Intel's Ronler Acres Plant

Silicon Forest
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Saturday, October 24, 2009

Optimus Prime Lives!

Last we heard the speed controller was fried, and generating 3 phase power was still something of a puzzle. Marc repaired the speed control by installing new transistors, and he tuned up his pseudo-three phase generator with a judicious selection of capacitors. Installing the transistors took some hours of wrench work. Seems they are bolted in place. I dropped by today to see the results. The machine is sitting in the shop building in back of his house. Walking into the shop it looks fairly normal until you notice the monster sitting in the corner, and then you think whoa! Science fiction movie set! Okay, maybe you don't. I did. Marc powered it up and fat fingered a simple program into the front panel and ran it. Powering it up is kind of involved. First you need the air compressor, then the 3-phase converter, then the master power switch, the lubricating oil circulating pump, and lastly the control panel. Never mind the cutting fluid pump, we're not there yet.

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