 1. uf capacitor instead of a .1 uf capacitor that it should have...

    I walked over to the production line and pointed this out to them. They said they were out of the .1 uf capacitors, so were using the 1. capacitors instead...burger.gif

    Ahh the good old days!
  • kf4ixmkf4ixm Posts: 529
    edited 2010-05-17 20:02
    Yes we do Ken! Post away! i'd love to see more pics! Hey, even better, a virtual tour video of the facilities! I wish i could be there for UPEW! especially since my b-day is on the 25th, that would make my big 4-0 go over a whole lot easier! [noparse]:)[/noparse]
  • sam_sam_samsam_sam_sam Posts: 2,286
    edited 2010-05-17 20:46
    Please Post more· smile.gif·jumpin.gifhop.gifyeah.gif

    Some day I hope to come see this in person ·smile.gif·· soon I hope

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  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2010-05-17 20:56
    Ken, I think everyone would like to see a virtual tour of the Parallax shop. I have always wanted to do one for work, but just don't have the time to piece together all the video clips. Was hoping to do it for a UPEW presentation, but won't be able to pull it off this year.

    ps. those Propscope boards look really nice! smilewinkgrin.gif

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  • John R.John R. Posts: 1,376
    edited 2010-05-17 21:54
    Does the chemical wasing machine (first picture) do the lunch dishes too?

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  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 3,000
    edited 2010-05-17 22:27
    I would love to see more pictures of "parallax guts". [noparse]:)[/noparse]

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  • schillschill Posts: 741
    edited 2010-05-17 23:59
    I'm not sure what it is, but there really is something cool about the picture of the stack of BS2 boards.
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2010-05-18 00:04
    Ken

    This is great stuff, keep it coming.

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  • Chris_DChris_D Posts: 305
    edited 2010-05-18 10:43
    Ken,

    You saw my CNC machine in person at UPEC, I certainly would appreciate seeing all the wonderful machines at Parallax!

    Chris
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2010-05-18 11:37
    Looking at the first picture of the PCB cleaner I noticed the red arrow in the background, Do you have to be a certain height to operate the machine then?
  • eod_punkeod_punk Posts: 146
    edited 2010-05-18 12:27
    I agree, please post more pictures of the Parallax facilities.

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  • UnknownUnknown
    edited 2010-05-18 12:33
    eod_punk said...
    I agree, please post more pictures of the Parallax facilities.

    It would be fun to see a video of it all in operation.
  • Bill ChennaultBill Chennault Posts: 1,198
    edited 2010-05-18 21:53
    Ken--

    As a machinist wannabe, I would truly love to see your lathes and mills, CNC or otherwise.

    Thanks!

    --Bill

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  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2010-05-18 22:49
    Add my vote to the more pics column! Fascinating to see where our stuff comes from. That is a lot of BS2's waiting to be, um, hatched?
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2010-05-19 16:36
    Ken... do you ever take a whole day off?... I know it is probably on your schedule... but does it ever really happen?
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2010-05-19 16:41
    It would be cool to have a video tour or demonstration of parallax on YouTube.

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  • sam_sam_samsam_sam_sam Posts: 2,286
    edited 2010-05-22 00:48
    Do you enjoy seeing photos of the inside guts of Parallax?

    I can share more, if you are interested.

    Ken

    What happpen no new photo····· smile.gif

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  • kf4ixmkf4ixm Posts: 529
    edited 2010-05-22 00:52
    I'd say that Ken is putting something pretty cool together for us, Patience grasshopper, Patience!
  • jrjrjrjr Posts: 22
    edited 2010-05-22 01:27
    Ken,

    How about rigging up a parallax bot
    with a web interface and we'll take
    our own tours.


    jr
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