Designing and tooling for efficient low volume manufacture in a competitive environment

2. Designing and tooling for efficient low volume
manufacture in a competitive environment
Anthony Batley - Howard Wright Limited R&D Manager
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013

3. How do we compete against tough
international competition in NZ &
Australia?
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013

4. Asking questions & finding out what the problems are
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• Research in our chosen markets and find out what our end users need.
• Let our end users tell us what they need in a product and what is important to them.
• Observe end users working with our products and look to find insights into how we can
make their jobs more efficient and safer.

5. Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
Observation & insight
• New Zealand clinicians are innovative and come up with interesting ways to modify
existing equipment to make it work for them.
• Observing and questioning the status quo instead of just listening to people is a
great way to uncover insights.

6. Passionate people
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• We like to build relationships with people who are passionate about making care
easier and invite them to join us in the design journey.
• We work closely with big customers; combine their knowledge with our know-how
right through the development from start to finish.

7. Rapid prototyping
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• It is important for us to spend time in the workshop prototyping and testing ideas
and sometimes inviting end users in to see what they think and provide feedback on
the designs.

8. Full scale mock-ups
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• Because of the size of our products it is quick and easy to build full scale mock-ups
to see a design evolve.
• Using mock ups is often easier to convey ideas than a through a sketch and it helps
get buy in from others in the company and build interest as a design takes shape.

9. CAD modelling
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• CAD software is useful for detail design and ensuring everything will fit together
properly.
• It is also good for renders to understand what the finished product may look like.

10. Unique differentiator
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• This is a photograph of a final design showing the products biggest unique feature –
the ability for clinicians to use a C-Arm image intensifier while a patient remains in
the bed.
• It is always an advantage for a product to have several unique differentiators when
facing stiff competition especially when all products in the race are of a similar price.

11. Insights realised
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• The final design with a number of insights realised in one product.

12. Customisation – good but bad ……. but good
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• In 2004 we had around 70 variations of the M6 ward bed which were all very similar
and made on a very basic production line.
• We were providing a customising service to win business.
• Customising was expensive and slow and made manufacturing complicated with all
of the variations but we did learn a huge amount about what our customers needed
in a product, so working in this customising way wasn’t wasted – in fact it turned out
to be really important for us.

13. Simple design = simple manufacturing
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• In 2005 we worked with a large hospital in Sydney and developed the M7 ward bed
– one bed which encompassed all of our learning’s which was really simple, quick
and easy to make.

14. Modular design
M7 ward bed M7 trauma stretcher M7 transport stretcher
M7 examination couch M9 ward bed
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• The M7 has been a reliable platform for us and has formed the basis for many new
models using many of the same parts and manufacturing methods.
• Not only easy for end users but easy for our production team as they are familiar
with the components and all of the products fit together in a similar way.

15. Brand and Design Values
Simple Practical, Pure, Straightforward, Visual, Familiar
Smart Innovative, Elegant, Responsive, Knowledgeable, Insightful
Human Intuitive, Empathetic, Reliable, Respectful, Honest
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• During the development of the M7 range our own unique design language evolved.
• It is based around what our customer’s valued and what we believe in.
• Having a design language is important as it means that all of our products have a
very similar look and feel about them and everything is consistent.

16. Friendly faces
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• Being close to our markets means we can be close to our customers.
• Customers expect durable reliable products but also appreciate outstanding
customer service and technical support.

17. Labour saving plant and equipment
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• Using robots for welding has greatly improved welding output.
• One of the main advantages of robot welding is consistency with less
finishing required.
• Robots are suitable for higher volume but can still be flexible - welding jigs
can be quickly and easily interchanged so that different products can be
made using the same robot.

18. Identifying and reducing waste
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013
• Value stream mapping - mapping out all steps from quoting, ordering,
manufacturing, despatch and delivery, finding non-value adding activities and
finding ways to eliminate them.

19. Summary
• Work closely with our customers.
• Work closely with our suppliers.
• Use technology appropriate for our volume.
• Work hard to maintain consistency and attention to detail.
• Maintain empathy with all end users and hold true to our brand promise.
Successful Product Development Seminar – 25/09/2013