Rubber progress - almost there.

The factory visit has been postponed to tomorrow, but Mr Tang has pretty much solved the hard part having to do with machine settings and materials. There's still a minor issue with pressure damaging the cable attachment but the inside part is working now (which is not surprising, it was already working after fiddling all day on our first visit, before their material expired). The attachment too is quite likely an easy fix because, well, it's been fixed twice already on the two factory visits.

What they don't understand is that they need to change only one parameter at a time! This is the scientific method... But they often change 2 or more parameters each trial hoping to get lucky. Oh let's change the temperature and the material and try again. NO. First you change the temperature and try again, then try the material! Collect data points calmly, then reflect, make a theory and test.



The search space is pretty huge here - you've got temperature both on top and bottom of the mold, pressure, 3 interacting rubbers, solder + pcb material + metal getting messed up - this is not something you want to try to get lucky with especially after a day of hitting your head against the wall. Tried to explain about Sherlock Holmes but that didn't really ring a bell.

Tomorrow is a Saturday but they'll keep the factory open for us and we'll have all machines at our disposal.

We need to go there, get a couple working, good looking prototypes out then write down all machine settings and materials used and sourcing companies used (so they don't forget) and that will be our first official "trade secret", to keep in our iron vaults underground!

Well, sorry about 24 hours potentially turning into 72, really doing all we can here and we most definitely didn't foresee them playing tricks by switching materials on us. We've got the parts, got the cable, got the machines and the staff, now we even have the right rubber - no reason for failure tomorrow! (unless they replace the machines with fake plastic ones).

As they say around here, "Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still".

Comments

By 6KGuy at 2010-04-16 05:50:11 Reply

Mistress Tang strikes again!

By dreamloverlabs at 2010-04-16 07:08:58 Reply

We should post a picture of Mr Tang so you will realize how disturbing the thought of him being a tranny is!!! :)