Microduck backlog blamed on unfinished injection molds, not Shenzhen capacity
_akhaliq · x · 2026-09-03
Pollen's founder says the Microduck backlog isn't a Shenzhen supply issue but unfinished injection-molding tools. Hitting 10,000 units by Christmas means just 100/day for 100 days, yet plastic parts can't be mass-produced yet — mold design (shrinkage, cooling, release), CNC machining, polishing and tolerance checks take 6-12 weeks, especially with many articulated parts.
Key details:
- Reachy Mini's launch (with Seeed since May) taught the team about production and supply chains, but order enthusiasm far exceeded expectations.
- Reachy Mini was produced in batches, causing uneven delivery times, worsened by RAM market chaos disrupting suppliers.
- Both robots are moving to continuous production for a steady monthly output and more predictable delivery.
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