### Production Log [[#Orb Calibration]] [[#Quality Check-in]] [[#Definite To Do]] [[#U-Line Boxes & Shipping]] [[#Garage and Workstation]] [[#Mobile Orb Station]] [[#Cook Test Batches]] [[#Notes from Batch 1]] [[#Production Tracking & Sheet]] --- #### Orb Calibration Printing 2x half orbs of the badge reels and tweaking settings until quality/speed is perfect. ##### Run A - External Perimeters: 60mm/s & 3000mm/s2 - Top Layers: 8 - Bottom Layers 4 - Perimeters: 4 - Infill: 15% - Variable Layer Height: 0.60, Smoothed - First Layer: 0.20mm ###### Outside: They look good, but it was too slow. Going to speed it up dramatically, since we're testing. ![[Pasted image 20241007124209.png]] ###### Inside: I'm seeing a small metal ring at the top where the ring comes out. It's slight thickness is crumpling against the extremely tight circle. There's some rotational shifting causing that metal ring to be misaligned. Further, the steel string does not exit that ring centered. ![[Pasted image 20241007124227.png]] ###### Solution: I added a domed top so the metal top-ring has room to sit, and smooth, curved guiding walls so the string isn't brushing against a harsh edge as it is led to the channel. I also sunk the inner floors another 0.5mm each. ![[Pasted image 20241007124358.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241007124512.png]] ##### Run B ![[Pasted image 20241007125240.png]] ###### Changes: - Combine Infill Every: 1 -> 2 Layers - External Perimeters: 180mm/s, Default Accel (20k) - Top Layers: 8 -> 4 New Variable Layer Height Profile: ![[Pasted image 20241007124800.png]] ###### Notes: 4 top layers probably isn't enough. I assume the top shell will be too fragile. I'll need to run a Crush Test between A and B (8 vs. 4) ETA is 1h44m for this one. Very fast. Thick 0.3mm layers like this may not smooth properly. ###### Review: Climbing layers seem good, very consistent and little ghosting/ringing Top Circular layers are also good. I think it's worth seeing what 0.05mm layers looks like, but 0.1mm seems pretty sufficient. The new top-ring void/guide looks pretty good as well. The badges are honestly kind of hard to get in. I may need to make it a bit less snug. I'm not sure yet. Once it's in there, it's in there for good. The extra 0.5mm means that it's not perfectly dead center between both orbs, but will be slightly offset towards the piece the badge is originally inserted into. The top ring has plenty of room now and the width of the guide funnel means the asymmetrical badge placement doesn't matter. Excellent seam once combined as well. Assuming this cooks well, I can keep the speed. If it crushes poorly, I increase the top layers It's worth making slightly less snug as well, at least for a test. ![[Pasted image 20241007172432.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241007172352.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241007172359.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241007172408.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241007172445.png]] ##### Run C ###### Changes - Top layers: 4 -> 8 - Variable Layer Height Profile: 0.3mm, then 0.1mm - Design: +0.25mm Offset on circle, and on Rectangular tab slot ![[Pasted image 20241007173211.png]] ###### Review: Badge doesn't fit. Trying +0.1mm instead ##### Run D ###### Changes: - Design: +0.1mm Offset on circle, and on Rectangular tab slot ###### Review: It fits very easily and then is very difficult to remove. I think this might be the one. I'm still under 2h as well. Everything snaps together effortlessly and holds firmly. It functions without issue assembled without any cooking or processing. It stands on its own. ![[Pasted image 20241008182950.png]] #### Quality Check-in Rat Rig is going to run out of filament today. Starting an 8h print for some more orbs. It'll be good to see how the spool transfer goes down. If it kills prints that's going to be a problem and I'll need to fix it. Launched print around 59.8C on Toolboard, Bed Mesh was 0.393mm. Sub-400 is great! Rat Rig is still having that power-throttling issue. I'm not sure if I should replace the wires or if I need to dedicate a separate 5V supply. If I go in to add that supply I'm going to have to overhaul ALL the wiring. So fingers crossed it's not an issue. ##### Major Print Test: 16 Orbs Started 2024-10-10 - 10:04 I weighed the spool and it has about 1.5kg of filament left, so I should be able to print a 970g print with 16 orb halves on it