Engineering for machine automation, manufacturing & products

Our strengths are commercial & industrial product design and automation machinery design & engineering, involving electronics, precision motion control, mechanisms, plastic and sheet-metal enclosures. Plastic process expertise includes injection, thermo-forming and rotational molding.

 

The 3D CAD world has had a tendency to spawn a growing number of what we call  "CAD jockeys," who have lots of experience with CAD systems but little real world design experience.  Our design expertise started on the drafting board, where we learned the art of design — 3D CAD is an incredible tool that enhances the visual communication of the idea to both the designer and end user, but a CAD does not replace mechanical design knowledge.

We believe that the accomplishment of a technical result is as much administrative as it is technical.  Without standard, well documented policy that is understood, accepted and applied throughout the group, the efforts of the best engineers and technicians are greatly jeopardized.  In fact technical staff are actually at some risk in terms of their professional reputation, in companies or projects that are poorly administered.

With this in mind we have adopted a  structured approach to all engineering and administrative activities.

 

Standard Project Outline

 

We use a standard, three design review format:

 

1.  Initial Design Review

2.  Detail Design Review

3.  Final Design Review

 

At the start of each project, deliverables are defined for each of the design reviews listed above.

 

Initial design, also sometimes called "conceptual design review" usually requires presenting three or more different conceptual approaches to the problem, one of which is finally chosen before signing off the "Initial design review".

 

Reviewing a complete documentation package of fabrication drawings, assembly drawings and then getting sign-offs from engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and finance make up the final two design reviews.

 

Rapid prototype models, where applicable, are suggested during the initial design review.

 

"First part", manufactured in actual production environment should always be done and approved prior to final design review sign-off.