Argos Update: May 14, 2022

Hello all! Whoops, took a week off from the day job to knock out a bunch of Odyssey tasking and forgot to do my updates. A lot of good progress has happened over the past 2 weeks! You can check out the updated checklist here.

Hardware

I have onboarded a new designer who is tasked with finalizing boiler cap and steam wand cap designs. While this sounds easy, there’s always more to it than we all think. For starters, we discussed concerns with thread galling or seizing of a stainless steel cap into a stainless steel top plate. We could either switch to a brass cap adapter (what the boiler pressure gauge threads into) which would need to be lead free and could throw off the looks or we could redesign slightly.

We have switched to more of a portafilter style locking cap with “tangs” that twist across a compression zone to lock the cap into place. This would eliminate the need for threads and make the user experience of the cap installation much smoother. Along with this tasking comes sourcing and testing production gauges.

After a significant delay in the manufacture of some custom steam valve samples, they have finally shipped and we’re working on finalizing the upper bracket which secures the steam valve, back switches, and temperature dial. I’m currently looking into alternate suppliers to reduce lead time on production valves.

All three sets of packing samples arrived. They were all different and incorrect in one way or another whether it be graphics issues, cardboard flute design and direction, or cardboard finish. We’ve narrowed down to the two highest quality packages and will work with the supplier on another sample round to resolve the issues.

Tools have been ordered and are showing up and being organized in the shop.

Several more small off the shelf parts have been ordered like LEDs, hex keys, wire, check valves, etc.

Low fluid level sensor testing/ integration was saved for the end (stupid of me, I know) but is going well.

Side by side samples.

Software

Working through some issues on Acaia scale integration.

Updated code for proper fluid level sensing functionality.

Sincerely,

Ross Ainsworth