Hi Everyone,
In this update we aim to lay out what we've been up to and how things have been progressing with the project, the good the bad and the ugly!
Let’s start with where we left off in the previous update. Following the big QC review we have had a large number of the failed parts re-machined and for the most part those issues are all now fixed and we have been able to do the final assembly on some of the drivers as the final QC Stage.
Troubles with Grey anodising
Whilst making up finished drivers a few weeks ago we spotted some inconstancies and we've been working to fix the issue. As you can see in the image below (more prevalent in the top right) there is a large variance in the anodising of the two grey components. We were not happy with this and it was a mistake by the anodising factory which they have fully accepted and are working to fix. This effects about 161 of the handles so it is not the end of the world.
Initially this was hard to see when all of the parts were separated, it was only noticeable when the 2 parts were put together that the variance was clearly visible, so we didn’t pick this one up earlier.
However, it has slowed us down a bit whilst we had to figure it out and go through all the parts to work out how many of these pieces were affected.
What this means for us and you guys is that are now unfortunately 3 weeks behind schedule. Although! It's far from doom and gloom, as we have now fixed this issue and will have any late parts airmailed to us to speed things along.
Parts are on the move!
We are now finally getting the majority of the drivers and components shipped to our HQ, where they will be carefully packaged, bundled up and sorted ready to head off to our fulfilment centres around the world.
Some parts have to travel further than others and we are expecting everything to arrive with us towards the end of November, providing the are no delays with the freight companies.
Due to the issues with the Grey anodising, we are having those re-plated and will have them airmailed to us instead, which will mean they will arrive at the same time as the other parts. This will be a considerable cost to us, but we want to make sure we stick to our original timeframe as close as we can, so you guys get your drivers as soon as possible!
Feast your eyes on some beautiful cardboard boxes!
We genuinely can't make this look good, it is what it is 😊.
However, what we have done for this project is specified custom foam inserts for transportation (which are fully recyclable at our waste management centre here in Leeds) which will mean every single component will arrive in pristine condition, ready to become your drivers.
Box Build
While all of that has been happening, we have not just been sitting around! We have taken delivery of all the driver boxes totalling 8500 and have been busily folding and building them up ready to be packed with the drivers. At this moment in time, we will have them all built and ready for the drivers at the end of the week.
Below is the boxy fruits of our labours in our shiny new warehouse!
The Next Phase
We are now moving into the final stages of production where most things are now manufactured and are on their way to us for final assembly, while we wait for all of the manufactured parts to arrive with us over the next 40 days, we will be prepping all of the paperwork and backer sheets so as soon as the last shipment arrives, we can start getting everything put together.
If all goes well here we will start the final phase of shipping things out in late November/early December, but that all does rely on the shipping companies not causing any delays for us. We have noticed things have improved dramatically since last year but every now and then we are getting something held for longer than it should be.
Survey Check In
By now you should have completed your survey and received an order confirmation for your Driver pledge through our online store. This confirmation is usually an email, but for some of you may have been an SMS message. I’d recommend double checking your order confirmation to make sure your full pledge is included. This means whatever you backed originally on Kickstarter along with any extra add-ons you might have included!
The confirmation lists everything you’ll receive in your order, so if you think something’s missing then please get in touch with our customer service team on hello@metmocube.com, but please give us some time over the weekend, so will most likely get back to you on Monday or Tuesday.
If you still haven't given us your survey responses please do get in touch so there is no delay in sending out your driver, there are not many of you out there but I can see a few we still need!