Hi backers,
If we had one sentence to say about this update is: we can’t wait for the borders to reopen.
I almost called the shot to start the mold modifications last month. The last mechanical prototypes we received were near perfect, it only needed tighter tolerances.
We told them exactly what to correct. They sent the 3D files back for validation and it seemed good. We hesitated to tell them to start right away the mold modifications instead of waiting for the 3D printed prototypes.
A week or 2 is easily lost getting & testing the prototypes. Skipping this delay was quite tempting. However, the risk of modifying the mold without the final prototypes seemed too high, so the safe solution prevailed. They sent us the 3D prints.
We received them and…
…
It was bad :/
They did not test them to see the fitting.
The charger could not even close when the earbuds are in.
That surprised us since this manufacturer is extremely competent.
So we had to make another document explaining what is wrong and what to do… at least a week is lost.
For context: we sent our 3D files at the end of May, they had to make those 3D files in their own CAD software, and then we would start mold modifications. We spent maybe a month with negotiating, shipping prototypes, and the back & forth documentation. We’re now in September and they’re not even yet validated.
This is humiliating and quite frustrating.
About 2 months in, only for that. Being physically present in their facility, I’m quite confident we could have achieved that within 2 weeks.
Anyway, we don’t wait and stand still.
The PCB files for the earbuds (V12) have been sent, revised, shipped & received. They look awesome. Sylvain will assemble them in the next 2 weeks. We also ordered a big PCB to only test the touch button. That way, it’s quite easier to program and test.
In addition, we assembled another batch of pre-production prototypes (V11r1) that we will send to selected backers. We’re eager to gather more feedback so we provide excellent earbuds.
Cheers,
Phazon team
Here’s the video update: