Meeting with manufacturing, size of PenSe magnets, improvements, colors & BONUS Charging Cord!
about 8 years ago
– Fri, Sep 02, 2016 at 07:40:13 PM
Backers
First let us address issues brought up buy one or two backers. The size of PenSe. I have gathered some photos to help, we have had several backers say PenSe is enormous or huge, and I would like to put this in perspective so backers are not given the wrong impression. It is larger than Apple Pencil but it’s not really wide considering many things we are used to writing with.
My son just turned 6 and in school they use pencils thicker than PenSe to teach children writing, and five yer olds have some small hands. More what it is I think (as I felt the same way at first is that it is long) wide writing devices are generally short, and PenSe is longer a while I would mag clip the tip cap to the body as seen in below gif.
It is well weighted and not top heavy, it’s actually really great to write with once you have gotten used to it. However to each their own.
Problems and Solutions
REDESIGNS
PenSe has been a long process from start to completion and I imagine over the next year or two any number of additional revisions could occur -(don’t worry I am thinking of a time well after your orders have shipped). At the beginning of the week, on Monday, I dropped by the machine shop to see how the first new revised bodies where coming off the swiss lathes. It was very productive, a number of PenSe body’s where made and adjusted on the fly, we needed pencil to sit perfectly in the body, adjustments in tapered tip angle diameter where made down to less than ten thousandths of an inch, after about 15 quick tiny changes to our new revised drawings, we finally had Pencil sitting perfectly. This was a critical measurement, having removed the separate tip retainer opting to machine it into the solid rod aluminum was a big change and one that will pay off down the line (several of these have come off of customer’s orders, we are sorry, this has been fixed and will be replaced) with a near indestructible body!
We knew there was a good chance we wouldn’t hit everything on the first machining run, so we opted to run a small batch of a couple hundred rather than a large several thousand batch order. While this small batch cost more per PenSe than we charged it has paid off as we where able to make some needed adjustments, this is tricky business with tolerances and anodizing and mutable components, but the best decision in the end.
We have been shipping from this initial small batch run so backers receiving early shipments might experience some minor problems with tightness or looseness of PenSe, as well as retaining ring, this was done to get early feedback and so that all backers would not get a flawed product without the possibility of changing it out. I have been using one of these early batch runs for a while without issue, but they are not all without imperfections, any and all backers receiving initial run models with or without issues, will be given the option to swap out for the final revision that is probably wrapping up this weekend on the machines.
We are a small company so body then adapter then cap will be run back to back on the same machine. Estimated time for complete tooling run 3 weeks from this past monday.
For magnetic attachment to iPads and Apple smart cover and Smart Keyboard, please refer to our prior update and video again here...
CHARGING CORD
We know that it is rude to make PenSe and not offer the charging cord we hacked together, so due to customer requests we created one, we need to get apple approval and pay licensing but will offer to backers at a discount once we get the stamp of approval.
The cord is one way. So, pairing, at this moment, still requirers placing Pencil briefly in port, but after that you can charge from your iPad while you work!.. and Yes that is a new colored PenSe!
The 4 remaining colors, purple is a little dark and will be lightened up some during following anodize.
ENGRAVING
People who opted for engraving we have held off your orders so far, due to costs involved with this custom addition, and not being able to afford to do it twice.
We have everything else we need for production and machining was set up in a smart order so bodies which are running now and will finish soon, can be Laser engraved and ready for when the caps finish, allowing us to ship in mass to all.
SHIPPING
We will continue to ship to backers, the body is the main piece undergoing revision for structural strength. And that part can be easily swapped out down the line. For final revision shipping will start later this month.
Assuming even for an unexpected issues or delays we should have all final models out before the end of October, this is a worse case scenario.
ASSEMBLY
ASSEMBLY VIDEO
MADE IN AMERICA
PenSe is made all right here in the USA ! Because of this certain aspects of manufacturing may have taken longer than if we out sourced, however keeping PenSe made in America is very important to us. There are not many shops left that can make products like this in Massachusetts, our Machine Shop and Plater are some of the few gems left here in Massachusetts and we want to help keep them.
StylusWe are still using Jot Style Disk tip but have improved upon it! Also we are not treading on any existing IP the stylus update will follow early next week, we wanted to get this update out sooner than later.
APOLOGIES
Lastly all backers I have been “short with” I want to say that I am sorry. This has been a very stressful build cycle and I should have been better about addressing certain questions and people. (I have also been short with members of the immediate team.) Kickstarter's are stressful! You are all part of the PenSe family and we thank and cherish you all.
We have learned a lot about manufacturing a product with multiple parts that work with each other. We are learning and making the product better and applying what we learn as we continue to revise. Thank you for patience during this time.
Best and Thank You
Craig Leaf & PenSe Team
