Digitry GB-1 controller discussion

[FusedLightStudio]

I’m curious, how do you program AFAP on these controllers?

[Brad Walker]

I’m curious, how do you program AFAP on these controllers?

My understanding is that you don't. You program how long it takes to get from one temperature to another. So there's no as fast as possible.

[FusedLightStudio]

I’m curious, how do you program AFAP on these controllers?

My understanding is that you don't. You program how long it takes to get from one temperature to another. So there's no as fast as possible.

So you have to run tests to figure out how long it takes to drop from process temp to anneal temp, then.

Wonder what happens if you program it to fire faster than it’s able to?

[Kevin Midgley]

an example.
kiln is at 1000F
you want to go to 1500F
program the next step to be say 5min..
Can't do it in 5 Min so it goes into an automatic hold until it reaches the 1500F
I can't understand other than possibly higher cost, why everyone doesn't just use Digitry controllers.

[Marty]

I’m curious, how do you program AFAP on these controllers?

My understanding is that you don't. You program how long it takes to get from one temperature to another. So there's no as fast as possible.

AFAP on the Digitry is 1 minute. You're working with elapsed time from the start of the schedule.

[Marty]

It's the same programming as those "other" devices but seen from the time side. You enter elapsed time from start and then your target temp for that segment.
One of my typical schedules reads
4:00 (hours:minutes), 1100 (temp F)
4:30, 1100 (30 minute hold)
5:00, 1470
5:15, 1475 (15 minute hold)
5:16, 900 (afap)
8:00, 900 (hold)
etc.

I find all other controllers perverse and try to get other people to program them when I have to use them.

[FusedLightStudio]

I am working in a studio where we have a Bartlett V6CF and a Digitry 4. Now that I understand the Auto Program Hold on the Digitry they seem equally easy to use

[Ed Cantarella]

Glad this post came up . . don't think I would care for this system. I like thinking in terms of the safe speed limit on a particular stretch of heating and the destination - speed kills. I don't need to know how long it will take to get there unless I will be needed for firing intervention suck as peeking and stopping or raking.

[Kevin Midgley]

but the Digitry being time/temperature based is perfect for annealing cycles. Once you understand glass work is a factor of time and temperature you realize the superiority of it.
I would not fuse glass using another type of programmer. You want a slower ramp? It will divide out the required run time automatically to what the kiln is capable of or what you desire.

[Marty]

Glad this post came up . . don't think I would care for this system. I like thinking in terms of the safe speed limit on a particular stretch of heating and the destination - speed kills. I don't need to know how long it will take to get there unless I will be needed for firing intervention suck as peeking and stopping or raking.

I don't understand how you're firing. You need to know the same information for every controller- a target temp for each step and the time it takes to get there.

[Ed Cantarella]

Glad this post came up . . don't think I would care for this system. I like thinking in terms of the safe speed limit on a particular stretch of heating and the destination - speed kills. I don't need to know how long it will take to get there unless I will be needed for firing intervention suck as peeking and stopping or raking.

I don't understand how you're firing. You need to know the same information for every controller- a target temp for each step and the time it takes to get there.

There are reasons one might want to know how long a step is going to take but I think it more crucial to know the safe "speed" / temperature for getting to each step. I take a lot of my work up at 250 f. per hour - I consider it a very safe speed for most work. Usually starting from around 70 f. so it takes about 4 hours to get to 1100f. But I don't need to know that unless I want to peek in hopes of aborting the firing to save design elements if there is a disaster. Or maybe I want to be present when it is in the 1260 zone to watch a slump. Those are good reasons to be aware of the time. But if you are familiar with how a particular firing will go one doesn't need to be present and the time it takes to ramp UP or down during a particular segment is unnecessary. You do need to know if the rate is safe.
E.g.
250/hr - 1100
AFAP - 1260 hold 15:00
AFAP - 900 hold 1 hr.?(anneal)
170/hr - 600 hold 15
AFAP room temp.

[Ed Cantarella]

Glad this post came up . . don't think I would care for this system. I like thinking in terms of the safe speed limit on a particular stretch of heating and the destination - speed kills. I don't need to know how long it will take to get there unless I will be needed for firing intervention suck as peeking and stopping or raking.

I don't understand how you're firing. You need to know the same information for every controller- a target temp for each step and the time it takes to get there.

Hmm, maybe you atre used to something different than Orton 3 buttons, which I find just fine. They don't get programmed in TIME, they get programmed by RATE of increase/decrease, target temp and any hold.

There are reasons one might want to know how long a step is going to take but I think it more crucial to know the safe "speed" / temperature for getting to each step. I take a lot of my work up at 250 f. per hour - I consider it a very safe speed for most work. Usually starting from around 70 f. so it takes about 4 hours to get to 1100f. But I don't need to know that unless I want to peek in hopes of aborting the firing to save design elements if there is a disaster. Or maybe I want to be present when it is in the 1260 zone to watch a slump. Those are good reasons to be aware of the time. But if you are familiar with how a particular firing will go one doesn't need to be present and knowing the time it takes to ramp UP or down during a particular segment is frequently unnecessary. You do need to know if the rate is safe.
E.g.
250/hr - 1100
AFAP - 1260 hold 15:00
AFAP - 900 hold 1 hr.?(anneal)
170/hr - 600 hold 15
AFAP room temp.

[Bob Gent]

I've never happily used anything but digitry controllers, so it's hard to say whether they're as easy as I think. I simply visualize the time I want a process to take, and apply that to the program. If I'm following someone's instructions and they call for degrees per hour, It's hardly difficult to convert.
I'm used to the GB4, which as lots of nice features, like the ability to have two kilns share the same circuit (not without some serious limits, no use trying to get them both to go up at the same time). Mostly I like the abundance of buttons. I find the three button model to be maddeningly opaque and cumbersome.
Still, I mostly like them because it's all I've used for more than three decades.