Dear Shrooly Backers,

As we continue to advance our project, we're pleased to provide you with the latest updates on our manufacturing progress and overall developments. As mentioned in our previous update, this update will be somewhat shorter than recent ones, focusing on key areas including the second Design Validation Test (DVT2), updates on electrical and mechanical adjustments, compliance matters, as well as packaging and our shipping schedule.

So, let’s see what’s happened in February!

Manufacturing and product updates

DVT2

The second Design Validation Test (DVT2) units serve as the final step before we move on to the Production Validation Test (PVT) units, making the DVT2 a remarkable milestone in bringing Shrooly to life.

Our Head of Product returned from China in early February, bringing back eight DVT2 units. These units already showcase the final texturing, mirroring the appearance of the soon-to-be mass-produced version even to the finest details. This achievement marks a significant milestone for us, as they boast both exceptional build quality and an impressive aesthetic appeal.

Electrical and mechanical changes

We expected everything to go smoothly, but we have identified an important detail that needs to be adjusted before we can move forward to Production Validation and Mass Production: we noticed the humidity sensors’ readings were not accurate. Solving this issue required some electrical and mechanical adjustments to the DVT2 units to ensure reliability and the seamless functionality of Shrooly.

In response, we conducted multiple tests to pinpoint the root cause: the inadequate sealing around the humidity sensor causes inaccurate humidity readings within the device. This led us to adjust the mechanical integration of the humidity sensor, a crucial modification to ensure precision and reliability. This adjustment affects some injection molded components, requiring modifications to the small details on these tools to accommodate the adjustment. While this is a routine task for our manufacturer, it is still a step that we had not anticipated.

We are initially testing this change comprehensively to confirm the functionality of the adjusted component. Only after the results meet our standards will we move forward with adjusting the manufacturing tool.

Compliance

One of the final and crucial steps before we advance to the Product Validation Test units and mass production involves addressing product compliance matters. At this stage, we need to ensure that all the devices meet all regulatory requirements for every market we are going to serve. Although we took these aspects into account during the design phase, certain tests can happen only after assembling the product with the production methods intended for mass production.

EMC measurements

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) is important because it ensures that electronic devices can function properly without interfering with each other or causing disruptions in their environment. This reliability is crucial for maintaining the functionality, safety, and regulatory compliance of electronic systems across various industries and applications, ranging from consumer electronics to critical infrastructure.

We kicked off Electromagnetic Compatibility measurements in China in January, and by February, we've made significant progress in securing the final product certifications. This progress primarily stems from our approach of identifying the specific requirements we must meet and preparing the requisite documentation in advance. This preparation ensures that we're ready to provide everything necessary once the formal process commences.

Preliminary measurements in China have shown that the electromagnetic noise levels emitted by the device surpass the established industrial norms at a select frequency. While this isn't hazardous to humans, it does pose a challenge for the device to attain certifications. Our goal was to quickly investigate the root causes of this issue, and we used a spectrum analyzer to help pinpoint the causes behind the test failures.

In our approach to isolate and understand the issue, we developed separate firmware versions, each enabling only a single functionality at a given time. This allowed us to pinpoint which function of the device is linked to the higher levels of emissions, enabling us to focus and narrow down our troubleshooting efforts.

Our investigations successfully identified two primary sources of noise: the principle of measurement used for water metering and the noise generated by capacitive push-button sensing. Fortunately, after identification, both issues can be mitigated through software adjustments and fine-tuning of electronic components.

For the water metering measurement principle, we managed to successfully resolve the issue by reducing both the sampling time and frequency while still being responsive. As for the noise originating from capacitive push-button sensing, we fine-tuned various circuit components, achieving a more effective suppression of the unwanted noise. This unexpected issue took more time to resolve than we originally anticipated, which partly contributed to the need to adjust our shipping schedule.

