The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £1 million in feasibility studies, to be led by SMEs, which will stimulate innovation in the oil and gas sector and accelerate the development and deployment of new technologies.

Proposals for the studies should focus on the areas of increasing oil and gas recovery efficiencies, improving asset integrity and extending the life of offshore installations.  This may be achieved through:

-  the further development of existing technologies already in the sector;

-  the transfer of existing technologies from other sectors, such as ICT, power generation, sensors, advanced materials and manufacturing;

-  the application of novel or completely new technologies within the sector.

The Technology Strategy Board is seeking applications led by SMEs, preferably partnering with larger organisations already operating in the sector (or looking to do so) and who are able to take concepts to market quickly.  Up to £1 million will be made available and the maximum grant award for any single study will be £75,000.

Successful projects should, ultimately, help retain, anchor and develop the oil and gas supply chain in the UK to deliver sustainable jobs and economic growth in the long term, against increasing competition from other regions.  It is expected that projects will, through further development, be able to deliver cost reduction and efficiency improvements while contributing to environmental sustainability in the sector.

The Developing Innovation in the Oil and Gas Sector competition opens on 25 June 2012 and the deadline for registration is 1 August 2012.  Applications must then be submitted by 8 August 2012.  For further information please visit: Oil and Gas Competition.

If you need help with your problem solving, proving a principle, idea development and funding, please contact Canard Design.  We have a significant success rate with funding applications, from feasibility studies, through to development; so you can be confident that your proposal will be processed expertly.

If you have an idea outside of the oil and gas sector, contact Canard to find out if your idea will qualify for other funding streams.  We will  confidentially assess your idea, to assess the best way forward.

When you bring your idea or product proposal to a design consultancy, ideally you will have an existing route to market, a potential customer base and a budget within which to work. You may also have in-house skills which will enable you to advise and work with the designers – although this isn’t essential to the five stages of development that we recommend.

The 5 Stages of the development Process

Before embarking on the process, the first step is the exchange of a non-disclosure agreement. In most cases, the design development process breaks down into five principal phases with a clear aim at the end of each stage so both parties can decide how to proceed. Sometimes the initial phases of the development process have already been carried out so only prototyping services, CAD data or technical drawings are required. However, this isn’t always as clear cut as it might seem. Turning a 3D model into a product that is ready for large-scale manufacturing takes time and a good understanding of the production processes. This is one of the main reasons why design companies are commissioned to undertake the work. A design consultancy should also be able to optimise the cost of production tools and parts – without compromising form or function.

Stage 1 – The project brief.

Although the shortest phase of the design process, this sets the tone for the rest of the project. Clear instructions as to the purpose of the idea, parts that should be included in assembly and any particular aims are all useful for the designer. This feedback often comes from end users who may have a wide range of valid opinions that need to be considered throughout the design process. The brief should also include key details which are essential to make the product work efficiently.

A good brief should outline:

• what the product will do and how

• any specific technology to be incorporated

• knowledge of any products or components with which the new product must be compatible

• any official standards with which the product must comply

• end user requirements

• the unique selling points of the product.

Stage 2- Idea generation.

Once the brief is agreed and signed off, the designers will begin to provide ideas for the product, working within the parameters and specification.

Cost is a major consideration and the manufacturing process will also influence its form. For example, injection mouldings require a draft to enable the removal of the part from the tool. Metal fabrications have limitations on folds on corners and may need to include welds whilst aluminium extrusions can have limited detail unless they are post-machined, which adds to the cost.

Our designers at Canard usually propose two or three alternative forms at the ideas generation phase. These consider all the parameters set out in the brief, but without the detail at this stage. Proposals are often modelled by using simple block models in blue Styrofoam or prints from a 3D printer. This takes initial outline data from the CAD files and lays down a binder in a thin layer of fine powder. As each layer is added, a three dimensional form is generated which is then made more durable by applying finishing materials once out of the machine. This gives a quick way of assessing the form, dimensions and general layout of the design without having to engineer parts or model them using more costly methods.

The ideas are presented as outline sketches, sketch models and 3D CAD files. Where appropriate, rigs may also be made to solve specific problems or demonstrate solutions to challenging problems. These are working models that assist in the communication and allow the designers to demonstrate how a mechanism or principle may work.

