Hello APUG from FILM Ferrania (PART 2)

[Dr Croubie]

That's a solar factory on the campus that you are seeing on maps! It's called Ferrania Solis and was spun off from Ferrania Technologies a number of years ago.

Our long-term goals are focused on efficiency and self-containment. With those goals AND a neighbor with historical ties making solar panels, it seems pretty easy to think we'll eventually generate our own power entirely.

Well, as an engineer I know that prototypes need testing, production units need random testing, and for solar panels that requires space for testing.
How about a simple nod to your friends next door, "hey, we've got a large roof if you need some space to test out some panels or inverters, just plug it in here..."

 

[swanlake1]

This might be off topic, but I just acquired a Ferrania Falco II made around 1948...can you tell me what you think of Officine Galileo as manufacturers of camera lenses back then? It has a Terog 105 / 6.3 which, from photos I've seen on the web, seems very nice.

 

[Jeff L]

I hope they're making good progress in Italy. Anyone hear what stage they're at?

 

[Nzoomed]

I hope they're making good progress in Italy. Anyone hear what stage they're at?

Latest news is we are waiting for the new chiller to be signed off.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Lets hope things go well.

 

[wblynch]

They came back from summer holidays and soon will be going on winter holidays! In between I hope we get film!!

Go Ferrania!

 

[Nzoomed]

Hey Dave, one question, now that winter is on its way again, will it now be possible to make film with your small chiller unit over winter in the situation there is a significant hold up with the larger chiller getting signed off by the government?

Would be good if you can go ahead with film production early if this is the case.

Go Ferrania!

 

[trythis]

I think that even if all the equipment is ready and they could make film they're still waiting on the approval of the Italian government to start using the facility. The whole plant must be run at full capacity without issue before they will get certification.


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[Nzoomed]

I think that even if all the equipment is ready and they could make film they're still waiting on the approval of the Italian government to start using the facility. The whole plant must be run at full capacity without issue before they will get certification.


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Yes, true, although im unsure if they would have had to have done this if they were able to get the kickstarter batch produced before the steam lines were cut.

That brings me to question about the chiller units. I cant even remember the exact reason why the new units were required, from memory the old chillers were powered by steam, are the new chillers still steam operated?

 

[trythis]

Yes but the main trunk line was cut. This was scheduled but the asbestos find delayed the short run of film before the steam swap


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[cmacd123]

That brings me to question about the chiller units. I cant even remember the exact reason why the new units were required, from memory the old chillers were powered by steam, are the new chillers still steam operated?

My understanding is that the main plant provided both steam and chilled water to the LRF. Since the line is cut the LRF must produce both itself. Not sure of the new chillers use Steam or another method, but the plant would need a lot of steam for other purposes anyway.

 

[Nzoomed]

My understanding is that the main plant provided both steam and chilled water to the LRF. Since the line is cut the LRF must produce both itself. Not sure of the new chillers use Steam or another method, but the plant would need a lot of steam for other purposes anyway.

OK, thats quite possible what had happened.

I initially thought it was only steam delivered through the pipeline, but it makes sense that the chilled water travelled that way too from the main plant.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Look like the chillers have been installed, according to latest update on FB.

 

[cmacd123]

And a new Main Power transformer also so they can run off the grid and not from the campus power plant.

 

[Nzoomed]

Thats correct, when you see all this work being done, you can tell they mean serious business, i hope people flock to them for colour film once production starts.

These guys are the future for colour film production!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

And one day, maybe even some B/W sheet film!

 

[Nzoomed]

And one day, maybe even some B/W sheet film!

I expect they will look at reintroducing P30 once they get production up to a smooth operation.

 

[RattyMouse]

Thats correct, when you see all this work being done, you can tell they mean serious business, i hope people flock to them for colour film once production starts.

These guys are the future for colour film production!

Didnt they raise 300K from the kickstart? I dont know how Ferrania is able to do all this with so little cash.

 

[AgX]

And a new Main Power transformer also so they can run off the grid and not from the campus power plant.

Typically plants like this benefit from own powerplants.

Any diversion from the Ferrania Technologies plant (as long not technically necessary, due to uneconomical oversized installations) can be considered bad though.
A film manufacturer was not only a coating plant, but a chemical plant. Having a chemical plant, even on different ownership, at your door is benefitial.

 

[twelvetone12]

Didnt they raise 300K from the kickstart? I dont know how Ferrania is able to do all this with so little cash.

They have a grant from the Regione Liguria, the kickstarter money was used only to buy old equipment from the old plant.

 

[Nzoomed]

Typically plants like this benefit from own powerplants.

Any diversion from the Ferrania Technologies plant (as long not technically necessary, due to uneconomical oversized installations) can be considered bad though.
A film manufacturer was not only a coating plant, but a chemical plant. Having a chemical plant, even on different ownership, at your door is benefitial.

It is a bit of a shame to see the power plant close, but i expect it is no longer sustainable for Ferrania technologies to keep it running for themselves either, probably because they are not running the same full scale campus that there once was.

 

[cmacd123]

It is a bit of a shame to see the power plant close, but i expect it is no longer sustainable for Ferrania technologies to keep it running for themselves either, probably because they are not running the same full scale campus that there once was.

Looks like only a small percentage of the original works are being retained. And no doubt that retaining the power plant would require changing fuels to meet emission standards. If there are not sufficient tenants in the campus, the plant would not be able to run at full capacity, and so the economic advantages of a captive Power source who not be achieved.

Once they know the consumption under actually conditions they may set up a contact with an independent supplier depending on the polices in that Jurisdiction.

Since the other major tenant is in the solar power equipment business, they may not want anything to do with powering their operations from an archaic generating station.

 

[Nzoomed]

Looks like only a small percentage of the original works are being retained. And no doubt that retaining the power plant would require changing fuels to meet emission standards. If there are not sufficient tenants in the campus, the plant would not be able to run at full capacity, and so the economic advantages of a captive Power source who not be achieved.

Once they know the consumption under actually conditions they may set up a contact with an independent supplier depending on the polices in that Jurisdiction.

Since the other major tenant is in the solar power equipment business, they may not want anything to do with powering their operations from an archaic generating station.

Either way, ferrania technologies will be needing to go on the grid too.
I expect the govt will make sure that they get a reliable supplier anyway.

I dont know if many know this here, but Italy has no power generation of its own, all their power is imported across the northern border from France via transmission lines.
A few years back the whole country had a blackout because of these lines failing.

If Film Ferrania is able to eventually form a partnership with neighbouring Ferrania Solis, this would be a unique opportunity for self sustaining power and also from the environmental point of view would be great!

I think solar would be very costly to power the whole plant, but they may be able to run a good portion of the LRF via solar panes (for lighting, office etc)

Anyway, looking forward to see production start!

 

[twelvetone12]

I dont know if many know this here, but Italy has no power generation of its own, all their power is imported across the northern border from France via transmission lines.

This is not true. Italy can produce 100% of the electricity it needs. It mostly imports power from France and Swiss (10-20%) generated by nuclear plants since nuclear is outlawed in Italy. So basically to have nuclear the Italian energy authority invested in plants just on the other side of the border with France...

 

[Nzoomed]

This is not true. Italy can produce 100% of the electricity it needs. It mostly imports power from France and Swiss (10-20%) generated by nuclear plants since nuclear is outlawed in Italy. So basically to have nuclear the Italian energy authority invested in plants just on the other side of the border with France...

OK, I dunno how the media gets it all wrong! lol

I remember how they had a huge outage and remember them saying how serious it is for such a country to rely on imported power with no generation of its own...