Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work reliably?

[TheFraz]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Great design and biggest update in this thread!
Didn't expect this is going to be in the final stage TBH therefore it makes even more interesting!
IN for each!!!


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Thx! I've learned my lesson . I didn't want to post anything new until everything was ready to go.

-Fraz

 

[bla2000]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

I'm interested in the 18650 design. Welcome back.

 

[TheFraz]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

I'm interested in the 18650 design. Welcome back.

Thanks for the interest bla! Here is a link to a video for ya @bla2000 ...Instagram again

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx6i6NVA3vX/

This is the tech we are using now. Easily user-replaceable QTC or other smart material that works the same way....much like the flint in a lighter. The interesting thing is, we now have a system that keeps the QTC viable long after it has fallen apart and would otherwise be flickery(sp). The full details on our new design will be available soon on these threads and other media. Thanks for your interest!

-Fraz

 

[id30209]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

That's what i need it in my old "Z"!
This 26350 looks even better then i thought.
Can it be ordered, extra QTC with purchase of new batch or we have to source these pills?


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[TheFraz]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

That's what i need it in my old "Z"!
This 26350 looks even better then i thought.
Can it be ordered, extra QTC with purchase of new batch or we have to source these pills?


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Thanks id! Yes, the replaceability is paramount in developing one of these lights as it were. But I've always wanted to develop it to the point of the material being broken down to near dust and still working. The light will still work if it's broken down beyond dust...as was in my original design. But now it is user replaceable, and there are more options available of 'smart materials' that are basically pressure sensitive variable resistors. All of these are usable in this engine. And within the quickness of replacement that was shown in that video...hopefully much faster than a zippo lighter. The thing about the 26350 you will like is it's insane throw for a compact size. I loooooved the d-mini. Ill show that soon.

-Fraz

 

[bla2000]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Thanks for the vid. It looks like it works fine with the degraded qtc.

 

[xevious]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Thanks id! Yes, the replaceability is paramount in developing one of these lights as it were. But I've always wanted to develop it to the point of the material being broken down to near dust and still working. The light will still work if it's broken down beyond dust...as was in my original design. But now it is user replaceable, and there are more options available of 'smart materials' that are basically pressure sensitive variable resistors. All of these are usable in this engine. And within the quickness of replacement that was shown in that video...hopefully much faster than a zippo lighter. The thing about the 26350 you will like is it's insane throw for a compact size. I loooooved the d-mini. Ill show that soon.

-Fraz

Sounds fascinating -- thanks for updating with this info, Fraz!

 

[JimIslander]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

I always wondered why nobody tried using the "guts" of a simple carbon-film potentiometer to make a rotary adjustable brightness control, that could be adjusted by turning the head or tail of the flashlight. It wouldn't require compressing anything, so there wouldn't be any thread wear to worry about, and it wouldn't involve any rubber parts that will inevitably oxidize and fail over time.

Voltage dividers are great for applications where you need to vary the voltage, but very inefficient if you want to pass any appreciable current through them. Unless you used the pot to control a power chip (maybe that is what you meant), it would kill your battery pretty fast (and get hot).

 

[gunga]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Interested. I gave up years ago. Looking forward to this.

 

[gunga]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

And a month later nothing is happening again. 🤔

 

[id30209]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Just about to post similar... lol

 

[Obijuan Kenobe]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Love the phat thrower. I was in on the first idea thread...and still listening here.

obi

 

[TheFraz]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it work relia

Love the phat thrower. I was in on the first idea thread...and still listening here.

obi

This one? Pretty compact too. I've always loved the D-Minis of the world.

Finished my favorite design I've ever made today. I'll make a post about it - don't want to hijack this thread. I'll describe in the thread why it has taken so much time from my last models to these new ones.

-Fraz

 

[neutralwhite]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it

thanks and would this be the case still considering Fraz Labs bringing QTC back in 2021?
the substrate still an issue ?

Pure compression and decompression is not really the issue, it is that shear forces cause "crumbling" of the substrate sooner or later. Those crumbs then really magnify the jitteriness and "noise" of the resulting output.

Yes, Peak improved their QTC design in succeeding versions, but as a relatively simple electrical "pill" it remains limited in smoothness of response.

There was at least one much more sophisticated (and costly) design modded here on CPF, but I don't recall it progressing to completion and full production, beyond prototypes.

The concept is sound and I think it is a valuable technology, but QTC has been largely dropped, due to lack of both market demand and hobbyist interest :shrug:

 

[TheFraz]

Re: Viability of QTC -- is it "over" or is there still some way to make it

thanks and would this be the case still considering Fraz Labs bringing QTC back in 2021?
the substrate still an issue ?

Not at all - the qtc experiences no shear at all, it's just straight on compression. Compression fine-tuning has been one of the goals of the last year (the piston has always protected from over-compression which can deform the pill but it is a difficult process to find the perfect 'spot'), and that is pretty tuned as well. With the newer engines you can even put in crumbs or odd-cut pieces and get decent ramping.

Now we have more ideas for qtc (and other smart materials as there are others) longevity.