Welcome to the fascinating world of the MONSTER Group, where scientific innovation meets a touch of whimsy! Our renowned research facilities proudly present an extraordinary array of anthropomorphized lab equipment. Step into our virtual laboratory and explore all their captivating personalities and capabilities:
Fern
She’s often trying to conceal her presence to avoid detection by her furnace brethren, as they can all be a bit much sometimes. But every once in a while, when she lets her act slip, you’ll see that she’s truly a secret talent, quietly capable of approaching 1000°C in a flash. Those who know her call her “an expert of the basics”, but when you can get the job done the same way every time, why change.
Classification: Box Furnace
Habitat: MAE 138
Easy-Bake
Just a chill guy. Always gives big sauna energy, except he’s actually ideal for drying. He’s happiest below 260°C, and even lower under vacuum. Push him any higher and his chill exterior crumbles to reveal one of stubborn, stone‑cold refusal.
Classification: Vacuum Drying Furnace
Habitat: MAE 138
Pipe Dream
Definitely not a chill guy. He’ll reach 1100°C in vacuum, argon, or air with no problem, but you’ve got to respect his quirks: he needs his samples arranged just so, and his O-rings absolutely free of any debris. Fail to do that and his nickname of “Hot and Bothered” starts to make a whole lot of sense.
Classification: Vacuum Tube Furnace
Habitat: MAE 138
Spewy Stewie
Some don’t even know he exists, and others say he churns and spews like the sarlacc pit’s younger cousin, but don’t let his looks fool you. He’s actually quite a sweetheart once you get to know him, with a real talent for perfectly even heating below 600°C.
Classification: Fluidized Bed
Habitat: MAE 138
Occam’s Laser
He’s a humble workhorse, capable of 70 watts but modestly insisting he only has 50 to give. Ever precise, his auto‑focus keeps him exactly where he needs to be. Years of loyal service, however, have left him dependent on an external touchscreen for direction, and lately his vision has grown blurry, making it harder for him to stay perfectly on track when drawing. But, we still love and support him as he nears retirement.
Classification: Muse Pandora Galvo 1064nm Fiber Laser
Habitat: MAE 138
GazerBeam
He’s filling the void of Occam’s impending retirement and then some. Quite the full‑sized SUV of lasers: roomy, rugged, and ready for whatever we toss in the trunk. He’s even got room for a custom chamber that we can evacuate or flood with argon to mimic the atmosphere of space. Unlike a stormtrooper, his aim is impeccable. Perfect for laser melting, cutting, and bending all sorts of materials with effortless precision.
Classification: Keyence MD-F5200
Habitat: NSB 334
Dua Leapa (Induction Heater)
Most of the time he’s gentle, wrapping samples in a warm electromagnetic hug. And when he’s in the zone, that hug is no joke. He can heat a piece to over 1000°C in under ten seconds :O
Classification: Ambrell EasyHeat Induction Heating System
Habitat: MAE 138
Martian Manhunter (Tension/Compression)
Well, minus the cape and plus a load cell. He can transform however you need him to, always ready to help you push or pull materials with superhuman control to reveal their strengths and weaknesses. All without breaking a sweat.
Classification: Instron 5969
Habitat: MAE 138
Red Tornado
A mad science fusion of machine and sentient tornado to create the ultimate twisting implement. His life’s motto of “spin things pretty good” says it all.
Classification: MTS Torsionmaster Torsion Tester
Habitat: MAE 138
The Atom (Mini Tensile Frame)
Don’t let his size fool you, he’s packing a lot of power in that little frame. Following a long life spread between academia and the jungles of South America, he’s retired to Florida to pursue his work in peace.
Classification: Custom Mini-Tensile Frame
Habitat: MAE 138
Shaky Shirley (Vibratory Polishing)
She’s a good girl, even if she gets nervous around people. If she’s left alone for a few hours she can be very productive polishing samples nearly to a mirror.
Classification: Vibromet Vibratory Polisher
Habitat: MAE 138
Pollux and Castor (Grinding/Polishing)
Twins forever joined. Together they grind and polish all manner of metal. Wiley and Mischievous. Pollux is for grinding, Castor is for polishing.
Classification: Buehler EcoMet 30 dual polisher
Habitat: MAE 138
Billiam D. Moneybags II, aka ‘Bill Money 2’ (Ion Polishing)
He tries to be a little flashy, but most the time he is just empty inside. Voted “most likely to take forever to do the last little thing, then try to claim all the credit.”
Classification: Gatan Precision Ion Polishing System II
Habitat: MAE 138
Rocky Horror Vicker’s Show
Imported from the East after spending decades as the star of his theater troupe. He’s dramatic, precise, and not afraid to make an entrance. But he’s also got grit. Small but unyielding, delivering punch after punch to reveal a material’s true hardness. Equal parts camp, courage, and calibration, he turns every indentation into a performance.
Classification: Vicker’s Microhardness Indenter
Habitat: NSB 332
Zoro (The greatest low-speed saw-man)
The newest recruit to join our motley crew of saws takes the reins as Broken Brian and Kinda-Workin’ Willy have mostly bowed out. He’s equipped with an impressive arsenal of jigs and attachments, ready to slice samples in nearly any configuration with effortless precision.
Classification: Allied TechCut 4x Precision Low-speed Saw
Habitat: MAE 138
Wall-E
A relic of time (and space?). He must be treated with care, held together by nostalgia, copper tape, and sheer willpower. But don’t let his age fool you. He’s more than capable of taking textbook micrographs in a pinch. His true gift, however, is preventing the destruction of the world as we know it… in other words, catching those pesky, little scratches during late-stage polishing before they turn into bigger problems.
Classification: Metallograph
Habitat: MAE 138
Magic Mirror of the (sort of) Small
She’s not the deepest seer in the kingdom, but she’s unmatched when it comes to edge‑on glimpses. She’s ideal for documenting laser bends, liquid‑metal exposures, and any other features that benefit from a slightly enhanced view.
Classification: Stereoscope
Habitat: MAE 138
Eve
The newest arrival to our microscope family, and absolutely not Wall‑E’s replacement. Although she does have a few more futuristic charms, including bright‑field, dark‑field, C‑DIC, and polarized imaging. Pinky swear you won’t tell him… it would break his microscopic heart.
Classification: Zeiss Axiovert 5 Optical Microscope
Habitat: NSB 332
Dr. Richard P. Dribbler, Meteorologist
After working for decades in Mordor Dayton, Ohio, Richard rightly wanted a change in scenery. But Florida has not been the retirement paradise he expected; instead, he works day and night to keep us mildly comfortable year‑round.
Classification: Dehumidifier
Habitat: MAE 138