Kodak know more about processing the stuff than we do, im sure they have the know how to make something work.
Heck, it would be pretty easy these days to build a basic processor similar to a K-Lab running on the likes of an arduino to monitor the temperatures etc.
Yes, making the processor should be totally doable in these days of 3D printing, cheap microcontrollers, LED light sources, cheap stepper motors, etc.
More difficult is the chemistry. I read that Dwayne's had their own lab to prepare their own chemistry, although this doesn't necessarily mean that Kodak did not supply any chemistry.
Of course, a hundred times more difficult is to make the film stock, but it would be nice if somebody makes his own K14 machine with ersatz-K14 chemicals (see Stephen Frizza et al) to make use of all the frozen K14 stock out there. It wouldn't be the REAL K14 process (PE has warned, for example, that stability would not be the same), but at least it would give out color from a Kodachrome film. And if we're lucky, the greens of summer, nice bright colors, etc.
In fact such a machine, done as a Kickstarter project, would also be useful for doing B&W reversal process and E6 as well. Plus be able to process ECN-2 film used for still cameras (because of the need for remjet removal). A roller transport machine.
This machine could be implemented as a series of modules that can be placed one next another, each module is able to dip the film into a chemical bath. Each of thus modules correspond to a particular step of the process in use (i.e. E6); To this module you would plug-in any of the following accesorries:
- Re-exposure module: Exposes either the film base side or the emulsion side to light (of a specific color, or white in the case of b/w reversal processing). This module would sit on top and incorporate its own rollers with a flutter reduction device (probably using viscous fluid) so the film glides at a very constant speed over the light source.
- Aeration module: Air pump that makes 'bubbles'...
- Agitator
- Temperature control device
- Remjet water spray/buffer device for remjet removal
Beside those modules, the rest of the machine would be the motor(s) and rollers for transporting the film, and a programmable microcontroller for controlling everything.
For B/W processing you would need a minimum amount of modules. For K14, the most amount of modules. Things such as automatic replenishment of chemicals or automatic pumping of chemicals into/from a container would be left out to keep thing as simple as possible.
Of course, the whole machine needs to be placed in the dark, so monitoring of the process could be done in another room on a PC, via Wi-Fi connection (Raspberry Pi controllers already have the Wi-Fi option, for example.)
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