OAKCA MK2
Our next iteration, the MK2, is in development, bringing a range of critical improvements based on extensive testing and user feedback. This version introduces a new bean lift system for increased efficiency, a series of troubleshooting fixes to enhance hardware reliability, and an updated interactive screen equipped with a built-in heat sink to prevent thermal issues affecting electronic components.
These refinements are designed to ensure a smoother, more intuitive roasting experience while maintaining the durability and precision expected from OAKCA. As we move forward with production, we’ll continue fine-tuning every aspect to deliver a machine that meets the highest standards of performance and usability.
Thank you for following our journey—the MK2 is shaping up to be our most advanced roaster yet!
Progress in Safety Testing
Our latest testing phase has been focused on ensuring the safety and reliability of our roaster under high-temperature conditions. We’re excited to share that the automatic protection system successfully activates when the ET (Environmental Temperature) exceeds 265°C, providing a critical safeguard for both the machine and the user. This is an essential step in creating a product that is not only high-performing but also built with safety as a top priority.
As we continue with rigorous testing, we’re fine-tuning every detail to ensure the roaster meets the highest standards of quality and functionality. Thank you for following along with our progress—we’re committed to delivering a product that coffee enthusiasts can trust and enjoy!
Trouble in Paradise
During our latest testing phase, we encountered a challenge with the heating element in our M1 module. While the module experienced a burnout, this was an important opportunity for us to identify potential issues and refine our design. Testing is a critical step in our journey, and we're committed to resolving every challenge to ensure our roaster is dependable and market-ready. Troubleshooting during this stage allows us to deliver a product that meets the highest standards of performance and reliability. We're excited to tackle this head-on and continue improving, so every batch of coffee our roaster produces is nothing short of exceptional
Roaster Demo
This week, we conducted a live demo of the OAKCA Coffee Roaster, giving us the chance to showcase key features like the M1 roasting module, spiral bean lift, and temperature-controlled storage. While the demo highlighted much of the roaster’s potential, we encountered some challenges with the heating element. Identifying these issues early is a critical step, and we’re already working on adjustments to ensure the roaster performs seamlessly. Each test is an opportunity to refine and improve, and we’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made so far. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to perfect the roaster!
MVP is Here!
We are thrilled to announce that the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of the OAKCA Coffee Roaster has officially arrived in Canada! This marks a major milestone in our journey, transforming countless hours of design, prototyping, and testing into a tangible, functioning machine.
The MVP showcases the core functionality of our roaster, featuring the M1 module for precise roasting and the M2 module for efficient cooling, chaff separation, and bean storage. Key design elements, like the gullwing door for easy access and our spiral bean lift inspired by the Archimedes screw, are now brought to life with machine-processed aluminum and steel components.
Further Mechanical Updates
We're excited to unveil further enhancements to our coffee roaster's design, marking a significant leap forward in both function and form.
The latest updates include transitioning critical components of the M1 roasting section from initial 3D printed materials to robust, precision-engineered aluminum and steel.
This upgrade not only bolsters the roaster's durability and operational efficiency but also enhances its visual appeal, showcasing our commitment to merging top-tier design with exceptional performance.
Roaster Enhancements
We're thrilled to announce key advancements in the OAKCA Smart Roaster's development. All wiring is now complete, with only the screen HDMI awaiting connection. Our tests on the spiral feeder's hardware and software showed no issues, and we're moving to a metal shell for better heat management.
Initial tests on our bean ejection system were successful, expelling all roasted beans efficiently. To improve durability, future models will feature tempered glass, ensuring our roaster is robust for everyday use.
Stay tuned as we continue refining our roaster to deliver the exceptional quality you expect from OAKCA.
The heart, body, and soul of our machine
In the latest update from our engineering team, we've successfully completed intricate cable soldering and wiring, ensuring robust and reliable connections within the OAKCA roaster.
We've also enhanced the fan power to reach full, adjustable capacity, addressing previous limitations. Additionally, software instabilities in the roasting component's download program have been resolved, ensuring smoother operation.
We're immensely proud of our team's relentless dedication and the significant strides made toward perfecting our coffee roaster for an exceptional brewing experience.
Manufacturing Update
We're excited to share the latest developments in the design and functionality of the OAKCA Smart Roaster. Our recent update highlights significant advancements, showcasing a sleek design paired with an advanced ceramic heating element for optimal roasting.
Every component is engineered for peak efficiency, ease of maintenance, and durability. As we approach the launch, we're committed to refining our technology to ensure superior quality and performance in every roast. Stay tuned for more updates on our innovative coffee roasting solution.
Updated Packaging Designs
Our dedication to quality and innovation shines through in the latest packaging design for the OAKCA Smart Roaster. This update features high-fidelity 3D models that perfectly mirror the sophisticated and modern aesthetics of our roasting machines.
The new packaging design enriches the unboxing experience through its functional elegance and intricate detailing, ensuring that every aspect from protection to presentation is managed with utmost precision.
This enhancement is part of our ongoing commitment to set new standards in the coffee equipment industry, ensuring that form and function are in complete harmony.
Module 1 Stress Testing
Our relentless pursuit of excellence continues with the rigorous stress testing of Module 1 in our coffee roasting machine, as depicted in these recent images.
