Production Dr Zaber Sentry - Console-sized gaming PC case project

[ZombiPL]

Update after 2nd week of Sentry manufacturing process.


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This week was also very busy. You probably remember, we were testing prototypes of some components. Here are the results:

a) new power button cables with professional sleeving:

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b) new transport foam:

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We also made "some" orders. Here's a list:
- IEC power cables,
- power buttons with new professional wires sleeving,
- laser engraved aluminium labels,
- aluminium 2,4 mm rivets for engraved labels,
- all types of M3 mounting screws (nearly 100 000 pcs),
- binding screws for mounting the vertical stand,
- rubber O-rings for vertical stand,
- plastic feet for horizontal mounting,
- plastic covers for holes unused in vertical position,
- PCI slot covers,
- rubbers for fastening internal cables,
- silica gels,
- industrial glues (Loctite 243 and Loctite 480),
- Sentry transport foil bag,
- zipper foil bags,
- printing tapes for thermal small labels printer,
- big labels for thermal printing of shipping information,
- thermal printer for printing shipping labels,
- black stretch foil for packaging purposes,
- packaging tapes,
- transport baskets for internal transportation process,
- 2 mm allen wrench.

On Friday we sent instructions to our metal parts manufacturer how to pack everything on the euro pallets (we mentioned it before). At this moment we are waiting for our first two Sentry v1.1 preproduction prototypes. Our subcontractor will manufacture steel elements, and after our quality control he will make those over 1000 Sentry cases according to those 2 checked units (one painted black and one prepared for painting white in external paint shop).

Finally, you asked if the delay made by indiegogo in sending your contributions will influence the starting time of our package shipping. At this point we do not really know, but we can assure you that we are doing our best (including working 13-16 hours a day) to start sending your Sentry cases according to the plan, in April. If we will notice a situation where something will slow us down, as always we will let you know.

 

[MarcParis]

So many items required aside case itself...it's amazing..well done!

 

[ZombiPL]

3rd week of Sentry manufacturing process​

This week, just like previous weeks, we spent on making orders and receiving packages.

From our metal parts subcontractor we received our first four Sentry v1.1 preproduction prototypes (two painted black and two prepared for painting white in external paint shop), which we mentioned in the last update. We measured them and installed our pc parts there. We have to say, those four units are so far the best we received in terms of dimensions and overall quality. And your cases will be the same, because manufacturing machines were calibrated according to those four units. We gave the green light to our subcontractor and we are waiting for the first transport of steel elements (1st week of April).

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A lot of time we spent on receiving, checking, analyzing and counting the packages from our orders. We already received:
- aluminium 2,4 mm rivets for engraved labels,
- all types of M3 mounting screws,
- binding screws for mounting the vertical stand,
- rubber O-rings for vertical stand,
- rubbers for fastening internal cables,
- silica gels,
- industrial glues (Loctite 243 and Loctite 480),
- Sentry transport foil bag,
- zipper foil bags,
- printing tapes for thermal small labels printer,
- big labels for thermal printing of shipping information,
- thermal printer for printing shipping labels,
- black stretch foil for packaging purposes,
- packaging tapes,
- transport baskets for internal transportation process.

(click on the image to zoom-in)
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Also some new orders were made:
- steel parts for our newly designed rubber-cutting machine. We will use it to make rubber feet for Sentry vertical stand,
- special software dedicated for handling and gathering the shipment information and to contact with customs services,
- printed carton boxes,
- accessory carton boxes,
- shipping boxes.

Many ordered parts which we mentioned before need 3-4 weeks of manufacturing, so next two weeks will be fun.

 

[Phuncz]

Amazing work and I'm glad you're taking the time to post all this. It's reassuring to see all this happen, that it's in excellent hands !

 

[MarcParis]

Sure work is in progress..
Do you have any issue with goods very long to arrive from Asia (like usb cable, etc)?

 

[ZombiPL]

Sure work is in progress..
Do you have any issue with goods very long to arrive from Asia (like usb cable, etc)?

Yes and no

Yes, we have to wait for the cable manufacturing which can take (according to our all suppliers) about 3 weeks.
No, because we usually try pay for express transport (if there is such option), so after getting information the package is ready we should get it in a week (or case there would be some problem with customs).

 

[MarcParis]

clearly express shipment is a better option (if not crazy overcharged)...because standard industrial shipment is by boot...ie 12-17weeks to arrive in europe...

 

[ZombiPL]

4th week of Sentry manufacturing process
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We are still in the period of receiving packages and organisation of production. We just rented the premises near our office where Sentry will be assembled, packaged and stored before the ride to your homes. We also received some more elements from the lists showed before.

This week we received:
- 2 mm allen wrenches,

- USB 3.0 extension cables,

- package-foiling machine for printed carton boxes (like we said before, security of your package is very important for us. Packaging Sentry carton box in heat shrink foil will make an additional barrier against eventual moisture during the transport).

