Troubleshooting / optimisation / cost reduction / performance gain
These are the basic skills that are often required in jobs we have done. We have 33 years of experience to draw on in addressing these types of issues.
We have frequently performed forensic engineering on failed products. Where we have used advanced 3D modelling and FEA simulation techniques to replicate failure modes in software and then explore solutions. All without incurring tooling modifications or expensive destructive tests. We have many case histories where we found cost effective solutions to what was widely seen as an expensive disaster at the time we were called in.

Spotting opportunities for making an existing or proposed product function better or cost less to make is one of our basic skills. Our suggestions will draw on experience from a wide range of industries while being tempered by what we have seen work for other clients. This has often helped project teams come up with innovative solutions. In-house project teams can be very experienced in the technology in their own company, without much appreciation of what (seemingly) unrelated industries have been doing. This sort of cross-fertilisation is an essential part of the job of an outside technical consultant.

An example of our success in this vital area of product design is that of a switch module. The design created by the in-house team had 25 parts, several steel pressings, springs, two switches, and a lot of fasteners. We created an assembly of 3 plastic mouldings, one switch and no fasteners that achieved exactly the same functionality. Spin-off benefits over the previous solution were that the new design was more resistant to abuse, impossible to misassemble and required no maintenance during the 10 year expected product life. This was a routine job for Sanders Associates, but saved the client a small fortune.