Hi there All,
Transport Updates
We’re at present as much as 31 items shipped! I used to be out final week which meant no machines shipped however progress was nonetheless made with QC. I’ve bought 7 extra machines on the bench being examined this morning.
CE Cert
The certification lab has lastly completed verifying that each one of our elements are in compliance with RoHS and REACH materials necessities which is critical to attain CE certification. We’ve obtained the ultimate documentation and can now begin transport internationally. It is a large milestone that took 6 months to finish and we’re glad it’s out of the way in which!
Patent
Our utility patent US20230284817A1 has reached the following stage of the method as a printed utility within the USPTO database. It could actually take anyplace from 6 months to over a yr to be reviewed earlier than being granted.
Half Updates
Our new steam valve needles have arrived and we’ve been putting in them on all items instantly earlier than transport. Any beforehand shipped items will likely be receiving them freed from cost and we’ll have video directions on how you can swap the elements appropriately.
Staffing
We’re taking a brand new strategy with staffing. I’ve come to appreciate that I used to be anticipating an excessive amount of out of my 2 meeting technicians, anticipating them to maintain up with minor design or meeting modifications on machines in addition to the various sub assemblies and QC necessities all whereas I transfer issues round to arrange the store. Ridiculous, I do know! As a substitute, I’ve introduced on 2 new half time folks.
One is devoted solely to bonding elements together with magnets into facet panels, plates, and drip trays, in addition to all the wooden elements onto metallic. This enables us to essentially dial in our bonding greatest practices to make sure no steps are skipped or forgotten because it’s their solely focus.
The second function is concentrated on sub assemblies. I’ve discovered it’s tough for my machine meeting technicians to maintain monitor of our slight modifications in sub meeting elements and preserve the eye to element required on these smaller builds after they’re not achieved each week. By having somebody devoted to sub assemblies, I can assure increased high quality whereas additionally bettering effectivity.
Whereas these roles don’t straight enhance the QC bottleneck, they play essential roles in addressing a few of the points that result in the sluggish QC course of. Since QC is the present time consuming job, I’ve employed somebody devoted to serving to me with this function. In all actuality, the QC course of itself will not be tough or time consuming. What slows us down is the truth that we’ve many already constructed machines that must be partially disassembled to include the newest updates in addition to carry out small ending touches earlier than packaging, akin to bonding on serial plaques and temperature dials. I’m nonetheless figuring out strategies to appropriately incorporate these steps earlier within the course of however that doesn’t assist the present backlog of constructed up machines. Having an extra particular person assist carry out these duties ought to velocity issues up.
Air Bleed Valve Enchancment
The brand new addition to our crew within the QC division may even be capable of leverage their technical background to assist with prototyping and testing the brand new Piston air bleed design enhancements. Myself, together with 1 different buyer have been testing a restrictor orifice within the inlet tube mixed with a modified bleed valve for improved move. This works nice for the primary 2 photographs, then has bother sealing with the decrease mass move at lowered boiler strain. To beat this, we’re engaged on a variable move restrictor that can change with boiler strain to keep up a close to equal move charges throughout all boiler pressures.
Sincerely,
Ross & William