What is more, we received samples of DEMCiflex magnetic dust filters designed especially for Sentry. You will be able to order them directly from DEMCifilter after we will test those samples to make sure the designs are okay.

Meanwhile we talked with our metal parts subcontractor and we predict we will get first transport of steel elements for accessory boxes on the 4th of April. We will get all of those smaller parts at once and on the following week we should start getting Sentry main body parts. Things are getting serious

 

[LocoMoto]

Hype, haven't even ordered one but excited for this.

 

[mazadr]

We are talking with several retail companies, and some of them wants exclusive agreements for some regions. Maybe we won't be selling directly from our website, but just redirecting to the retailers sites. I can't say anything more right now, because we are not sure what will happen. We are concentrated on delivering Sentry units to the indiegogo supporters and this is our main target at the moment.

Will Sentry be available in Poland to buy directly form Your company on allegro (main polish auction website)?

 

[213NSX]

This is such a badass project.

 

[iFreilicht]

What is more, we received samples of DEMCiflex magnetic dust filters designed especially for Sentry. You will be able to order them directly from DEMCifilter after we will test those samples to make sure the designs are okay.

Awesome! Those look pretty good, how many mm will they reduce the maximum CPU cooler height by?

 

[ZombiPL]

Will Sentry be available in Poland to buy directly form Your company on allegro (main polish auction website)?

At this moment we don't know. We will have to wait and see what our indiegogo backers will say about the product they will get, and then we will decide what to do next (own retail or exclusive retail contract with some of the existing external companies).

 

[ZombiPL]

Awesome! Those look pretty good, how many mm will they reduce the maximum CPU cooler height by?

Those filters were designed as partly external and partly internal. It means, some of them will have to be added outside our case. We asked if Demcifilters could make a filter for CPU side, which will be installed abouve the cpu, inside the case. The only problem was the space above the PSU (~0,5mm), where they refused to make a filter with the silicon cover only on 3 sides of the filter. It means this filter has to be attached outside the case, so (answering your questions), it won't redice the maximum CPU cooler height.

 

[JosephEK]

I found this project on the Linus Tech Tips forum, I didn't know you guys were here too!

What do you guys think of a cooler like the Scythe Kozuti CPU cooler? It seems like it would be great for your case because it blows air from beneath and away from the motherboard.

 

[ZombiPL]

I found this project on the Linus Tech Tips forum, I didn't know you guys were here too!

What do you guys think of a cooler like the Scythe Kozuti CPU cooler? It seems like it would be great for your case because it blows air from beneath and away from the motherboard.

We made some tests of this cooler some time ago (not bad, but it looks like Noctua NH-L9i is still tle best option):

 

[ZombiPL]

5th week of Sentry manufacturing process

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This probably won't surprise you, but we are still waiting for some key elements like risers, rubber feet or even carton boxes of every kind (some of them are currently kept by customs services, who are waiting for some documents from our suppliers). We also wanted to start moving into our newly rented premises from the 1st of April, but since it is weekend, we will have to wait until Monday.

This time we received some bigger packages:
-new transport foams (our current warehouse is almost full )

-internal power cables,

- laser engraved aluminium labels (nameplates),

- samples of Sentry simplified quick start manual,

We are almost at the finish-line with the most of the ordered elements. We hope next week we will have all of the needed parts so we will be able to start the assembling process.

As a bonus to this update, below you can find some photos showing Demciflex filters installed in/on Sentry:​

 

[Phuncz]

Amazing work and time put into this !

 

[drojasxlt]

It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to receive my unit! I keep wanting to recommend this to everyone, but I'll have to wait until it's available to the public. >_<

 

[ZombiPL]

6th week of Sentry manufacturing process​

About 90% of parts already arrived. This last 10% are Sentry body parts from our subcontractor, PCI slot covers still being kept by customs services, plastic covers for holes unused in vertical position and printed carton boxes. Right now we are assembling a device, which we designed for cutting the rubber feet for vertical stand and also we started some first pre-assembly actions like sorting elements for accessory boxes, each element to their separate zipper foil bags.

It was one of the most busy weeks so far, but there is a lot more to come.

This week we received:
- all small steel elements which will be packed in the Sentry accessory box, both painted and unpainted (those without powder coating, which should be painted white, we personally transported to the paint shop).

- PCI-E shielded risers,

- power buttons with new professional wires sleeving,

- rubber O-rings which will be used with power button (we didn't like the quality of the O-rings usually shipped with those vandal switches, so we just ordered better ones from different supplier):

We also sent photos and assembly drawings of the Demciflex filters to their manufacturer (Demcifilter), so they should be available from their website soon (probably here).

This time as a bonus we can show you how we sorted and packed those relatively bigger elements for accessory box:​

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Next week will be fun. We'll be sorting ~98 000 screws for your Sentry cases and also we should receive 1st shipment of Sentry steel body parts.

Stay tuned.​