My Little World - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2013, 10:10:56 pm
content: Not sure if this is the category for this, but that has not stopped me before.Here is a little picture tour of my little corner of the world at my company. We are a family business who manufactures controls for agriculture. Think of a sprinkler timer but much more robust. with pressure sensors and switches, etc.My officeThe desk actually has two monitors on it. This right one for firmware and layout software (We use Eagle) and to the left out of frame is a old Mac Mini for browsing, email, etc. The bench in the back holds a small transformer winder and a spot welder. Above is a 200CDR and a TAS 220 for testing the freq response of transformers. Above that is a E/M nasty old power supply 0-110 VDC at up to 1.5 amps. Germanium transistors be in that one! Then above that is an old BK Precision Freq counter.Prototyping stationThis is actually where I spend most of my time. I have my metcal MX500 and a wide variety of tips, solders, and most importantly fluxes. I hand solder all of our SMD I.C.'s here for in house use. Flux is the key. You see here all the detritus of the 5 different projects I have going on now. We only have one engineer who does our firmware and 2 outside consultants who we hire when we get busy. I do the prototype assembly myself. Steve our in house engineer will do most of the board layouts but I do the smaller ones I can fit in with my other responsibilities such as the small one on the screen in the other picture.My Assembly stationWhen I am needed for assembly I slide over to this station. The little brass fittings are on a mems pressure differential sensor I am just getting into production. The iron is a WTCPT.Final InspectionThis is where me and one other person do our final inspection before boxing.New ProductThe second test batch of our new product. Goes with the mems sensors.Chassis build[imghttp://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a401/calexanian1/photo5_zpsf2f2f3fb.jpg]http://Solder StationsBurn In RacksTested PCB'sRepair and troubleshooting bench.This is where we repair our boards and test things more deeply. The gentleman who uses this station is here on the forums and I will leave it up to him if he wants to be known or not. I typically do not use this station.That is the little tour of where I live "Work" Its not very impressive and certainly no where near state of the art, but its home.

author: Mr Smiley
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2013, 10:21:49 pm
content: I see you wind your own coils

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2013, 10:28:09 pm
content: Quote from: Mr Smiley on December 04, 2013, 10:21:49 pmHave to! Cant wait for the manufacturer we use to figure designs out. Also I keep a wide variety of bobbins and laminations including nickel for replacement transformers for recording gear. A hobby of mine.

author: ElectronicTonic
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2013, 10:14:26 pm
content: Nice Boston pencil sharpener in the third photo. Been using one like that for about 20 years. Can't get them anymore, at least not outside of ebay.

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2013, 11:30:40 pm
content: We have had that one for about that long. Still works! Good design.

author: ThomasDK
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 12:05:13 am
content: Quote from: calexanian on December 04, 2013, 10:10:56 pmNice shopOne thing spring to mind: No fume-extraction?

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 12:12:16 am
content: Quote from: calexanian on December 04, 2013, 10:10:56 pmWhat kind of water valves do you control - are they motorized or solenoid?

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 02:56:04 am
content: We have fume extractors, but the assemblers did not like them. One day I came in and they had these little fans set up all over. Been that way ever since.We control mostly solenoid valves, however we offer adapters for motorized valves.

author: BillyD
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 09:35:43 am
content: Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 07:33:35 pm
content: Quote from: BillyD on December 06, 2013, 09:35:43 amYou are welcome!