Stage 3 – Concept development.

A project often benefits from reflection time at the end of the ideas phase to decide upon the preferred option for development. The concept development stage then allows time for ideas to be consolidated into one cohesive product and to add any detail not fully considered or checked at the ideas phase. This stage may also involve a number of more detailed models which could include another 3D print or another form of rapid prototype called an SLA (from stereolithography apparatus) or SLS (selective laser sintering). There is also a process known as MLS (metal laser sintering) which produces a metal component in a similar way. All these processes can seem expensive, but enable parts such as mouldings or die-castings to be checked before investing in tooling.

CAD files such as Pro-Engineer or Solidworks are frequently updated during this phase to produce the necessary files in order to make the rapid prototypes. These files go through a series of amendments before the final versions are submitted to the relevant manufacturers for quotation. The quotations allow the designer to compile a costing spreadsheet which provides an accurate idea of final costs for assessing the selling price.

Stage 4 – Working models, block models and prototyping.

Following approval and signing off of the concept, further more detailed prototypes may be made and used for test purposes, or for market research and feedback before final tooling is produced. Depending on numbers required, this is likely to be a series of vacuum castings, a process by which a silicon tool is produced from an SLA master. The tool made is suitable for 25 to 30 mouldings depending on their complexity: more complex components are likely to wear more quickly and therefore allow fewer parts to be made. Sometimes this method is used to produce one hundred or so units, but four or five tools may be required in order to achieve this.

Testing the product is vital and it is important to use an impartial test house at the appropriate time. Canard can recommend organisations that provide this service. Packaging, instructions, servicing and CE Marking or self-certification are also important factors to consider at this stage and the prototypes can be used to gain relevant feedback.

Stage 5 – Compilation of manufacturing data.

The fifth and final design stage entails the compilation of data for the manufacture of all components, including 2D drawings, computer files, Bill of Materials, costings and any other data generated during the design development.

However, the project isn’t necessarily complete until it is launched and sold to the intended end user or customer. A design consultancy can provide valuable input at the production stage and is often called upon to check components and ensure that the product works effectively.

Whatever your product, your tenacity and collaboration with an innovative design consultancy will prove vital to overcoming any challenges you may face during the design and manufacturing process – and to achieving success.

Make it in Great Britain is a campaign aiming to transform outdated opinions of modern manufacturing and dispel the myth that Britain ‘doesn’t make anything anymore’. We think it’s a great initiative and a fantastic chance for everyone, especially those of us involved in manufacturing, to be proud of what this country produces. The web link is at the bottom of the email, it’s worth a look.

The Science museum will be hosting the Make it in Great Britain exhibition of cutting-edge British manufacturing during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. There’s also a campaign will also feature the Make it in Great Britain Challenge, a national competition to find the most innovative British pre-market products, processes and concepts to include in the Make it in Great Britain exhibition.

The Make it in Great Britain Challenge is open to inventors, manufacturers, engineers, designers, businesses of all sizes, young people and the general public. It forms part of the Make it in Great Britain campaign, which aims to change the image of modern manufacturing.

Judges are seeking entries across five categories:

• Make it…Stronger
• Make it…Smarter;
• Make it…Sustainable;
• Make it…Life changing; and
• Make it…Breakthrough (for 16-21 year old entrants only)

For more information see the Make it in Great Britain website

What is your budget for the design and development of your product? If your answer was ‘I don’t know’, stop and think about this carefully before going any further. It is important, in the first instance, to understand exactly what is involved in developing a product from conception to a manufactured and ‘saleable’ product and secondly, to decide how much you are willing to spend and how you are going to fund it. You should not begin the design development process without having established a figure that you can afford to spend. There is no point in getting half way through a project only to discover you don’t have enough funds to complete it.

Canard will provide you with a quote that will break down expected costs and deliverables for each stage of the product development process.  You can chose how far you wish to go with the development of your product, and have no obligation to continue past each stage.  This allows you to manage your financial risk and remain in control of your cash flow and budget.

Some of our customers will get concepts developed into 3D CAD sketches, and some go all the way to production.  The choice is yours – you remain in control.

