How May We Help You?
Next Dimension Fabworks Inc. is boutique Industrial design and light manufacturing company with an aim toward providing solutions to customer needs. Our experience ranges from mechanical design to fabrications/assemblies to light manufacturing.
We bring together in-house skills/operations in combination with a network of vendors /suppliers to make your project a success be it a replacement part for your blinds or a custom built boat.
Complete Projects
A customer contacted NDF about an HP 3458A Digital Multimeter that displayed “Ram Test 1 High” during startup. The immediate goal was to resolve the power-on fault, but the instrument’s intended use in a certified metrology laboratory also made long-term reliability and calibration considerations important.
Our repair addressed the failed main memory, a second aging main-memory module, and the battery-backed memory used to retain calibration data. The work restored error-free self-test operation, followed by external calibration arranged by the customer before returning the instrument to service.
Investigating the Power-On Error
Research into the reported fault directed our attention to the HP 3458A’s high and low memory storage. These locations used Dallas DS1230Y-150 nonvolatile static RAM, or NVSRAM, modules. An internal battery preserves stored information when instrument power is removed.
A long-time, highly regarded ham radio service technician contacted us after seeing our 3D‑printed drop‑in replacement parts for classic electronic test equipment such as the Tektronix 465 oscilloscope. He explained that he had serviced many Yaesu FL‑7000 amplifiers over the years and that the plastic end caps were frequently cracked, faded, or otherwise damaged beyond practical reuse. With the FL‑7000 having been produced in the late 1980s and early 1990s, original replacement end caps have become increasingly scarce, and locating usable parts in good cosmetic and structural condition is now extremely difficult.We Start The Process
After exchanging a few emails, we asked if he could provide a representative end cap in serviceable condition. Having an original sample was essential for taking accurate measurements and creating a faithful digital model. We assured him that the process would be completely non‑destructive and that his parts would be returned along with a set of prototype reproductions for test fitting and evaluation.
When the owner of a Realistic STA-2200 Digitally Synthesized AM/FM Stereo Receiver contacted NDF, they had nearly exhausted their repair options. Purchased from an eBay seller, the receiver arrived with severe shipping damage. Other businesses had reportedly called it a lost cause and declined the work. NDF was the last business the customer called.
The description was daunting: the rear of the receiver had buckled into a V shape, and circuit board material had shattered into pieces. The customer believed they had recovered all the fragments. Their request was straightforward: “Could you just get it working?” We accepted the repair challenge, beginning with an inspection to determine what could realistically be recovered.
Assessing the Damage and Establishing a Plan
On the bench, the receiver showed substantial impact damage. The top ventilation grille was dented, and a severe impact near the center of the rear panel had buckled the metalwork. Its condition indicated that the packaging had not provided adequate protection during shipping.
Next Dimension Fabworks has developed an interesting project in response to a unique customer request inspired by a viral video featuring a rat driving a miniature car. This innovative endeavor aims to create a customized Rat-Operated Vehicle (ROV) for the customer's pet rat, Gouda.