FAQ

Q: What do I need to bring to the lab?

A: Most cases nothing. Protofab carries and provides common consumables free of charge. To be      sure, list all Bom items and supplies needed for your project in the SOW. Facility management   will let you know if any item is not available for use.

Q: How do I get my files from the Protofab computers?

A: You can download them from Protofiles SFTP server. Files sync up every hour unless you run the “Sync to Protofiles” script. New folders sync up at midnight. For details follow the steps below.

a.      Log into Signupmokey

b.     Go to Files>Request Login Credentials

c.      You will receive an email with instructions including file names.

Q: What programs are recommended for file transfer?

A: Filezilla, WinSCP, and Cyberduck are good options.

Q: Why can’t I connect to Protofiles FTP server?

A: You may be blocked either due to wrong password attempts or too many fast connection attempts       that looks like a DDOS attack. This may happen when you try to download many files at once. Email Protofab-IT@oasis.ucsb.edu and request an unblock. Notes:

• Turn off any "Retry X number of times" options. WinSCP, in particular (and maybe Filezilla), DEFAULTS to use an unlimited number of connections - so the first time you try to download many files at the same time you will likely get blocked. WinSCP has TWO settings you need to reduce - one under the Bookmark/Connection settings, the other in the main Program settings or options. Look carefully for anything that would allow multiple connections or multiple retries and reduce/disable them.

• CyberDuck has multiple Preferences Settings that you need to change. In Preferences:

-Transfers > General > Transfer Files: Open Single Connection

-Connection > UNckeck[ ] Repeat failed network tasks

Q: Can I add equipment reservations to an online calendar?

A: Yes. Log into Signupmonkey and on the “Future Reservations” , click on the “iCalendar”, and add the *.ics file to your personal calendar.

           Also, to get a URL for accessing reservation data using a program, you can simply copy the URL to the *.ics iCal file mentioned above. This URL contains encrypted login info, so returns the *.ics file without requiring the GUI login form. You can get such a URL of your own future reservations as mentioned above. You can also get a custom search (for example all the future/past reservations   from your research group/company) from the "Search" section of Signup Monkey. The results page    of any search includes a link at the top for the corresponding iCal file - copy that URL to use in your program/scripts.

Q: What are those “A” or “Rx” indicators on recipe tables?

A: Those refer to “Available” or “Rankx”, e.g., R1 means done once where Protofab has not verified the recipe. Contact the equipment owner for more information regarding history of the recipe.

Q: How do I edit a page?

A: When logged in, simply click edit on desired page. Visual Editor is the recommended method.   Please note that users are allowed to edit certain pages. See Editing Tutorials for details.

Q: How do I keep my edit if “Something Went Wrong” pops up?

A: DO NOT CLOSE your edited page. You were logged out. Follow below steps:

1.    Hit "Resume editing" on the edited page, to close the "Save Page" dialogue.

2.    Open a new web browser window.

3.    Login to the ProtoWiki on that window. On your edited page, click “Save Page” again, dismiss the error and click “Try Again” a few times if needed. Resume your revision.

Q: Why aren’t my edits showing up?

A: They will be after the approval by Protofab staff.

Q: Is there any Publication Policy in Protofab

A: Yes. f you publish on devices or work done using the Protofab, please add an acknowledgement or line of text stating the following (or similar):

A portion of this work was performed in the UCSB Protofab, an open access packaging facility .

This is important for the continued success of the Prototyping Facility. This applies to local UCSB researchers as well.

Authorship on Publications

If a UCSB staff scientist contributed significant research & development effort (including thinking through fabrication methods), or if you include their data/images in your paper, especially if novel work was developed, you should seriously consider adding them as an author (while also retaining the above Acknowledgement). Many journals require all contributing authors to be cited.

Analysis code authored by staff can be cited if it is on a public repository/online location.

Even for repeat processes performed by our staff, it may be appropriate to include the UCSB Staff member that performed the packaging - a number of local research groups and companies always include the person who packaged the devices as authors. Since this is research and development, not a guaranteed off-the-shelf product, every batch requires experience to produce good results for your research. You can specify that the staff member only performed packaging process development.

Process knowledge gained from conversations, advice and brainstorming sessions may also constitute significant "intellectual contribution", and warrant authorship, or be worthy of an acknowledgement. Feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss any of these points, and thank you for understanding.