Shipping timeline

Due to the reasons mentioned above, such as adjustments to the humidity sensor fitting and fine-tuning of electronic components to meet regulatory requirements, our shipping schedule is delayed by a total of five weeks. In short, the two reasons for this adjustment are:

1. A challenge mentioned in our January Update:

• The alterations we made to the printed circuit board resulted in a three-week delay in kicking off our testing process for certifications. While we identified this risk in January and have been actively managing it, by February, it became clear that the three-week delay is unavoidable.
  
  

2. An unforeseen obstacle:

• While reviewing the DVT2 units and integrating the DVT1 units into our test farm, we discovered that the humidity readings were inaccurate in most cases. Given the critical nature of this issue, we had to address it before progressing to the PVT and mass production stage, resulting in an additional two-week delay.
  
  

This adjustment shifts the start of shipping from the 20th week of 2024 to the 25th week, meaning we expect to begin shipping from June 17, 2024. The updated shipping schedule can be found athttps://company.shrooly.com/shipping-schedule/\xa0

We understand that this delay might be disappointing, especially since we're just as excited to get your Shrooly shipped out and for you to begin growing. However, this delay is essential to ensure that the Shrooly receives all necessary certifications and to guarantee the proper functioning of the humidity sensor, which is a critical component of the device.

Packaging

In January, we finalized the inner packaging, successfully reducing the use of plastic in line with our sustainability commitments. Continuing our efforts in February, we advanced our testing on the whole packaging. Our goal is to ensure that your Shrooly arrives in impeccable condition, offering an outstanding unboxing experience. The unboxing experience is currently being refined through testing, and we're in the midst of adjusting the packaging design to comply with legal requirements regarding the infographics and educational materials displayed on the packaging.

Watch on Vimeo

Cultivation

During the pod testing, we have increased the number of tests by an order of magnitude compared to previous ones, so that we can average from a larger quantity of test results and minimize the number of potential errors.

We've integrated the majority of the DVT1 units into our test farm, adding 18 units to our capacity, emphasizing the importance of testing on final product versions. With a new total of 56 Shrooly units in our test farm, we've significantly expanded our testing capacity, allowing for thorough and comprehensive testing. These tests are particularly valuable for assessing the durability of Shrooly, as these units are operated continuously.

As of now, we've received a total of 500 pods from our potential manufacturing partners. This total includes an extra 200 pods that arrived by the end of February, supplementing the 300 we had received by the end of January. We've already conducted tests on several hundred pods in the past, but the logistics of shipping, storing, and testing such large quantities simultaneously presents a new challenge for us. The testing of these pods is ongoing, and we are targeting to finalize this phase by the end of March.

For the next round, our focus will be on fine-tuning the recipes and manufacturing processes with US and EU manufacturers, along with conducting a zero series (pod PVT) run. This run will mimic real production processes on a smaller scale, ensuring everything proceeds according to plan.

Furthermore, the design of the pod packaging is nearing completion. This represents a significant advancement, as striking the perfect balance between utilizing sustainable materials and preserving the quality of the pods during shipping has proven to be an incredible challenge. We are currently in the process of identifying suitable partners for the manufacturing of these packages, shortlisting manufacturers both in the USA and the EU simultaneously. This step marks a critical phase in our preparation for full-scale production and distribution.

What’s next for Shrooly?

The next challenge is obtaining certifications to ensure that Shrooly meets regulations across all markets. After clearing the certification phase, we'll proceed to the Product Validation Test (PVT) stage, where we'll refine our production processes in preparation for mass production and shipping. We fully understand your eagerness to receive your Shrooly and begin growing, and we share your excitement. However, this five-week delay is essential for Shrooly to comply with regulations.

Wrapping up our February update, we want to extend our deepest gratitude for your ongoing support. Our team is thrilled as we draw closer to delivering your Shrooly and pods. Your support fuels our dedication and drives us toward our goal of bringing Shrooly into your hands. Keep an eye out for more updates, and once again, thank you for joining us on this journey.

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The Shrooly Team

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Questions?

Send a message to our support teamhere.