Speak to us for a free consultation and quote, or email us for a non disclosure agreement, so you can be confident your idea will remain in safe hands.

OmniPerception have gained a reputation as a global supplier of computer vision software, specialising in face recognition and advanced image processing. The company provides solutions for the automatic detection of objects and brand logos from the broadcast TV footage of all major sporting events. They have also developed world leading capabilities in face  recognition and are currently developing products that will unlock the potential of face recognition in a range of markets.

By designing, micro-managing prototype production, and assembling initial batches, Canard has been able to share the problem-solving required during the development process with OmniPerception without them losing control. An iterative development process has allowed us to refine the design continually to ensure the best possible quality, consistency AND the most cost-effective manufacture and assembly approach.

This collaborative approach to product design was recognised by ‘The Engineer’ who shortlisted us for their ‘Technology and Innovation Award’

Thanks to the shared use of SolidWorks Canard Design were able to take the PCB and electronics components designed by OmniPerceptions’ in house technical team and generate a casework to suit. A route was quickly agreed that used an extrusion to form the body and separate the bright flash from the sensitive camera. Because of the short project time the extrusion was finalised to give time for a spark eroded sample to be produced. Parts were blocked out to give a rough schematic for OmniPerceptions’ approval.

 

Once the initial concept was agreed the detail could be tackled. press fits, slide fits, threads and gaskets all had to be added and checked for accurate tolerances to deliver the best possible finish and operation to a demanding specification – the flash emits so much heat that the front can reach temperatures as high as 90 degrees. Trusted suppliers that could deliver for production were selected and worked with to help ensure the parts would be produced in the most efficient and repeatable way.

 

The prototype production was micro-managed by Canard Design to remove the burden of liaising with multiple suppliers from OmniPerception and minimise the lead time. The image above shows the first prototype with the spark eroded casework used to check fit and function before commissioning tooling for the extrusion.

Once  assembled the prototypes were tested by Canard Design and OmniPerception – Both groups kept a ‘snag list’ (a list of improvements to make for future versions) – changes of 0.1mm, deepening counter-bores, altering gasket thickness, re-routing of wiring and any awkward assembly jobs were noted and solved for future prototypes.  The screens above were added to shield the electronics to pass EMC testing.

An initial batch was produced by Canard Design and assembled, again checking fit and tolerances to determine if and how future improvements could be made. In total, from concept to a batch of 10 fully working prototypes for field testing, the project lasted around 9 months including extensive testing and lead time on the extrusion tool. Lead times were shortened by almost constant communication between OmniPerception’s technical team and Canard’s designers using skype, dropbox and an open door policy.

The project brief, although the shortest of phases of the design process is the one which will set the tone for the rest of the project. A client should give the designers clear instructions as to the purpose of the idea, parts that should be included in the assembly and any particular aims that they have. This feedback often comes from the end users who can give a variety of views and opinions all of which are likely to be valid and need to be considered throughout the design process. The brief also includes key details which are essential to make the product work efficiently.

For example, Checkpoint.S™ a facial recognition camera that we designed recently for Omniperception, required the housing of a high voltage Xenon flash unit which flashed hundreds of times while in use, therefore the unit needed to dissipate the heat very quickly. This has a major influence on the potential manufacturing processes and materials used and therefore the final form. Without knowledge of this crucial requirement, other materials might have been initially considered and, if this hadn’t been stated from the start, additional costs may have been incurred due to changes to the brief.

A good brief involves outlining:

• what the product will do and how it will do it

• any specific technology to be incorporated

• knowledge of any other products or components with which the new product must be compatible

• any official standards to which the product must comply

• end user requirements

• the unique selling points of the product

Like lego our process is based on standard blocks that combine to create a process that is unique for every client

When we’re approached by a company with an innovative idea or product proposal each product is assessed individually to consider the unique elements of a proposal and deliver a route to manufacture that is tailored to each clients needs and considerate of their experience and skill. We deliver this tailored solution based on a proven generic process, which is similar for all products regardless of  size or complexity but adjusted to each specific client and product.

Ideally the client will have an existing route to market, a potential customer base and a budget within which to work. Our perfect client is one that collaborates with our designers and contributes to the project but this doesn’t suit everyone and it isn’t essential.

