Argos Update: Feb 2, 2026
Hello everyone,
Happy New Year! We wanted to share another production and engineering update to keep you in the loop on where things stand for 2026.
Light Tube Implementation
One of the more visible hardware improvements we have been working on is the implementation of fiber optic light tubes with our LEDs indicators. This resolves the prior issue where heat exposure could lead to premature LED failure. Because the light tube introduces some loss in brightness, we had to adjust the LED output to compensate. This took a few iterations and required finding a supplier that could source a material with suitable light emittance while also withstanding temperatures well above our operating range.
The good news is that this solution is a near stock fitment and backwards compatible on all prior machines. We began implementing this change in November, and the final iteration from our supplier which includes a brighter bulb, adapter, and fiber optic cable will be completed next week. We’ve done in house testing using heat guns to expose the Argos past heat ranges seen during standard operation and have confirmed this is a meaningful durability improvement.
Scale Detection Software Update
In our last update, we mentioned a software improvement related to scale detection in the boiler. This has now rolled out and has resolved several fluid level sensing issues that could occur with mineral scale buildup which is a natural part of use. Please make sure you update to the latest firmware through the app and as always, make sure you descale your machine quarterly.
https://help.odysseyespresso.com/article/22-citric-acid-passivation-and-descale
With this update, when the fluid level is low and the system detects scale, the amber LED will rapidly flash to provide a clear and distinct warning.
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing
We have completed our new hydrostatic pressure testing jig, which is a major upgrade to our quality control process. This allows us to pressure test boilers for several minutes at a time prior to installation, enabling a much more thorough inspection for leaks before a boiler is ever assembled into a machine. This updated process significantly increases our confidence in every unit leaving the shop.
OLD Setup: NEW Setup:
Heating Element Improvements
We have continued refining our heating elements with a focus on long term reliability. We recently transitioned from 316 stainless steel elements to Incoloy 800. Incoloy 800 is a premium heating element material commonly used in high temperature industrial applications. It offers even greater corrosion resistance than 316 stainless and is less susceptible to stress corrosion cracking that can occur from thermal cycling after a strenuous shaping process during manufacturing.
Separately, we identified an issue with gasket settling on a recent batch of PTFE boiler gaskets. In some cases, after torquing and pressure checking, the nut could relax slightly as the gasket material settled. The immediate fix was simple and safe, and we updated our internal procedures to include a re-torque spec during assembly.
To make this more robust long term, we updated the heating element design to include an o-ring groove at the base so we can use high temperature rated silicone o-rings. We ran a pilot batch of 20 units using the new Incoloy elements with this design and saw excellent results, with torque remaining stable after initial tightening. We made a few small refinements and are receiving the next batch of 40 pieces this week and 60 more next week. Once those are confirmed, we will move directly into full production, with additional batches rolling in around early February.
Drip Tray Corner Seal
We have continued testing a drip tray corner seal designed to help secure the V2 drip tray covers while also protecting the area where the tray sits near the front cover. We have been testing 3D printed TPU samples with good results and are now working with our supplier on silicone and polyurethane production samples. Once we’ve validated these samples we’ll include this with all new machines.
Because this is addressing a manufacturing related fit issue, we plan to provide these corner seals at no cost to existing customers once they are available. If you would like to receive one, please email our support team to be added to the waitlist. We will begin fulfilling requests as soon as production parts are ready.
Fluid Level Probe
We identified an intermittent issue with our fluid level probes where, in some cases, the probe or its insulation sleeve could shift slightly over time. Either of these issues would partially obstruct the sensing tip and lead to a low fluid reading when the boiler level was actually acceptable.
Our initial mitigation was to introduce a bend at the tip of the probe to reduce the likelihood of movement. While this improved the situation, it did not fully eliminate the issue. Before placing our next probe order, we worked closely with our supplier to implement a more robust solution.
The first change is the addition of a pressed flat section in the metal probe just above the insulation. This change in cross sectional geometry prevents the probe from migrating relative to the insulation, which proved to be far more reliable than the previous bend.
