Production Status

Since we successfully completed our Kickstarter campaign we have been busy kicking off all the component purchasing and production of the Red Reactor boards. Please keep checking this page as we update it with the latest production status and information.

PCB Status

The PCB design was unchanged from our last prototypes, so we were quickly able to sign-off the production run to make the PCB panels at PCBWAY.

In the meantime, we also signed off the production of our custom Pogo pins and battery holders so they can all be assembled together. All the remaining components have also been procured and final assembly is now completed, with the picture showing the first assembled boards for verification of the assembly process.

After a short delay in shipping and getting through UK customs, all the boards arrived and were put through our production test procedures.

We also have all the required stand-offs, nuts and screws which are shipped with each board and extra sets of Pogo-pins.

Production Test

We’ve also been working on our production test jigs.

We’ve 3D printed a snap-on holder that will make all the interface connections, which will be wired to a set of Raspberry Pi boards to execute our test code.

This will allow us to run through a wide range of automated tests to verify battery voltage and current readings, run stress tests and check all the interfaces, including the ON button connector and the RUN signal.

We also created a snap-in battery plug so we can easily switch between full and empty batteries as we verify charging performance. We’ll be the first to admit that the volume of boards to test far exceeded our expectations, so we had a lot more work on our hands, but we have now thoroughly tested each board and are busy shipping our units out.

Current Status

We have now shipped over 700 boards to all our Kickstarter backers, and many more for your additional orders.

We are still busy shipping more units, so do please check with us through our pre-order form if you’ve realised you’d like to purchase a few more!

We also have plenty of our custom Pogo-pins in case you want to use them for your own projects!

4 thoughts on “Production Status”

Pascal says:

7 January 2023 at 3:55 pm

We have just sent out our Kickstarter Backer Survey, so we can get our logistics ready whilst we wait for the boards to be delivered to us for testing. Thank you for your quick response!

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Richard Seitz says:

22 January 2023 at 6:58 pm

Thanks for this update. I’m sure your testing will go well.
God bless.

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Pascal says:

5 March 2023 at 3:30 pm

We’ve now shipped 200 orders and have just started processing our Kickstarter backers in the pre-order queue as well. If you haven’t received your tracking code email yet, thank you for your patience and we’re aiming to get to your shipment as soon as possible!

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PCB Layout Design says:

16 May 2023 at 12:17 pm

The PCB status of the Red Reactor project is commendable. The unchanged design of the PCB allowed for a quick sign-off on the production run. Additionally, the successful production of custom Pogo pins and battery holders ensured seamless assembly. The procurement of all remaining components and the completion of the final assembly demonstrate efficient progress. Despite a minor delay in shipping and customs clearance, all boards were received and subjected to thorough production testing. The inclusion of stand-offs, nuts, screws, and extra sets of Pogo pins is a thoughtful touch. The development of production test jigs, including a 3D-printed snap-on holder, exemplifies the attention to detail in testing procedures. With over 700 boards shipped to Kickstarter backers and ongoing shipments, the project is successfully fulfilling orders. For those interested, additional units can be requested through the pre-order form. The availability of custom Pogo pins for personal projects is a bonus. Overall, the Red Reactor PCB status reflects a well-executed production process and a commitment to customer satisfaction. You must also check out Pcbloop.com it has some great insights too.

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