Following the exchange of a non-disclosure agreement, the design team will then be able to follow these five phases of the design development process.

1. Briefing

2. Ideas generation

3. Concept development

4. Working models and prototyping

5. Accumulation of manufacturing data

In most instances, the full design development process breaks down into five principal categories or phases. By breaking the process down both the client and the consultancy commissioned to undertake the work have a clear and concise aim at the end of each stage and both parties can decide and agree how to proceed to the next stage.

We find that some clients have undertaken some phases of the product development process already and perhaps wish us to quote for prototyping or to produce CAD data or technical drawings. This isn’t always as clear cut as it might seem. Turning a 3D model into a product that is ready for large-scale manufacturing can take time and a good understanding of the production processes is required. This is one of the main reasons why design companies are commissioned to undertake the work. Working with potential manufacturers, a design consultancy will (or should) optimise the cost of production tools and design the product so that the parts are also as cost-effective as possible without compromising the form or function.

Research into the intended market place is vital. How big is it? Is it local or international? How many competitor products are there? What is the unique selling point going to be of the new product? What is the target market share for the product and therefore how many units could be sold per month/year? Most importantly, when predicting these figures be realistic!

An important assessment to make is will the results be worth the time, resources, and effort involved? It is likely that costs will not be recovered immediately; however, there must be confidence that the product will be worthwhile, useful and an improvement in the long term.

In order to ensure the product features are as applicable to the consumers as possible it is useful to carry out customer interviews and observations. What are their goals? For each task, how do they go about it? What is the product of their work? What do they feel could be improved upon and done better?

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Delivering product design funding for technology-inspired innovation

The Technology Strategy Board has launched its latest round of funding.  They are investing up to £2m in feasiblity studies to stimulate innovation across core technology areas and to help ensure that small and micro businesses in the UK are well equiped to respond to society’s current and future challenges.

Projects in the fields of: Advanced materials, nanoscale technologies, biosciences, electronics, photonics, electrical systems, and information and communications technology are being sought.

Funding is exclusively available to small and micro companies working either singly or in collaboration with one partner.  projects can last up to four months and are eligible for grants of up to £25,000.  Total project costs must not exceed £33,000.

Call us for a free consultation – The closing date for applications is April 11th 2012.  ACT NOW!

Nottinghamshire-based heating engineer Adrian Morley set out to find a solution to this problem. The answer needed to be a simple device that could be attached to new boilers and retrofitted to existing installations to solve this costly problem.

In this case Adrian had a clear concept in mind and a presentation to sell the idea. Canard Design used this as our starting point to design a unit that met our clients need and budget. We were able to turn the project from an initial idea to a production item in less than a year including support for marketing and project management.

Our first step was to evaluate the existing design and decide what should change, what could change, and what was fixed. We decided that a more pragmatic design solution was required to meet our clients need within their tight budget: A standard float switch was fitted inside a conventional vessel and simple electronics were removed to a secondary container.

The next task was to re-design the internal components to minimise risk of failure and keep tooling cost as low as possible without affecting the performance of the Boiler Condensate Guard.

20 prototypes made to test the principle and performance of the units fitted

The first 20 units used a wiring loom, and no PCB – but after cost-down evaluation it was determined that a PCB would be marginally cheaper AND provide savings in assembly

A membrane was introduced to the moulding to explain the function and operation of the CondensAlert BCG

Using the prototype parts we employed an external test house to evaluate the proposal and advise on CE marking and conformity to relevant standards. For the most part the test house report was positive but highlighted some areas Canard could improve upon before the CondensAlert went into production. As a part of the test procedure the test house provided a template which we used to produce a technical file – which they then evaluated. Our experience is that this technical file is extremely useful, especially when other tests, trials or assessments need to be carried out.

Canard Design worked with tool makers to improve the design for manufacture and assembly and continued to be involved throughout production. For us it is critical to stay involved. Initially we provided a purchasing document which contained information about components, sources, order number and costs – however as we neared production some suppliers could not deliver on time or required design changes to successfully deliver their components. Thanks to our close involvement we were often able to identify and solve potential setbacks in less than 24 hours resulting in timely and cost-effective delivery to our client.

If you would like to see more on The CondensAlert project please see the links below:

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