Official Blog- Keep It Going

[WizardStan]

I'm assuming the testing process is going to be much like a train ride. It chugs slowly out of the station and builds up speed before slowly getting to that final cruising speed. They had to build more test jigs in Texas in order to test more boards simultaneously and that was only ordered recently after a very long and slow process of getting the procedure right (took longer than expected for reasons I won't get into). Even though those thousand boards were built a while ago (whenever I mentioned it), testing them has been a slow process and as more test jigs get built and tested themselves (lots of soldering work and mechanical fitting of pieces, it's quite a complex rig), more human work stations can be set up to run the automated tests on them.

Well... nuts.

 

[Jumpman]

Yeah, like I said earlier, the testing and output of the boards was never a problem for me, for the exact reasons Michael stated. Quality over quantity. My biggest concern at this point is and will always be the "mp cases". I see 1000 units getting completed and shipped, and new boards coming fresh every week, and then nothing! Why? Because the mould factory is taking forever to complete the remaining cases! That should really be the only concern anyone should have at this point. Hell, we still don't even know if the first 1000 will pass and ship.

All the news today was good, but the cases still worry me greatly! Maybe I'm being overly causious at this point, but the cases have been the hold up since october last year, and it looks to still be the main promlem IMO! I really hope the mould factory can finally get something right, the future of this project still depends greatly on what they can and can't do.


Chris

 

[Monk]

(took longer than expected for reasons I won't get into)

Forehead - meet palm. Palm, this is Forehead.

ED has given the worst case but if we get things rolling smoothly, that time could start coming down more and more.

And yet, we never learn. That's the WORST CASE scenario? Until, I assume, something actually goes wrong - then your worst case scenario ends up looking hopelessly optimistic. Again.

There's just no other way.

So it would seem

So the cases aren't the bottleneck. Again. The boards are. Again. Lucky we didn't opt for silkscreening eh? Then there could be the risk of a delay.

All the news today was good, but the cases still worry me greatly! Maybe I'm being overly causious at this point, but the cases have been the hold up since october last year, and it looks to still be the main promlem IMO! I really hope the mould factory can finally get something right, the future of this project still depends greatly on what they can and can't do.

they do seem to be somewhat problematical. They should have been dumped a year ago, and have Craig assemble a team of crack case manufacturers in his shed Up North. We would have gotten better cases, faster, and we wouldn't need a carry case because, being Northern, those cases would be well 'ard!

 

[Jumpman]

The boards can be spit out in a fairly systimatic, and quality contolled envirnment. The board factory has never been a problem, at least like the mould factory has been, and there in the US and speak english. So hopefully what they say is understood and close to truth. The storage problem in the US was the main reason we don't have more boards now.

The moulds are just a nightmare on so many levels, don't get me started on that.


Chris

 

[intense_mc]

Someone asked the valid question earlier in response to the 500-boards-a-week surprise; if 500 are coming every week...has Craig got the town hall for 6 weeks?

 

[Game_over]

read my blog by clicking below. its on topic.

 

[mali]

Someone asked the valid question earlier in response to the 500-boards-a-week surprise; if 500 are coming every week...has Craig got the town hall for 6 weeks?

He owns it, IIRC.

 

[Nova]

Someone asked the valid question earlier in response to the 500-boards-a-week surprise; if 500 are coming every week...has Craig got the town hall for 6 weeks?

It's his hall... so I believe the answer is yes.

EDIT: Damn, ninja'd.

 

[Mjlink]

It would be nice if Texas could ship a smaller first batch than 500. Its not like all 500 will be finished at once. Fill a box up and send it seems easy enough.

Back to the pipe,

Link

 

[intense_mc]

Someone asked the valid question earlier in response to the 500-boards-a-week surprise; if 500 are coming every week...has Craig got the town hall for 6 weeks?

He owns it, IIRC.

He OWNS the town hall

That's serious.

 

[LuvClub]

All 4000 boards have not been populated yet. It actually becomes an issue with storage to have so many boards sitting built all at once. They have to be kept somewhere which tends to be awkward because boards must sit in ESD safe trays on grounded carts (remember that picture of the 80/105?). Issues with humidity control are important because parts are no longer sitting in sealed bags, although they are already soldered so it is more of a general storage thing. Craig meant that absolutely everything is ready to go, absolutely every part is sitting at the facility, things are being tested carefully and slowly still, the build process is understood...umm I don't know what else to add so I don't read the next 10 pages about how the sky is falling. There is merit in being vague, but I'll take the chance anyway.

