EXCLUSIVE PROCESSES
Proprietary Technology
Certain processes exist nowhere else. Not because we patent them — patents require disclosure. Not because we keep equipment hidden — the tools reveal nothing without knowledge of their application.
What follows describes results and approaches. Specific techniques, protocols, sequences — these remain ours.
Metal Panel Artistry
THE GUARDED PROCESS
Our defining capability. The signature impossible to forge.
Three-dimensional metal letterforms integrated permanently into aluminum panels — not adhesive-mounted, not mechanically fastened, not printed or engraved. Integrated. The metal becomes inseparable from substrate through proprietary bonding process developed over years, that exists in no manual, no tutorial, no competitor’s workshop.
What We Can Reveal
Materials: Aluminum bronze, white bronze, silver alloys, stainless steel, titanium Grade 5. Upon commission: gold, platinum.
Precision: Letterforms 0.8-2.5mm thickness, CNC tolerances ±0.02mm
Preparation: Hand-sanding 80 through 2000-grit, cleanliness reaching semiconductor standards
What Remains Proprietary
- Temperature protocols
- Pressure sequences and timing
- Surface activation techniques
- Equipment configuration
- Post-integration treatments
Thousands of hours of development work.
This capability alone justifies significant portion of instrument value. No other workshop worldwide offers equivalent integration.
Stabilized Wood Treatment
STABILIZATION FOR ETERNITY
48hrs
Precision oven drying with continuous supervision for drying AND darkening
72hrs
Deep vacuum Cactus Juice saturation at -29.5 inHg
4-6hrs
Oven curing at 200°F triggering polymer cross-linking
The Technical Process
Pre-treatment: 48-hour precision oven drying under continuous supervision. Temperature controlled for simultaneous moisture removal AND color development. Cannot be automated. Cannot be rushed.
Infusion: Deep vacuum immersion in Cactus Juice polymer. Not pressure — vacuum alone provides driving force. Capillary action drawing polymer into evacuated cellular structure.
Result: Stabilized wood exhibiting dimensional stability comparable to metal, imperviousness to moisture, guaranteed to survive centuries unchanged.
Laser Technology
PRECISION TROUGH LIGHT
Metal letterform integration depends absolutely on laser capability. Without lasers, the process cannot exist.
CO2 Laser System
- Wavelength: 10.6 micrometers infrared
- Applications: Pattern generation, organic materials, surface treatments
- Purpose: Preliminary work, non-contact processing preventing mechanical stress
300W M7 MOPA Fiber Laser
The most powerful fiber engraver available
- Power: 300 watts, pulse-controlled MOPA architecture
- Wavelength: 1064nm near-infrared, micron-level spot size
- Capabilities: Color marking, deep engraving in hardened metals, fine detail work
- Control: Pulse width nanoseconds to milliseconds, 1kHz-4MHz frequency
Why This Matters
Fine details — serifs, flourishes, dimensional gradients — require laser precision. Deep engravings establishing mechanical bonding demand MOPA power levels. The lasers themselves reveal nothing. Owning equivalent equipment provides no advantage without knowing parameters, material interactions, years of development work.
Powder Coating Excellence
AEROSPACE STANDARDS
Surface Preparation
Chemical cleaning. Aluminum oxide blasting (120-grit). Zero contamination tolerance.
Application protocol
Multiple light coats building to 2.0-3.5 mils thickness. Electrostatic charge 60-90kV. Even distribution reaching recessed areas.
Curing Precision
Oven temperature 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes after parts reach target. Multiple thermocouples monitoring. ±5°F uniformity.
Professional Grade
Prismatic Powders thermosetting polyester. UV resistant. Chemical resistant. Durability exceeding automotive clearcoats.
Precision CNC Manufacturing
SINGLE QUANTITY PRODUCTION
The CAD/CAM Pipeline
01
Design Phase
Solidworks or Fusion360 CAD modeling. 0.001″ accuracy. 6-12 hours per component.
02
Stock Preparation
Casting metal to CNC machined graphite mold or machine manually from solid piece.
03
Toolpath Generation
CAM software converting 3D to G-code. Material-specific speeds and feeds.
04
CNC Execution
45-90 minutes per knob. 2-3 hours per splicer. Each requires custom fixture that becomes waste after design evolves.
Aluminum Bronze
Machines beautifully but work-hardens. 9-11% aluminum creates tool-dulling oxide layer.
Titanium
Low thermal conductivity, high reactivity. Flood coolant mandatory. Expensive but beautiful.
316L Stainless Steel
Gummy, tears rather than shears. Sharp professional tools essential. Superior corrosion resistance.
Modern Electronics Integration
Contemporary electronics wearing vintage skin. 600MHz processors hidden inside chassis designed for mechanical counters.
The Hardware
- Microcontrollers: ARM Cortex-M7, overclocked to 1GHz with external PSRAM/FLASH
- Audio ADC: Up to 196kHz sampling enabling high-resolution spectrum analysis
- Display: Up to 2K resolution TFT LCD with custom HDMI driver
- Interface: Button ot touch control, tactile feedback, gold-plated contacts
The Software
- Language: C++ firmware, assembly for time-critical sections
- Physics: VU meter simulations accounting for needle inertia, damping
- Analysis: FFT algorithms, 1/3 octave spectrum, 30fps updates
- Custom: Every installation unique, optimized for specific chassis
Beauty of Acrylic Back Panels
Dust Collection by Design
Acrylic generates static charge. This property — typically considered disadvantage — becomes engineered solution.
The charged acrylic panel captures dust particles precisely as airflow negotiates the vent boundaries – an electrostatic gatekeeper protecting the chassis interior.
01
Dust Collection
Acrylic’s static charge attracts dust to exterior panel surface
02
Easy Maintenance
Remove panel, wipe dust, reinstall. 30 seconds. No chassis disassembly.
03
Pristine Internals
Dust stays on removable panel. Machine internals remain dust-free.
Metal Panels
- Premium material choice with excellent durability
- Higher cost and weight specifications
- Electrically conductive – dissipates static charge instantly
- Dust particles follow airflow patterns directly through ventilation
- Time-consuming maintenance
Acrylic (PMMA) Panels
- Cost-effective with reduced weight
- Superior laser engraving capabilities for stunning visual graphics
- Natural dielectric properties retain electrostatic charge
- Simple wool-rubbing activation creates protective static field
- The charged acrylic panel captures dust particles precisely as airflow negotiates the vent boundaries – an electrostatic gatekeeper protecting the chassis interior
Our Choice: We have the capability to manufacture rear panels from any material – aluminum, steel, titanium, even marble. However, we deliberately selected acrylic for its unique combination of aesthetic possibilities and natural dust-protection properties. A simple wool rub creates lasting electrostatic protection that keeps internals pristine.
The result: Our machines have no dust inside.
Why No Two Are Alike
Each AlterEgo emerges from a workshop in constant flux. We resist repetition by nature, but even if we wished to replicate, we could not – for with each build, we have evolved. New techniques reveal themselves through our hands. Technical progress delivers superior encoders, faster processors, higher-resolution displays. Our shop transforms alongside our craft – new tools arrive, capabilities expand, possibilities multiply.
Mathematical certainty confirms what we already know: each machine captures a unique moment in our evolution as craftsmen and engineers. Your AlterEgo doesn’t merely exist as serial number different from others – it embodies the precise intersection of our accumulated knowledge, available technology, and creative discovery at the moment of its birth.
No two alike, because we are never the same makers twice.
