Project: V | Mass Production QA Testing Tour

[nkyadav]

Hello, hello, community! I’m back to do another one of my popular Behind-The-Scenes posts - this time for the V 2021! Since mass production of the V 2021 has commenced, it’s time for some new and exciting footage direct from the manufacturing facility.

In this topic, we’ll explore machines used to test devices manufactured at this facility, including the V. Be sure to read all the way through for an exclusive surprise about the mass production. So, kick back, relax, and stay a while as we take you through the testing roundup.

Test equipment

I’ve sorted them into loose groups based upon testing functionality.

Environmental and exposure tests

These tests verify a device’s functionality after exposure to some sort of physical or environmental stimuli.

Electrical tests

Quality assurance of device safety under heavy loads.

Help determine the continued functionality after exposure to controlled ESD.

Temperature tests

Device resistance to change in temperature using fixed low, normal and high temperature exposure.

External liquid tests

Deduce the resistance of surface coating and treatment to alcohol abrasion.

Validate the anti-corrosion properties of devices.

External solid tests

Use fixture and controlled forces to determine a sample’s resistance to paper abrasion.

Pressure tests

Validate the maximum pressure applied by a hard material under which a device can function as expected.

Validate the maximum pressure applied by a soft material under which a device can function as expected.

Component durability tests

Tests performed on various components of devices to assure usability thresholds.

Open and close the device repetitively to test the hinge’s ability to maintain its properties within spec.

Emulate human input for testing touch-enabled screens, capable of tapping and drawing straight lines.

Button longevity testing device.

Quality assurance of input port longevity.

Validate the integrity of cables when bent.

Handling tests

These are tests performed on devices to assess additional durability based upon various usage and handling scenarios.

Test impact resistance by freely dropping a metal ball on top of the sample.

Validate resistance to vibration during simulated typical transport conditions.

So, there you have it - a look at the equipment used by the facility manufacturing your new V 2021. Oh, and as I mentioned in the beginning, mass production has commenced - here is a little sneak peek at that for your viewing pleasure! This is the line showing Vs being tested, and those are assembled Vs, not prototypes!

The assembly line

Sleep mode testing in progress.

Thanks for reading. I’ll see you here again next week with more BTS looks at your V 2021 being manufactured.

Have a great day!

[Brendon_Leenheer]

Is it weird that I missed the fact we were getting a Windows Hello compatible camera until I looked at the list of devices in that Command Prompt window?

Now I’m getting excited again!

edit: Not sure what the “USB Camera” is though? Maybe their test bench connects to peripherals to ensure the Thunderbolt is working up to spec?

[Andrew_Stewart]

When can we expect the actual product to be delivered? So far every date that had been sent to me for the shipment of the EVE, its been pushed back, I believe the last time that I had gotten a date, it was supposed to be some time in February, and now we are in March. Please send out an email with a concreate date to try to heal the trust of your community. On the e-mail it says that it is the 2021 EVE, its 2022…I feel like we will be getting outdated hardware, (not the newest intel chipsets that have been coming out strong against their competition). Have you updated any of the hardware? Or because of the sockets, that would be impossible? Please give us those updates. I really hope that this product was worth the wait. Thank you for answering all of my questions.

[Cas]

Hi @Brendon_Leenheer,

Yes! There will be Windows Hello compatible camera. There will also be fingerprint reader by the power button.

Not sure about the USB camera. I think it is the test device connected to one of the USB ports.

Hi @Andrew_Stewart,

Since the mass production has already started, we will be able to foresee shipping in the near future. However I do not have the actual dates yet. As soon as we have an update, we will definitely share it with the community!

As for the specifications, you can find it here. There were no plans to upgrade the specs as far as I know, since it will potentially push back the production time even further.

[JXP]

I’ve tried very hard to be patience, being an ex Microsoft employee I also reframed from commenting on some of the, long ago, negative comments about Windows 11 and that EVE would be in our hands before Windows 11 was!
I tried hard to provide constructive feedback and be positive during the subsequent delays and brake in communications.
Well, hear I am still WAITING for what now will be a tablet with a generation OLD processor and I am concerned at whether I will be able to run the full professional version of Windows 11 with its enhanced security features! I’m seeing other companies release to market what like very formidable tablet that run and are fully Windows 11 certified.
These pictures DO NOT instill any confidence that I will receive what I have fully paid for by the end of March. I see only one workstation with someone doing something on a computer all other stations/pictures are void of any activity.
Next time I’ll think very seriously in investing my hard earned money in this way.

