monotype interface prospectus

A number of folks have expressed interest in my Composition Caster automation project over the past few years. All along I've said that my intention was to make it available to others who might have similar needs. Unfortunately, life always seems to have its say and succeeds in derailing plans. I apologize in advance for the somewhat rambling nature of this document. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions.

In the 18-20 months since I finished the first cut of the interface, cost of materials has increased almost 25 percent. While there are a few things I wanted to do to make things "nicer", I've come to the conclusion that if I wait much longer, no one will be able to afford their own set of equipment. As a result, I've decided to run with what I've got. The end result may be (ever so slightly) less polished than what I had originally hoped, but a wise man once said that perfection will only keep you from accomplishing things. Hopefully my approach will strike the proper balance.

The "system," as I'll refer to it in the future, consists of 2 parts: a) the hardware (physical) interface and b) the software components that generate electronic ribbons and drive the physical interface. The hardware has proven to be quite reliable and there are only a few minor changes I anticipate making, mostly surrounding some of the electrical wiring. The software that drives the caster is also pretty well tested and won't see any major changes save for some convenience functionality I've jotted down along the way. The ribbon generation system is currently where most of my efforts are directed, and where there's most room for improvement. It's currently got a lot of good functionality and I've personally generated ribbons for real projects, up to 40 pages in length. That should be a good indication of it's current state of usefulness.The good news is that because all of the hard work to be done is in software, there's no downside to getting started with fitting people out with hardware components.

A few words about the software portion of this effort and how "upgrades" are going to be handled. Since I don't really see this as a money making enterprise, I have no plans on charging any additional money for the software. I will keep a list of planned enhancements that I am planning on making (the TO-DO list), and those enhancements will be available on an ongoing basis. If you need something added a) more quickly than I was planning or b) that isn't on my personal TO-DO list, I'm open to someone "sponsoring" that work on a case by case basis. Aside from basics, the software will include support for unit shift and unit adding (for those machines so equipped) based on an automatic algorithm that determines the best way to size a given sort.

What will it cost me and what are the ground rules?

As I mentioned, I'm not in this to make money. The costs below pretty closely reflect the cost of parts from suppliers with a very modest increase to cover shipping of parts and administrative hassle. If for some reason costs go down because of high interest, I'll pass that savings along. I don't anticipate costs to increase greatly in the near future, however if prices have increased between the time I calculated cost and the time I place the order, the amount due upon completion will be adjusted accordingly. To start ordering parts, I'll need 50% of the cost initially as a non-refundable deposit with the remainder due before shipping. The exception is if you want new valves (see below), in which case that cost must be provided up front, as I can't float that large an expense. If you back out for some reason and I am able to find someone to take the interface, I'll refund your deposit once the unit's sold. I'll need 2 people to commit before I can start ordering parts. I'll confirm that you can send the initial amount once I have enough people interested. A check or wire transfer is the easiest way for me to accept money (Paypal has limitations on quantity, so it's not an option for me, unfortunately).

The largest single cost component in the physical interface is the air valve bank and manifold. The cost of this component is around US$900 new. The good news is that it is possible to find used components which would cut about 40% of that cost. The downside is that it can take some time to gather enough parts on the used market to complete a unit.

So, in order to facilitate this effort, I'm splitting the physical interface into 2 parts: a) the air valves and manifold and b) everything else. You'll need one of each for things to be workable. I figure that it will take 8-12 weeks from the receipt of deposit for components and supplies to arrive and be assembled, etc. If you want used valves, it may take longer depending on the surplus market. If you decide at some point that you're tired of waiting, you can send the difference in cost for new valves and I will order those instead. If I'm able to negotiate a lower price for the valves based on a large number of folks being interested, I will refund any difference.

If you decide that you want to do this piecemeal, you can order the "everything else" part first and I'll ship that to you. When you order the "air valve manifold" portion, you'll just need to trim the air hosts to the proper length, connect and wrap them and mount the interface board in the manifold. Please contact me about this option if you're interested.

New valves: US$900 due upon receipt of order
Used valves: US$250 due upon receipt of order, US$250 before delivery (may take longer than 12 weeks to supply)

Interface unit: US$500 due upon receipt of order, US$500 before delivery

Total (new valves): US$1400 up-front, US$500 before delivery; US$1900 total
Total (used valves): US$750 up-front, US$750 before delivery; US$1500 total

Shipping in the US is included, shipping outside of the US would be extra and will probably cost about USD 75.

Other items you'll need

• plumbing to connect the air manifold to your compressed air system (such as a quick-disconnect fitting, etc). The air manifold will include a regulator with a female 1/8 NPT port that your fittings can connect to. I can help get you set up with what you need as part of a separate conversation
• a standard IEC power cord (aka computer power cord) for the locale you happen to be in. As part of a separate conversation, I can probably supply those in the US/Canada but others will have to fend for yourselves.
• a computer with a USB port. Currently, the caster controller software (not the ribbon generator) is Mac only, however, if that poses a hardship, we can have a separate conversation about that. Note that a heavy duty computer is not necessary to run the caster; I use my 5 year-old powerbook.
• a hanging mechanism. I'll supply a length of plastic hanger strap that you can screw to the ceiling but you'll need to supply appropriate screws or fashion something more elegant yourself. The supplied interface will allow the air valve manifold to hang up to 24 inches from the paper tower.
• I'll include a 6 foot USB cable, however this may not be long enough for your purposes. Similarly, the power supply cable to the interface board will be 6 feet. You may need to provide a longer cable yourself.

I will include basic installation instructions (it's really pretty easy to install, so you shouldn't need much in the way of documentation). I'll test each unit for functionality (ie, air valves working, interface board working) but won't mount it on a caster. That way, the gaskets will have a chance to seat initially on your machine. The current design is slightly different from the ones you may have seen in photos; the interface board is mounted within the air valve manifold; which eliminates a fairly messy bit of cabling. Otherwise, you'll get something that matches what I've already demonstrated. The air valves are connected electrically with spade quick disconnects, which allows for easy replacement of valves should the need ever arise. The interface board is electrically isolated from the USB interface, which means that if something goes wrong on the caster side of the interface, your computer won't get fried.

I will make sure that the equipment arrives safely and in working order. I will do my best to provide assistance getting you up and running via email. At my option, additional means may be offered. If you break something, I'll do my best to fix it for you, but you might have to pay for any replacement parts needed to do that. Note that because of the industrial nature of the environment this equipment will be used in, I can't provide any other warranty or guarantee.

I think that's about it. This information is correct as of the authoring date at the top of this page. If I've left anything off, it's most likely fairly minor but I reserve the right to amend anything that's been written here.

Getting Started

If you're interested or have additional questions, please contact me via email at the following address: hww3 at riverweb dot com.

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