In 1986, with the rapid progression of computer technology, we felt there would be a market for automated filling of compressed gas cylinders. In the mid 1970s, as a young engineer, I had been involved in the development an automated system for the re-testing of cylinders and it seemed only a natural progression to then automate the filling process.
With the help of a buddy from college, who built and programmed a 386 microprocessor, we had a working, temperature/pressure mode pure gas fill system. But by the time we were finished, hardware had already taken another giant step forward to faster, better technology. However, every improvement came with large cost increases (for example, faster processors, colour monitors and different programme language).
The barrier to entry into the market was the cost of the system (computer, automated valves, pressure and temperature devices, monitor) versus the payback. Labour was not ‘cheap’ but overheads were certainly a much lower cost than today. Most companies did not yet have desktop computers and were a few years from experiencing dial-up internet connectivity.
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