Montie Design Completes LED, Environmental Testing, and Tolerance Analysis Projects
Our talented innovation and commercialization team has recently completed several projects showcasing our firm’s diverse portTfolio of product design and technical consulting. Summer 2012 efforts include a complex tolerance analysis study performed for a leading supplier of interconnect products, several different LED lights, and large environmental test chambers. The tolerance analysis study — for a component in a rack mount chassis — was produced on a parallel course as the design of a reference enclosure for our client. As the design team members created concept sketches and models, then 3D CAD models and drawings using SolidWorks design software, they were crafting the detailed tolerance analysis in white paper format to answer the essential questions of “how do I use the component in a real world design?” and “what are the consequences of using that component in a design?”
LED lights are extremely efficient, but most people don’t realize the amount of concentrated heat they generate. Keeping the electronic circuits healthy requires careful thermal controls. Because of the thermal requirements and the production cost sensitivity, LED lights have to be well designed in order to be competitive with existing non-LED lights and function over a very long life. These LED lights are made in low-to-medium quantities but have to compete with products that are made in very, very high quantities. Challenges like this require a focused design effort with an experienced team that works closely with the client to leverage their internal experience.
As for the large environmental test chambers, they are custom products designed and built one at a time. The prevailing wisdom for these chambers has been to design them in 2D with older CAD systems such as AutoCad, but we took a different approach were we leveraged the power of 3D CAD to create complete models of the chambers down to the individual part, nut and bolt. This makes it much easier for our clients to review the design, source the parts and build the enclosures. The models also can provide detailed information for end-users in case repairs are ever needed, said Roland, a value-add his clients were not able to provide their customers in the past.
Montie Design Participates in Morrisville Economic Development Forum
On September 17, I attended a Morrisville Economic Development Forum to learn about best practices in economic development. The first speaker was Bob Leak Sr. with Leak-Goforth Company, LLC., a seasoned consultant who helps companies find suitable locations for businesses in locations spanning the North American continent and outlying islands. Michael Silver, planner for the City of Raleigh, walked us through the process the City of Raleigh has used to create a zoning system that is very different that the traditional density-based zoning systems of the past. This “central planning” approach is somewhat controversial and may not be a fit for the town of Morrisville, but there are several tools they use that could help Morrisville plan for the future. Bill Bott from the Change & Innovation Agency conducted a mini-class about how governments should look at their output as a product. He went further to explain the need to identify the actual end user and how that isn’t always who you think it is. It was very interesting to hear about product development in the context of government. The same tools and approach applies, just in a different context. This was a valuable morning for me in multiple ways. As a firm, we have very little interaction with planning or zoning issues. However, as I’ve personally become more involved with economic development in Morrisville, it is becoming very apparent that economic development is much more complex than just growing companies with new products.
We are proud to continue to contribute to local and regional organizations to contribute to economic growth any way we can.
Montie Gear Expands Product Line, Launches Revamped Website
When we originally built the Montie Gear site we were looking to generate a modest amount of interest and website traffic. To our surprise, we soon found this interest to be well beyond our initial expectations. This is a good problem and now we have a great solution with an enhanced web presence and easier to use shopping cart to better handle orders more quickly. If you get a chance, please check out the new website at www.montiegear.com.
We’ve also been busy with new products (between jobs for clients). These products include the break-down arrow for the slingshot, the camp shelf (
2012 Montie Gear Contest winner from NCSU), Hunter’s Friend for tree stands and the garbage bag holder (solving a simple problem in a simple and cool way by a Cary High student). These products should all be available for sale sometime in Q4. Other products in the pipeline include the Montie Gear ultralight knife and the advanced bow sight. We are having way too much fun with these products.
Montie Design Joins the Partnership for Defense Innovation
We have officially joined the Partnership for Defense Innovation (PDI) as part of an overall effort to further its commitment to serving the changing needs of the defense industry. A tax exempt 501 c(3) organization promoting economic development in the defense space, PDI is based in Fayetteville.
As many of you may know, Montie Design has been working alongside PDI through the years, interacting with member companies and organizational leadership at industry events. We decided that formalizing our relationship would help both parties contribute to defense innovation through outreach efforts such as this past summer’s Advanced Technologies Forum hosted by U.S. Senator Richard Burr. I was honored to serve on an information technology panel discussing modeling and simulation at the event, which served to establish a dialogue between industry, academia and government and form partnerships to address the future needs of the federal government to meet future challenges such as sequestration.
Call or Email Today to Discuss Your Project
Want to talk product development or need help with a project? Don’t hesitate to contact Montie Roland at 919-481-1845×103 or montie@montie.com.-798
