I could have easily passed it. There isn't a big sign or even a paved drive, but the address was correct. As an employee passed me carrying a multi-colored umbrella, I drove down towards three buildings into a clearing and saw all sorts of golf-carts. Between the barrels of used electronic parts and various odds and ends, I knew I had the right place.
It was after closing-time so I knew I'd have to snoop around a bit to find someone to talk to. I stepped out of my jeep and looked around. Alltrax is surrounded by evergreen trees and rolling hills. Even under the clouds and rain, I could tell that it was an unusually beautiful place for a manufacturer to nestle into.
Richard Csuk approached me and welcomed me to the facility. He was a well-spoken individual with a cheerful disposition. After we made our introductions, I grabbed my grocery bag full of Caldera beers and we entered the main production building. Richard walked away to turn on the lights. While he did that, I turned around to face the doorway and started to feel like I had stood there before. Whenever I feel deja-vu, I tell myself that I must be right where I am meant to be.
When the lights came on, I was instantly in awe of the various machines, tools, and gizmos. Rich walked me through the entire production process.
The main boards first run through a robot that attaches various components to it. Then more parts are manually added by the Alltrax experts. After that, the boards are rinsed in a special solution and soldered by a machine that looks like a motorized pizza oven.
This automated soldering machine has a fountain of hot solder that the boards pass over. Rich refered to it as, "...like [a metal version of] a chocolate fountain." Once the machine was on, I enjoyed watching the solder cycle as it formed a flat and reflective surface. It looked cool... Images from the movie Terminator 2 slid across my eyes.
At this point, Mr. Csuk and I cracked open a few Ashland Ambers from the Caldera brewing company. He continued to walk me through the production process which involved trimming, more attaching and the addition of the Alltrax-blue heatsink. In the midst of this process, the boards are put through a customized set of dishwashers and clothing dryers. This removes contaminants and prepares the main-board for the final steps of their assembly process. "Yes, electronics can be washed," stated Rich as he pointed out a box of Cascade brand dish-washing detergent.
By hand, Each controller is run through a custom-built testing station before it leaves the facility. Controllers that fail a test are repaired and re-checked until they function to standard.
Thoughts for the future:
- I'd like to go back to Alltrax during their hours of operation. It would be fun for me to see their production-line in action and visit with their crew.
- From the Alltrax experience, I want to find some of my best technical notes to share on this blog.
