18 replies to this topic

[EvilDragon]

Here are some quick news, as Michael had another telephone conference today.

The next completely finished boards with tested nubs will ship out next week, together with 500 more LCD cables for me to solder (then we have about 1700 LCD cables so far).
According to them, they also have started producing more boards, this doesn't sound too bad either.

Also, they have increased their facility size and got a shiny new machine which should be able to easily do 500 Pandora boards per week - while this is something I first wish to see before I believe it, it would actually be really great if it's real.

As usual, I'll keep you updated on any news here.

[MarioPandio]

Sounds good.

[Tickles]

This is very good news

[benji_stein]

Here are some quick news, as Michael had another telephone conference today.

The next completely finished boards with tested nubs will ship out next week, together with 500 more LCD cables for me to solder (then we have about 1700 LCD cables so far).

How many will be in that shipment? Do we have enough cases for them? Or will we have to wait at this point until more can be built/shipped to customers?

Also, they have increased their facility size and got a shiny new machine which should be able to easily do 500 Pandora boards per week - while this is something I first wish to see before I believe it, it would actually be really great if it's real.

Wasn't their initial estimate (ages ago) 500 boards per week? Good news, though. Thanks for the update!

[panik]

Wasn't their initial estimate (ages ago) 500 boards per week? Good news, though. Thanks for the update!

A 'Whopping' 500 boards even:

Monday, 23 August 2010 23:53

Since the manufacturer started to test the nubs, production has been started again. First, we only got 100 boards to test if the nubs work fine. Then we got 200 more (currently being assembled) and the next batch that has been announced will be a whopping 500 boards (don't know exactly yet when we'll get them).

I'll have a hard time keeping my pants dry if this is true!

[Gruso]

The estimate a very long time ago (going back a year) was 500/week. Obviously the factory overestimated their abilities. Great to hear that figure is back in play.

[kmob]

Is it now likely that we'll be bottlenecked on the cases?

[tsh]

cases and boards are heading for a plane - so just have to hope both promises are true. I'm sure there will be an announcement when the first 1000 cases have been used up!

[fuji99]

Any progress is good news, thanks for the update.

[EvilDragon]

How many will be in that shipment? Do we have enough cases for them? Or will we have to wait at this point until more can be built/shipped to customers?

They couldn't tell us yet since they're still trying to build as many as possible.

There are a bit more over 100 cases left, 2000 more should be in the air, but I won't post this as real news as long as I don't have any pictures or more information about it.

[Trip]

Hurray for more good news. Fingers crossed that it's true and that the companies not just blowing smoke

[_David_]

Here are some quick news, as Michael had another telephone conference today.

The next completely finished boards with tested nubs will ship out next week, together with 500 more LCD cables for me to solder (then we have about 1700 LCD cables so far).
According to them, they also have started producing more boards, this doesn't sound too bad either.

Also, they have increased their facility size and got a shiny new machine which should be able to easily do 500 Pandora boards per week - while this is something I first wish to see before I believe it, it would actually be really great if it's real.

As usual, I'll keep you updated on any news here.

Thats great!
One question : how long does it take to assemble 1 Pandora, and how many people are going to do this task ?

[EvilDragon]

Thats great!
One question : how long does it take to assemble 1 Pandora, and how many people are going to do this task ?

Hard to tell, as we never assemble one Pandora at a time.
First, we do the upper parts:

Place 100 lids on the table, put 100 LCDs in.
Then we put 100 WiFi Antennas in.
Then put 100 speakers with LCD cables in.
Then we connect the LCD to the LCD cables.
Then we put all the copper tape stripe by stripe onto the LCD cables.
Then we roll all the LCD cables.
Then we put the WiFi antenna cable through the roll and carefully put the backside onto the lid.
Then we put the hinge in.
Then all those 100 lids will be put into 100 keyboard parts.
Then we close the hinge.
Then we put buttons, Microphone holder and lightpipes in.
Then the keymat.

That's the first step. We do that before the boards arrive.

Then the boards will be put into those finished parts one by one and will be assembled with the rest: L/R buttons, power switch, backside.
They get a quick function test (keyboard, etc.) before being screwed together.

Then they will be screwed together and do an automatic WiFi test before flashing the firmware.

That's it: Ready for shipment.

100 units can be built by four people each day. If the upper parts are prepared, 200 units can be built.

So if we get 500 boards a week, we could handle this.

Then

[Another]

Great news! Tell us how many boards it will be, as far as you know.

[Yoyobuae]

Maybe the board factory already included buying the new machine in the estimate. I doubt that a few days ago they went "Geez, we need a new machine to produce these pandora boards". Maybe it was planned from the start. They just needed confirmation (ie. contract) that the OPT will indeed buy all those boards from them.

[Another]

Maybe the board factory already included buying the new machine in the estimate. I doubt that a few days ago they went "Geez, we need a new machine to produce these pandora boards". Maybe it was planned from the start. They just needed confirmation (ie. contract) that the OPT will indeed buy all those boards from them.

In that case they must have known that the Pandora will delay a few months...
Conspiracy!

[Farox]

Thank you ED .

[barrybarve]

Thanks a heap for the update

[TheBlueBaron]

Exciting stuff