How We Turned an Open-Source Arm Into Koch V2.0 - A Market-Ready Robot with $10K Waiting List in Few Months
From Prototype Chaos to Product Success
Every great product starts as a rough idea. But not every idea makes it past the prototype stage.
When Michael Mentele building his robotics startup reached out to me, he had in his hands the open-source Koch V1.1 robotic arm, a clever design, but more of a concept than a finished product. Wires dangled loosely, the base needed clamps to stay in place, and the overall look felt far from polished.
And importantly, I ensured the design followed the brand identity of Banana Robotics—using their visual language, colors, and aesthetic cues. This alignment made Koch V2 not only a functional upgrade, but also a product that communicates the company’s vision at first glance.
His challenge was clear: “Can you turn this into something stable, beautiful, and market-ready?”
Step 1 – Understanding the Old Koch
Before touching the design, I immersed myself in Koch V1.1:
Simulated the joints to understand motion limits.
Studied each link individually and its wiring..
Evaluated where it fell short in usability and aesthetics.
This wasn’t just analysis, it was about finding the DNA of the design, so we could rebuild it stronger.
Step 2 – Defining the Vision for V2.0
Together, we set ambitious but practical goals:
✅ Sleek, polished design worthy of a commercial product.
✅ Internal wire management—no loose cables, everything hidden and protected.
✅ Stable base, no clamps—with balanced center of mass, enclosed electronics, external Type-C and power ports, plus anti-vibration feet.
✅ Bonus improvement: I achieved a weight reduction in the links, making the arm lighter and more efficient.
This step was crucial—it gave me a clear framework to move forward with confidence.
Step 3 – Building Koch V2.0
Using those constraints, I developed the first version: Koch V1 with a square base.
V1 successfully achieved all the requirements:
Internal wire management – no more dangling cables.
Stable structure – no clamps, balanced center of mass.
Aesthetic redesign – links polished and reduced in weight by 16%.
Electronics integration – enclosed neatly in the base, with accessible Type-C and power ports plus anti-vibration feet.
But once we test-printed and evaluated the arm, we saw room for refinement.
Step 4 – From V2.0 to V2.1: Refinement After Testing
Testing led us to make two major revisions:
Base Redesign – The square base created a large, unreachable area the arm couldn’t use. I redesigned the base with a sharper focus on function and aesthetics. After reviewing multiple design options, we finalized a sleek, compact, and efficient V2 base.
Options to Solve it
Simplified Assembly – By merging the servo horn spline directly into the link, we reduced part count and made assembly faster and more reliable.
With these improvements, Koch V2.1 was born.
Step 5 – Delivering Koch V2.1
The final deliverables included:
3D-printable files ready for production.
High-quality renderings to visualize the finished product.
A product datasheet to support sales and marketing.
Koch had now evolved from an open-source experiment into a polished, production-ready robotic arm.
The Outcome – Koch V2.1 in Action
The transformation was massive:
From dangling wires to hidden and organized wiring.
From clamp-mounted instability to a self-supporting, vibration-free base.
From a rough prototype to a sleek, market-ready robot arm.
And with the weight reduction, performance improved too.
One of the proudest moments of this project was seeing Koch V2 being used in real life.
Here’s a short demo video of a grandma interacting with the robotic arm
The client was thrilled. On Upwork, he left a glowing 5-star review:
“Omar takes ownership. Very impressive initiative and problem solving. Would definitely work with Omar again!”
And even before launch, Koch V2 already generated a waiting list of expected sales worth $10,000 USD.
How We Worked Together
The success of Koch V2 wasn’t only about design—it was also about clear communication and a structured workflow.
Contract & Start: We first connected and agreed on the project through Upwork.
Daily Communication: After that, most of the ongoing communication happened on Slack, where we could share quick updates and ideas in real time.
Progress Sharing: I regularly sent Loom videos to explain design decisions, walk through 3D models, and keep everything transparent.
File Management: All design files, renders, and documentation were neatly organized in Google Drive, making it easy to track versions and collaborate smoothly.
Meetings Rhythm: We scheduled two weekly Zoom meetings—every Friday and Monday—to review progress, set weekly goals, and align on next steps.
This structured approach ensured that the client always had full visibility on the project and felt confident moving from prototype to product.
What’s Next?
The story doesn’t end here. The next chapter is already in motion:
👉 The Double Leader-Follower Koch System – a powerful upgrade designed to take this innovation even further.
💡 This journey shows how design isn’t just about making things look better—it’s about bridging the gap between open-source prototypes and market-ready products that sell.
