cnx_vinyl/README.md

# CNX Vinyl / Poy Records

A vinyl record factory in planning for the Chiang Mai area of northern
Thailand (site candidates include Lamphun and Lampang provinces). This
repository is the source of truth for the project: planning documents and
cost data today. As the factory takes shape it will also hold the data and
software used to run it.

## Team

- **Simona Meesaiyati**, Project Lead
- **Alexander Grabowski**, Technical Consultant

[buildfor.life](https://buildfor.life) supports the project in a consulting
capacity.

## Vision: Full-Service Production

The goal is the complete vinyl production chain under one roof, from audio
file to delivered record:

1. **Mastering**: audio mastering for vinyl
2. **Lathe cutting**: cutting the master disc
3. **Silvering**: metallizing the cut master
4. **Stamper production**: electroforming nickel stampers in-house
5. **Pressing**: extrusion and pressing of the finished records
6. **Finishing**: trimming, labels, shrink wrapping
7. **Packaging**: folded paper cartons (jackets and sleeves), produced in
   collaboration with local packaging manufacturers
8. **Fulfillment**: dropshipping directly to end customers on behalf of
   labels and artists, alongside conventional bulk delivery

In-house galvanics (steps 3 and 4) removes the dependency on overseas stamper
suppliers, a common bottleneck for pressing plants, and shortens turnaround
for clients. Partnering with local carton manufacturers keeps packaging
sourcing close to the plant, in line with the local-sourcing preference for
materials. The pressing line is documented in detail; equipment, partners,
and budgets for the other steps are open planning items.

## Project Status

**Planning stage** (as of mid-2026).

- Industry outreach has been ongoing for several years: equipment vendors,
  material suppliers, and independent consultants.
- Alexander and Simona will soon travel to
  [Making Vinyl](https://makingvinyl.com/) in Haarlem, Netherlands, to gather
  further insights from the pressing industry.
- A collaboration with [Resurrec](https://www.resurrec.com/) is under
  discussion.

## Planning Documents

The detail lives in dedicated documents:

- [Pressing line equipment plan](docs/equipment/pressing-line.md): the
  50/50 automated/semi-automatic fleet strategy, the Newbilt system under
  evaluation (≈ €200,500 quoted scope), and site requirements
- [Vendor landscape](docs/suppliers/vendor-landscape.md): researched
  candidates for mastering and cutting (Agnew Analog), galvanics equipment
  (Plating Power / Digital Matrix), stamper preparation (Sibert), bridge
  stamper service (Stamper Discs), and automated presses (Pheenix Alpha)
- [Equipment needs and supplier map](docs/suppliers/equipment-suppliers.md):
  the full needs list per production step with supplier tables and contacts
- [Sustainability](docs/sustainability.md): the solar installation (Deye
  inverters, 271 kWh Gobel Power battery stack), the zero contaminated water
  commitment, and the materials strategy
- [Worker safety](docs/worker-safety.md): safety training, galvanics clean
  rooms and decontamination, PPE
- [Biomass fuel strategy](docs/biomass.md): the 60 rai own-grown coppice
  idea (with the forestry-classification check that comes first), northern
  agricultural waste as the main supply, and the staged electric-to-biomass
  path
- [BOI investment promotion](docs/boi.md): the promotion strategy (Group B
  base activity plus solar, automation, and R&D measures for the tax value),
  requirements, Northern-region angle, and why BOI approval precedes
  machinery orders
- [Facility security and site systems](docs/facility-security.md): access
  control, CCTV, whole-factory HVAC (temperature, humidity, PM), archive and
  audio protection, fire and life safety, plant monitoring, Thai compliance
  anchors
- [Process logging and traceability](docs/traceability.md): end-to-end
  per-order traceability for customers, batch genealogy from audio file to
  shipment, and the requirements this sets for the factory software
- [Quality automation](docs/quality-automation.md): stamper metrology
  (Keyence-class confocal, profiler, XRF), layered pressed-record QC (100%
  optical inspection, per-cycle press telemetry, sampled automated audio
  comparison), and how it feeds traceability
- [Process flow](docs/process-flow.md): the whole chain from audio file to
  delivered record as a chart and stage table, with every check and the
  three artist approval gates (printable diagram alongside)
- [Project scale](docs/scale.md): rough numbers for everything on one page:
  output capacity, building area, land, electrical demand, solar and
  storage, steam and fuel, headcount, and money cross-references

## Repository Layout

```
docs/
├── consulting/            Consultancy proposals and overviews
├── equipment/
│   ├── newbilt/           Offers, site requirements, process schematic,
│   │                      service rates (vendor PDFs)
│   └── pressing-line.md   Press fleet strategy and equipment plan
├── finance/               Project cost overviews
├── suppliers/             Supplier contacts, vendor landscape, supplier map
├── biomass.md             Biomass fuel strategy and the 60 rai coppice idea
├── boi.md                 BOI promotion strategy and requirements
├── facility-security.md   Security, HVAC, fire and life safety, compliance
├── process-flow.md        Audio file to delivered record, with all checks
├── quality-automation.md  Stamper metrology and layered record QC
├── scale.md               Rough project sizing on one page
├── sustainability.md      Energy, water, materials commitments
├── traceability.md        Process logging and per-order traceability
└── worker-safety.md       Training, clean rooms, PPE
```

Vendor PDFs and spreadsheets are primary sources and reflect the state of
negotiations at their file dates. Treat prices and lead times as snapshots,
not commitments.

## Roadmap for This Repo

- Accumulate planning and vendor documents as decisions firm up, including
  the mastering, cutting, and galvanics chain
- Add structured data (inventory, orders, production batches) once operations
  begin
- Host the software/tooling built to run the factory (tracking, ERP-style
  workflows)