External NFC for L1 Post Processing
Context :
The Carbon Part Washer allows customers to wash their parts directly on the printing surface. Using NFC technology, the Part Washer is able to track which printing surface from a specific printer is washed on a specific washer using a specific wash script.
Problem to Solve :
The UI of the Part Washer is easy and connected, but it is not directly compatible with Carbon’s large format L1 printers. L1 prints can only be washed in the Part Washer using custom fixtures that require removing parts from their printing surfaces. This workflow inherently breaks the Carbon digital thread.
Solution :
Created an External NFC Station where technicians trigger the Part Washer to use the wash script associated with that individual print by simply placing the printing surface on the Station.
Results :
The external NFC is being used in Carbon’s production lab. It was not fully developed into a product because the Carbon hardware team began development on a brand new washing solution for big parts and production applications that require 24/7 high throughput and this new product will require a fresh look at how Carbon wants to handle digital thread.