[envyc965]

As has been stated by other posters, the specification of the machine we will eventually? receive, is now at least one generation old. I would expect to receive a partial refund of the original price based upon the fact that a PC built with the same CPU and other components would, if purchased now, be available at a lower price.

Will we be compensated for our patience, because otherwise we look like we’ve been taken for mugs.

[ReignDespair]

Hey @Andrew_Stewart,

Just to add on to what Cas stated. Mass production commenced last week, and many units have been going through the quality assurance process to ensure the V meets expectations when they arrive. Based on all this we expect shipping to commence this month as planned; everything is currently on schedule.

Hey @JXP,

The V you have ordered is fully compliant with windows 11, so there should be no issues installing/updating and running Windows 11. There shouldn’t be any issues with the enhanced security features, but are there any features in particular that you would like me to ask the team to see if they have any details for?

Hey @envyc965,
We will not be able to offer any sort of compensation for the delays, but that being said I will raise your thoughts to the team.

[darraghlong]

@ReignDespair

Just to add on to what Cas stated. Mass production commenced last week, and many units have been going through the quality assurance process to ensure the V meets expectations when they arrive. Based on all this we expect shipping to commence this month as planned; everything is currently on schedule.

You previously stated that shipping would commence by the second week of march (link)

That’s next week.

You also stated 4 days ago that everything was still on schedule (link)

Can you confirm that everything really is on track, and that the V 2021 will ship next week as you said?

[primart]

I had dampened my excitement when Covid started bearing down but can now state that it is back and full-blown. I can’t wait to start customizing a workstation around it and starting some new projects, start looking for a monitor and other peripherals.

[NinjaWalross]

I’m also wondering how many Vs were ordered and how many are you assembling within a week? Will you assemble all pre-ordered Vs within, lets say three weeks? And all pre-ordered Vs are shipped by the end of march?

[apgray]

As one of first 500 pre orders, I’m wondering the same thing.

Having paid for a top of the line model I would certainly hope Eve looks after their customers in order of funds paid.

[JXP]

Thank you for at least taking to respond, I’m keeping my fingers crossed

[nkyadav]

@nkyadav

Oh, and as I mentioned in the beginning, mass production has commenced - here is a little sneak peek at that for your viewing pleasure! This is the line showing Vs being tested, and those are assembled Vs, not prototypes!

Unless you want us to manufacture them and ship them without any sort of QA process, please realize that I was NOT kidding when I said manufacturing had already commenced.

Those are not prototypes in my post - those are the manufactured Vs, undergoing one of many QA tests using the equipment featured in my OP. As Tom has mentioned more than once, everything is currently on schedule. I will be making another topic this week on the BTS look at the manufacturing this week.

[apgray]

Potential Dumb question: Are these tests performed on all manufactured devices to be delivered to customers. If so, wouldn’t that mean customers are receiving used devices?

[hatter]

This is standard practice in manufacturing, it’s QA testing… so every computer you have ever bought off-the-shelf has gone through it. It’s the norm.

[Brendon_Leenheer]

I’ll need someone to speak more from experience, but just from what I’ve seen of other QA testing I’d say the units that customers receive are not put through stress and breakage tests to the same extent.

Instead, you choose samples from each batch to test rigorously, and the rest you only put through low-stress tests and run it against an in-depth QA checklist before sending them to the customer. That way, the entire batch can be verified as up to standard without wearing them out.

[nkyadav]

@apgray

Potential Dumb question: Are these tests performed on all manufactured devices to be delivered to customers. If so, wouldn’t that mean customers are receiving used devices?

Watch for this weeks topic - you’ll better understand.

[nkyadav]

Stress and break tests are only a small number of testing that is done for QA. Things like testing for sound output, that a screen lights up, that the device boots - those are not detrimental and thus are performed much more widely than stress tests and breakage tests, which are performed on samples.

[rhaas]

Looks like even if Eve is no longer property of the same brand, it’s still the mess. Personnaly I own the Eve V first version but had to wait many many many months to finally get it. Wish you good luck. Was looking if the Eve 2021 was finally out but looks like it’s not the case. So I might consider rather going to Microsoft surface pro 7+ or 8. Have a nice day!

[Phil]

Also, I don’t know whether the QA tests (rather than the ones on the current assembly line) were done a while ago as X-Station has been shipping the V2 in China since July 2021 (and I would expect the QA was done before those were shipped).