Blissful New 12 months!
Issues are going nicely regardless of some minor hiccups. We’ve now shipped 146 machines (~order #238). We’re nonetheless engaged on enhancements to get a constant weekly output however that ought to come quickly.
We’ve no recognized points with the brand new LEDs which is a superb signal to this point and an enormous reduction. A listing has been put collectively of the individuals who bumped into points with the unique LEDs and we’ll attain out to you all to see what your most well-liked methodology shifting ahead can be. We will both ship you all 3 of the brand new type LEDs to swap in since they’ve a semi-transparent lens with coloured LED as an alternative of a coloured lens. Alternatively, we will cycle take a look at a bunch of outdated LEDs to 50,000 cycles and ship out the great ones to forestall the necessity to change all 3. We’ve discovered that if the lights don’t fail inside the first 50,000 cycles they appear to be good for the lifetime of the LED. We can have a video exhibiting precisely methods to swap these in. Apologies for the continued delay on these.
Testing of the brand new Restrictor Orifice valves went nicely and we now have began incorporating these into all builds beginning with serial 00107 apart from 00110 and 00111 (sorry!). Serial 00102 and onward ought to have obtained a small ziploc bag with 3 components in it for the valve included within the field. If this was not in your field please ship us an electronic mail. Everybody else will obtain these components within the mail. We’ve the baggage all kitted with home packages out through stamp and letter and worldwide orders through low value bubble mailer. We’ve simply uploaded a video explaining methods to set up these components right here: Odyssey Argos Restrictor Valve Set up
Sadly we ran right into a minor hiccup two weeks in the past. When stepping into QC, we discovered that a number of machines had extreme water leaking out of the anti-vacuum valve. We had been capable of pinpoint the difficulty as an meeting error with one in all our newer techs not correctly tightening the valve. Fortunately this was a easy repair and all machines have now made it again by QC.
Staffing:
We’re coaching one in all our present full time hires on the complete construct course of to assist sustain with our construct estimates in addition to coaching extra employees on the complete QC course of. We would rent one other full time individual particularly for QC and any manufacturing guarantee repairs that may come again sooner or later.
Enterprise Progress:
Issues have been going extraordinarily nicely this yr. We’re presently averaging about 15-20 new Argos orders per week. We nonetheless haven’t despatched out any items for assessment or content material as our major precedence has been to get our meeting course of sorted out and working effectively to meet orders as quickly as attainable. Now that we’ve bought the brand new restrictor valve components in place we’ll begin to ship out one or two items to be handed round between reviewers. Whereas that is partially to assist proceed rising the enterprise, the first purpose shall be to get some extra formal and goal assessment of the Argos to assist set expectations for future prospects.
We’re discovering a serious unfold of people that completely love the machine and are pulling photographs to their liking inside the first day in addition to individuals who have struggled to dial in and determine their most well-liked workflow. Whereas we received’t anticipate the Argos to fulfill everybody’s wants, we do assume it is very important set goal expectations early on to assist future prospects who could also be on the fence a few new machine.
Levers are notoriously troublesome machines to work with. Whereas it may be so simple as pull the lever, get espresso, there are numerous components that we’ve included corresponding to variable brew temperature, distinctive PID management, and built-in air bleed which all add new variables that may have an effect on extraction.
We’re nonetheless engaged on getting batch 2 components ordered this week! We is not going to be making any important modifications between batches 1 and a couple of. There are a number of design updates which is able to make meeting, match, and person expertise barely higher in addition to convey half value down by design for manufacturability modifications, however it would principally be the identical product.
-Finger pocket for drip tray cowl
-Potential drip tray cowl design replace to scale back splatter
-Tabs on facet of entrance cowl to safe into high and backside panel for higher alignment
-Added chamfers for improved gasket and o-ring set up
-Elevated thread size on heating parts to enhance ease of set up
-Up to date boiler cap design to scale back extra materials and produce value down
We’ll proceed to make enhancements with as many being backwards suitable as attainable. The plan for a plumb in possibility remains to be within the works and we hope to get into testing that design within the subsequent month.
New Merch:
We simply obtained some superior hats that shall be up on the market on our web site quickly! This can be a restricted run of 45 hats. Relying on demand we could make extra sooner or later. We had some very cool Argos posters designed over a yr in the past however didn’t have the logistics sorted out to supply these. As soon as posted, these will now be drop-shipped from our printing companions world wide since they won’t slot in our commonplace Argos delivery containers. Future gadgets we plan so as to add to our retailer embody Argos carrying totes, crew neck sweatshirts, mugs, and espresso shot glasses. Hold an eye fixed out as we add these. Clients can have the choice for these to be shipped individually or together with your machine!
