In this update, we are happy to report the completion of the PGB-1 production prototype!

Modulo some minor design details to iron out (especially on the front panel), we have a fully designed and working PGB-1 hardware ready for production.

For this final step of the design, we worked with PCBWay to bring a great addition to the PGB-1: A high quality rubber keypad.

Until now, we were using individual 3D-printed keys for each of the PGB-1 buttons. This is an ok solution, but the individual keys rattle around, and pressing the key results in a relatively loud clicking sound. This rubber keypad is really pushing the feeling of PGB-1 to the next level, and we are grateful for this collaboration with PCBWay.

For this prototype of the keypad, we use PCBWay’s vacuum casting service that is much cheaper than injection molding and unlocks material that cannot be manufactured in other ways, such as rubber.

So here are the production prototypes in limited golden aluminum and black plastic:

And here’s another picture here side-by-side with the campaign prototype:

As you can see, PGB-1 got significantly thinner and a little bit smaller. This is thanks to the new battery we are using, as well as slightly thinner walls on the case. The weight of the aluminum version is 155 g, and 90 g for the plastic one.

Overall, we are extremely happy with the result, as this is the kind of quality we had in mind when starting this crowdfunding campaign.

Don’t forget that PGB-1 pre-orders are available on Crowd Supply.

As always, if you have any questions on this topic or anything else, there are several ways to reach us. You can use the campaign question form, join the Wee Noise Makers Discord Server, or contact us on our social media channels.