This phase involves in-depth evaluations of both the mechanical stability and operational endurance under simulated high-stress conditions. The meticulous testing regimen helps ensure that every aspect of Module 1 not only meets but exceeds our stringent standards for quality and reliability.
This uncompromising attention to detail ensures that each component functions seamlessly together, advancing us towards the pinnacle of innovative coffee roasting technologies.
Rigorous Electronic Testing
Our commitment to excellence is underscored by rigorous testing and meticulous software simulations, as depicted in the recent imagery showcasing our electronic systems analysis.
Through advanced oscilloscope evaluations, we meticulously measure waveforms and electrical signals to ensure optimal performance and reliability of our coffee roasting machine.
This attention to detail in the electronic architecture not only enhances the functional integrity of our device but also ensures each component interacts seamlessly, paving the way for the next generation of precision coffee roasting technology.
Parts, Parts, and more Parts!
Continuing with our commitment to innovation and quality, we have advanced further in the manufacturing stage, as illustrated by the latest components in the images.
These developments mark a significant step towards assembling our first physical prototype. With the precision engineering of each part, from robust structures to intricate connections, we're not just building a machine—we're crafting a future where every detail enhances the coffee roasting experience.
Stay tuned as we approach the exciting milestone of our prototype's completion, promising to revolutionize coffee roasting with cutting-edge technology and design.
Packaging Prototyping
In a creative exploration of form and function, we've initiated the prototyping phase for our innovative packaging design, aiming to reflect the sophistication and uniqueness of our OAKCA smart roasters.
This stage of development has seen us experimenting with various structural designs and user-friendly features, ensuring every customer's unboxing experience is as intuitive and engaging as using the product itself.
This hands-on phase allows us to iterate swiftly, responding to feedback and enhancing the user experience from the very first touchpoint.
Starting Manufacturing
We're excited to share a significant milestone in the development of our product. After extensive planning and rigorous simulations to ensure optimal aerodynamics, heat management, and material selection, we've begun the manufacturing phase of our prototype.
The image showcases one of the freshly machined parts, exemplifying our commitment to precision and quality. This part, essential for our product's functionality, has been crafted using advanced manufacturing techniques to meet our exacting standards. Stay tuned for more updates as we progress toward completing our first fully functional prototype.
Heat Simulation
We've recently completed detailed heat simulations for our latest coffee roasting machine, ensuring that every component functions optimally under various thermal conditions.
These simulations were critical in validating the design and materials chosen, guaranteeing that our product not only meets but exceeds the thermal efficiency and safety standards required for premium coffee roasting.
Through these simulations, depicted in the vibrant thermal maps, we've fine-tuned the roaster's heat distribution, achieving uniform and consistent roasting temperatures that are crucial for the perfect roast every time.
Prototyping
After several months of hard work, we are now in the prototyping stage. We have completed aerodynamic simulations, heat management simulations, material selection, and basic software design. Currently, we are in the process of manufacturing and testing the prototype.
The control
The sophisticated control interface of the OAKCA roaster is designed to be intuitive, straightforward, and seamlessly compatible with Artisan software.
Users can effortlessly navigate through various roasting parameters and settings, ensuring precise control over the roasting process. The interface is thoughtfully crafted to provide a user-friendly experience, allowing roasters to monitor and adjust temperature profiles, airflow, and other critical variables with ease.
Its intuitive design streamlines the roasting workflow, empowering users to achieve consistent and exceptional roasts with confidence
Concept finalization
As we delve deeper into ideation, we're defining more clearly how OAKCA should assist its user.
OAKCA should provide roasters with enough control to roast as they desire. Once the ideal roasting profile is created, OAKCA should consistently follow this profile to replicate the roast, minimizing deviations. To achieve this, we must optimize airflow and heat management, ensuring maximum control over roasting temperature and agitation.
We further introduced automation for loading green beans and unloading roasted beans. Temperature controls were integrated not only within the roasting chamber but also throughout the roasting environment. This means that bean temperature is monitored through roasting to cooling down.
Brainstorm
At OAKCA, our vision is for our roaster to be a reliable assistant that enhances the coffee roasting experience without overshadowing the joy of the craft. To achieve this, we've established the following key performance parameters:
- PID Control and Data Acquisition: Ensures precise temperature management.
- Power Efficiency: Operates under 1500W for energy efficiency.
- Automatic Roasting: Adjustments are based on real-time bean temperature.
- Integrated Cyclone for Chaff Collection: Enhances cleanliness and efficiency.
- Versatile Roasting Capacity: Ranges from 50g to 1kg, catering to both personal and substantial batch needs.
- Aesthetic and Compact Design: Ensures the roaster is both visually appealing and easy to store and move.
While our journey included several concept designs, we continued to refine our approach until we met these stringent standards.
Napkin talk
Like many great startups, OAKCA’s concept was born from a simple napkin sketch. In an effort to capture the essence of our ideal roasting process, we documented our individual roasting protocols and identified shared preferences and pain points.
We universally appreciated the brief 15-minute roasting period, but found the remainder of the process cumbersome. This sparked our challenge: Could we design a roaster that simplifies the tedious aspects, focusing solely on delivering superb roasts?