The second change is an increase in the insulation sleeve wall thickness by 1 mm. This helps prevent the thermal creep that could occasionally occur with the thinner sleeve in the current design.
We expect to begin implementing these updated probes as soon as we receive them next month, and this revised design will also be used for any probe replacements going forward.
Piston Geometry Testing
We are still actively testing piston geometry changes aimed at improving puck saturation evenness. This work is ongoing and we will share more once testing is complete.
Software Development Progress (Feb 2, 2026 Edited to reflect firmware update)
We continued testing the shorter thermocouple compensation discussed in our previous update. To characterize the thermal gradient accurately, we installed both the original length and the new length thermocouples in the same boiler at the same time. This data will allow us to offset the new thermocouples appropriately within the app.
Some machines, particularly those with the new thermocouple, have shown a 2 to 3 degree Celsius overshoot during heat up. Over the past two months, we have been re-tuning our PID controller from the ground up using a first principles approach. We started with a proportional only controller to establish a stable undershoot, then layered in integral control to close the remaining gap. From there, we tuned the bang bang timing, which determines when the heater transitions from full power to closed loop control.
The difficulty with our system comes from our variable setpoint based on grouphead temperature. To accommodate this, we’ve developed a unique algorithm to make our PID timing also based on this same variation to account for differences in heat transfer rates between initial start up and steady state.
We are currently on the 44th iteration and are finally approaching the level of precision we are aiming for. We plan to run additional validation tests after evaluating derivative behavior before releasing this update. A major factor in this drawn out timeline is that the machine must fully cool between tests to ensure consistent first shot conditions.
Everyone should install the latest firmware (1.7.1 or higher) for the most up to date PID tune. Anyone with serial 1220 and higher has the new (shorter) style thermocouple probe and likely experiences their machine overshooting the target temperature and taking several minutes to cool back down.
In this case, after you update the firmware, you will want to click “Manage Argos” then at the bottom you will see “Bang Bang Offset”.
Click into this and change the number from 0.0 to 3.0.
1) If you look at this page during your next few heat up cycles, you can make note of any over or undershoot of the boiler relative to the target. We have seen about 10% of the machines in our testing undershoot by 1C and sit there for several minutes before reaching target temp. If this happens to your machine, you should change the Bang Bang Offset value to 2.5 (a decrease of 0.5 from before).
After completing these steps, your Argos should no longer experience significant overshooting. Small fluctuations are expected, but our testing has found this to show major improvements in the thermal stability of all Argos machines.
Our plan is to implement an auto tune in the next firmware update to automatically adjust any machines that over or undershoot in the event that these instructions were not performed correctly or further fine tuning is needed.
IMPORTANT:
If your serial number is earlier and you know that your machine has had a thermocouple replaced within the past 6 months, you can look into your boiler to confirm.
Short Thermocouple: Long Thermocouple:
Anyone who has the original longer thermocouple SHOULD NOT change any of the tuning parameters after updating. Your machine will perform better “as is” from the new PID logic alone. Any new machines shipping out the week of February 9, 2026 will have these changes already performed during our Quality Control Process.
Financial and Production Outlook
Overall, 2025 was a strong year for us, with clear progress in units shipped compared to prior years and measurable improvements in quality, reflected in fewer warranty repairs in more recent batches.
As with most hardware startups, the path to profitability is capital intensive up front. To accelerate that path and eliminate parts related delays, we pursued a business loan in September 2025. Unfortunately, the shutdown of the US government significantly impacted this process, as the Small Business Administration was closed for over a month. We were ultimately able to receive funding just after Christmas, which has allowed us to place inventory orders for the remaining machines in our backlog without burdening cash flow.
The positive outcome is that we have spent Q4 addressing several of our most challenging components and systems. The downside is that the funding delay did introduce some schedule impact.
As parts continue to arrive over the next month, we will keep ramping production back up and do not expect any additional inventory related delays for the remainder of the backlog.
Thank you, as always, for your patience and support. We remain committed to delivering a machine that continues to improve in reliability, usability, and longevity.
Sincerely,
Ross & William