So what would have been the problem with sealing them in individual NSD bags and laying them in storage boxes with maybe some foam sheets in between them? I would imagine you could easily place 10x10 boards at the bottom of a 1metre sided box and then alternate 10 more lots and foam sheets on top of each other making 1000 in a box. Would 4 such 1metre cubed boxes really be such a problem to store? You could also chuck in a few bags of silica gel to control the humidity and seal the boxes airtight using some plastic sheeting.

I don't really understand the problem at all.

 

[Jumpman]

It would be nice if Texas could ship a smaller first batch than 500. Its not like all 500 will be finished at once. Fill a box up and send it seems easy enough.

Back to the pipe,

Link

Right now until cases 1001-4000 start to show up, the amount of boards shipped is not relavent at all. If they start to get 500 boards a week, where will they put them anyway(invisable cases)? There is really nothing to even be worried about exept the cases. The first 1000 needs to arrive, then they have to be green lighted for customers. So in therory, the end of may might roll around and all 4000 boards are sitting and waiting for cases. WTF?, will be everyones reply at that time. I don't see a problem with the team assembling 500-1000 units a week, and I'm sure the board factory will be sending regular shippments weekly to keep them busy, but if no cases are there, well you all get the point.


Chris

 

[mali]

LuvClub, not long ago they still thought they'd assemble them in Texas. When you don't plan to ship the boards and think they can test 1000 a week, you don't hire someone to package boards and pile them up somewhere.

 

[MWeston]

So what would have been the problem with sealing them in individual NSD bags and laying them in storage boxes with maybe some foam sheets in between them? I would imagine you could easily place 10x10 boards at the bottom of a 1metre sided box and then alternate 10 more lots and foam sheets on top of each other making 1000 in a box. Would 4 such 1metre cubed boxes really be such a problem to store? You could also chuck in a few bags of silica gel to control the humidity and seal the boxes airtight using some plastic sheeting.

I don't really understand the problem at all.

Look at all the steps you just made up to save a couple days of assembly time, not to mention all these static bags, boxes, foam sheets that need to be on hand. Also not to mention the labor it would take to package this all up.

EDIT: and then the labor to open it all back up so it could go through final testing before being packaged back up again to be sent to us in England.

 

[PokeParadox]

Someone asked the valid question earlier in response to the 500-boards-a-week surprise; if 500 are coming every week...has Craig got the town hall for 6 weeks?

He owns it, IIRC.

He OWNS the town hall

That's serious.

I think it's the OLD town hall... but still. (And I could be wrong.)

 

[hch]

i don't worry about the boards in the slightest. michael and ti have repeatedly proven to do solid and timely work. it's basically down to the cases again (as for a full year now). let's hope that this time the famous chinese factory delivers. i have my doubts, but let's hope.

 

[may88]

This news has filled my cup to half full again, but I have been rather greedy and have digested it all already. Now I pleasantly giddy at the fact my Pandora is progressing, ever so slowly, towards my awaiting arms and thus I retire for the night with a glow of happiness.

Of course, tomorrow I'll have a stinking headache and will be starving for news, fresh hot news.

 

[Mjlink]

I see your pt Jumpman.

My worry too is lack of edit: progress since CNY from China. But still don't see 500 boards in the same box coming from Texas either.

Peace & logistics,

Link

 

[TonyMontana702`]

How's it going I preordered from the first batch a while ago and have been lurking in these forums everyday reading all the news i can get my hands on it really feels like I know you guys somewhat by all the postings on here. So today i decided to make a account and post I think this community seems really tight knit and cant wait till we can bounce ideas off each other when we get our pandoras! Sorry if this is a bit off topic just wanted to introduce myself so-to-speak.

 

[Alpha2]

How's it going I preordered from the first batch a while ago and have been lurking in these forums everyday reading all the news i can get my hands on it really feels like I know you guys somewhat by all the postings on here. So today i decided to make a account and post I think this community seems really tight knit and cant wait till we can bounce ideas off each other when we get our pandoras! Sorry if this is a bit off topic just wanted to introduce myself so-to-speak.

Welcome to the party Tony. As one semi lurker to another. Grab a seat and enjoy your stay... don't get too close to any flames You'll keep your sanity longer!