Medical laboratory pipette - product design & development
Name withheld for client confidentiality
3Minds were asked to develop an electronic pipette to integrate with a desktop laboratory analyser.
The Pipette uses a custom formed stainless steel tube, thermal transfer material and a flexible heater arrangement to maintain the fluid sample at one of two selectable temperature settings. Electronics integrated into the handset providing a local closed loop temperature control, the operator controls and the interface back to the analyser.
The single PCB assembly fits into the small form factor of the enclosure, with light pipes used to implement the two status LEDs.
Calibration of the temperature settings is achievable with the Pipette fully assembled.
3Minds produced prototype boards for evaluation and system testing and worked closely with the client during the integration of the Pipette with the analyser. We are currently providing batch manufacture and test of the pipette units.
Commercial control unit - anaylsis & product design
3Minds have completed the re-design of a control system for a West Midlands based manufacturer of high quality bathroom products.
The system is an innovative, touch free electronic flushing system. An interactive infrared sensor provides the user interface. A software algorithm was developed to ensure that the new design is immune to false triggering when condensation forms on the lens or when an external light source is present.
The form factor of the sensor housing is limited and 3Minds proposed two solutions. Both proposals were prototyped, including the light tunnels which were CAD modelled in 3D and produced using rapid CNC machining. The final systems were evaluated and tested extensively in-house.
3Minds have also introduced the client to a high volume surface mount and finished assembly manufacturing partner located in the UK