today. This is the most I've attempted in one go so far. If the Pi Undervolts and Crashes I'll dig into it. #### Definite To Do: - Need to clean garage - Need to set up print-farm books #### U-Line Boxes & Shipping It's premature to spend $120 on 50 boxes when there's only one batch order out right now, so I'll just reuse the filament spool boxes to send this first batch out. #### Garage and Workstation I need to clean the garage and set up some kind of workstation for Orb Assembly, the current AVC, etc. Junking is definitely not in my budget rn. The 27 gallon bins at Home Depot are $10 each, and I bought four of them. I currently have something like this: **Acetone Vapor Chamber Setup V0:** ![[Acetone Vapor Chamber Setup V0.png]] **Orb Assembly Station V0:** ![[Orb Assembly Station V0.png]] Some change I might make: - Clamp mechanism to hold orbs together so I don't have to? - Put the screw hook further back, use a taller screw/nail/hook - Add some sort of wall to clearly separate and protect the Plastic Bits on the hook from acetone exposure - Add some sort of retaining wall that the string can thread through to hold the orb and prevent it from snapping back - More Acetone Syringes, Bigger Acetone Syringes Some Processes: - Prep the badges - Take out of plastic bag - Peel off protective plastic - Snap together ring bit - Prep the Orbs - Insert Keys beforehand Other Ideas - Brainstorming - New drying/curing rack? - Fan/Ventilator/Air Purifier so I can work in the Garage? New Gas Mask? - New Lab Coat? $185, no sooner than Thanksgiving, Damn! - More Bins to hold garage junk - Bin rack for Garage to free up more space - Wheeled Chair in Garage? - Wheeled Table for Workstation? - Build a proper workbench? - Better Lighting? - Bluetooth Speaker? - Camera/Stream Setup? - Something to prevent cork bits from falling and making contact with the orb? - New Glass Container? - Hot Sand Box for even heat distribution? - Use the new hot plate? - Acetone Syringe Rack so they're not free floating? - Heavy Duty Shelf, for printers, storage, etc.? - Label Printer? plsplspls - Buy U-Line Boxes! - Can use a U-Line box for Badge Bucket. Probably too big for keys though. #### Mobile Orb Station Today I built out the new Orb Processing Cart, it took about two hours to lay everything out and get going. Afterwards, I cooked about 30 orbs. Everything is running smoothly ![[Pasted image 20241017201004.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241017201018.png]] #### Cook Test Batches Each set of 10 I tried slightly different parameters: 1. 90 second cook, no sanding 2. 90 second cook, light sanding 3. 120 second cook, heavy sanding #### Notes from Batch 1 - A few badges were too tight and collided with the hook - One badge was bad out of the box - I'm still recovering from my wisdom teeth extraction, so I got tired early. I need to do another 20-30 orbs tonight or tomorrow. - I'm considering buying a new gas mask - I'm washing the lab coat today for the first time since painting and such from the previous orb run. - The metal cart is already super worthwhile - There are 8 badge hemispheres that have a very fat band on them from a filament swap, before I figured out the Z-Offset trick. I don't have the energy to sand them right now, so I just threw them into a bucket for later ![[Pasted image 20241017201059.png]] - I finished cooking the orbs last night, and had a total of 58. - Let them cure overnight. QA testing in the morning. - 5 Broke, bad strings. I noticed most of the breaks were before I took a nap and came back. I think they come out better when I don't have a chair because I have to lean in a way that prevents acetone from getting into the badge. - There's definitely a visual difference after cooking between sanded and unsanded orbs. Asked Pancho to confirm if that difference is still clear after painting. - Shipped the 53 good ones out this morning. No plan with the scrapped 5. - Stopping Orb Production until Pancho pays me for the next batch. - Pancho did receive the Injection Mold samples in the mail today. They look amazing! ![[Pasted image 20241017201112.png]] ![[Pasted image 20241017201138.png]] #### Production Tracking & Sheet Still need to set up the production tracking sheet & books with Angel. Something like this: - Batch 1 - 116 Hemispheres Printed - 58 Orbs Assembled & Cooked - 5 Badge Reel Breaks in QA - 53 Finished Orbs Shipped - 0 Failed Prints #shopping-list - More Bubble Envelopes for Orbs