Dynamic Processing Equipment: "Dynapro"

 


In 1979, I founded my first company: Dynapro.

Marrying  my past experience in semiconductor manufacturing (Signetics) with my  engineering work on circuit board processing equipment (Morton-Thiokol), Dynapro applied  microprocessors to the automation of sophisticated wet metal finishing processes.

 

Our technology brought a new level of precision to the automatic monitoring and replenishment of sensitive chemical processes and to the high speed (but gentle) robotic handling of a variety of products.

Our initial focus was printed circuit board plating and wafer (semiconductor) fabrication equipment. By 1982 the personal computer industry desperately needed hard disk drives and one of the leading providers of the discs inside hard drives, Ampex, contracted with us to develop the first automatic (electroless nickel/cobalt) disc system ever made. Using multiple Z80 microcomputers in a network, our system monitored and controlled virtually every complex variable in the manufacturing of plated discs. Our first disc system, sold for over $500,000.00 and (shown below) produced about 18,000 discs a day.  

Due to the great press we received for having developed such massive machines that were 'clean room certified' we soon became the supplier of choice to the entire plated disc industry. We made machines for: Hewlett Packard, Digital Equipment, Stanford Applied Engineering...all the industry leaders.
With over a hundred employees working in a 40,000 sqft facility, Dynapro did it all. We engineered and built the machines from the ground up. Though our distinctive competency was in the computer control systems, we designed and fabricated the wet processing stations (all constructed from various thermoplastics and special metals such as titanium) the chemical monitoring and replenishment systems, the air purification systems and of course the robots themselves.


Though we took a lot of pride in what we had accomplished with our computers, one of the most amazing accomplishments of the company was the development of a robotic hoist capable of lifting 'loads' of up to 2000lbs, transporting them at 150ft/minute and delivering them to processing stations with an accuracy of 1/16 of an inch. What was so compelling to the industry was that we did this without the need to erect enormous superstructure in the facility.. our robots were fully self supporting. The one shown below (Hewlett Packard) was over 20 feet long from front to back and over 18ft in height.

Testimonial letters from Dynapro's customers: Hewlett Packard  -  Parlex  -  Hallmark  -  Symtron

Download a high res poster with Dynapro marketing materials

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