This National Apprenticeship week, we talk to Jake about his experience as a Production Apprentice, what he is studying and why an apprenticeship is a great way to start your career.
This National Apprenticeship week, we talk to Jake about his experience as a Production Apprentice, what he is studying and why an apprenticeship is a great way to start your career.
With the market struggling to settle, we explore what measures can be put in place to mitigate the effects of a changing landscape.
The global supply chain has become increasingly unstable causing component shortages across the industry. So, what does this mean for electronic components and when will we see an end to shortages?
This week, we had the pleasure of Ava Trewen's company as she joined the team for her Year 10 work experience placement. Find out what Ava got up to at Cubik HQ.
We are excited to announce that we are working on EarSwitch, a new medical technology that hopes to transform the lives of people living with neurological conditions, such as motor neuron disease.
We explore some of the reasons why an electronics design project might run into difficulty and what can be done to get things back on track.
Cubik Innovation invests £65,000 in a Fritsch PA520 modular pick and place machine that will increase Cubik's PCB output by up to 50%.
At the start of a project it's important to understand what you want to achieve and identify risks. Specifications can help you organise and prioritise your ideas and avoid costly mistakes.
The UK Government have amended some of the aspects regarding the change from CE to UKCA marking. We've updated this article to reflect these changes.
Target Darts is a leader in darts equipment and sponsors some of the biggest names in the game including Luke Littler and Rob Cross. Their latest product creates a new category of connected IoT devices bringing the skill and excitement of the game to homes at the touch of a button.
The Virt Camera is a two-way camera system that allows users to play competitive darts against a global online community. It's front facing camera lets you opponent watch your throw, while the dartboard facing camera allows them to see your dart land in real time, high-definition video.
Target Darts approached Cubik with a prototype of their new product and asked us to conduct a design review that focussed on design for manufacture and supply. The Virt needed to stream two live video feeds to a remote server and an app that would configure and score the game. The biggest challenge was fitting the amount of tech needed into a sleek, compact design whilst maintaining a high-quality video feed.
As part of the design review, we produced a low volume build of the existing prototype to test and analyse. Using the output, we made design recommendations to improve performance and streamline the manufacturability of the product.
Getting the camera tech right was a big piece of the puzzle. Our team carried out extensive research and testing to select the best camera component. We then designed and built a bespoke PCB that enabled the camera to interact with off the shelf components to bring the whole system together.
With a refreshed design that employed design for manufacture principles, we went on to successfully support Target Darts through the regulatory certification process and achieved CE, UKCA and FCC approval.
The result, a market ready product that is now available to purchase: https://bit.ly/40fuW5k
The IZLID is a compact, lightweight infrared laser device used by the military as a command pointer for target marking and communicating with aircraft. It is small enough to fit into the user’s pocket, or attach to their belt for quick access, offering swift guidance to ground personnel over a range of 39km.
Close Air Solutions (CAS) asked Cubik to design a simulator that replicated the look and feel of the IZLID’s aesthetics, ergonomics and user functions, without the infrared beam. The IZLID simulator needed to connect to CAS simulation system via a single USB lead and return data back to the simulation system.
The IZLID simulator is used in classroom based military training to help soldiers gain knowledge and experience of how it would behave in a real-world application. Simulation is a critical part of military training allowing soldiers to experience realistic scenarios in a virtual world, improving their decision making and readiness for combat situations.
The Reskube offers a simple solution providing access to both continuous power and uninterruptible internet connectivity for itself and any connected devices during a power outage. It’s sleek and portable design means that it can be used in a wide range of settings from powering a home office to life saving medical equipment. This intelligent device has the capability to detect and resolve issues before they become a problem.
With our friends at Bang Creations delivering the mechanical design, we were brought on board to design and build the system architecture and support the product through regulatory certification. We worked closely with Bang to ensure the electronic system fit the custom enclosure without compromising on quality and performance.
Designed with critical remote workers in mind the Reskube gives users the confidence to work from any location without fear of disruption. Outside of the home, Reskube maintains continuous operations during outages for small sites such as retail stores, construction sites, doctor's surgeries, and primary schools, ensuring that critical systems and equipment remain operational. Additionally, it offers the added benefit of remote monitoring and management. In global regions where power outages are commonplace the Reskube offers a source of reliability and resilience in an environment with unpredictable connectivity.
Bristol & London based company, Switchee Ltd developed a smart thermostat solution aimed at reducing energy bills in social housing. The intelligent device learns the routine of the household, detects when the house is not occupied and turns the heating on or off accordingly. The device allows valuable data to be gathered remotely reducing the requirement for complex interaction or configuration from the user.
Switchee approached Cubik for help with the development of the software drivers which allow the operating system to communicate with the hardware. This quickly evolved into a larger scheme of work that incorporated the printed circuit board (PCB) design, prototype manufacture and firmware development.
Switchee is the first internet-connect device in social housing. It delivers real-time data that gives housing providers the insights and tools they need to proactively support residents and manage homes.
With a Switchee device installed, energy efficiency can be optimised on a case-by-case basis reducing energy waste, lowering heating bills and cutting carbon emissions.
Over the past 6 months, we’ve had the pleasure of working with Callum Young, a Placement Engineer on secondment from his day job as a Civil Servant. The placement scheme gives applicants the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skill set away from their work setting to gain essential experience in an operational business within the engineering industry.
As his placement comes to an end, Callum shares his experience and talks about what he has learned during his time as an honorary Cubite.
Tell me a bit about your background, skills and experience?
I studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering for four years at The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Since leaving uni, I have worked at an aerospace company as a manufacturing engineer and as an engineer in the public sector. I enjoy working with sensors, microcontrollers, low voltage electronics and software.
Can you explain a bit about the scheme and how it works?
The DE&S Engineering Graduate Scheme is open to applicants from a wide range of engineering and science backgrounds. The scheme is designed to train graduates for a career as a Civil Servant working within the engineering function. Graduates aim to cover the Concept, Assessment, Demonstration, Manufacturing, In-service and Disposal (CADMID) cycle during their first two years. Upon completion of the scheme and gaining enough experience/competency, the graduate will be regraded into an engineering role, responsible for procurement and acquisition within the public sector.
Did you get to choose where you wanted to do your placement?
My first placement was assigned to me. After that was completed, I was given the option to find my own placements. Placements must be justified and approved by management and mentors before you are given permission to attend. Competencies such as design and development cannot be achieved at my workplace which is why we are given the opportunity to complete secondments.
During your time at Cubik, what sort of projects have you been working on?
I have worked on a wide range of projects. My main responsibilities were to carry out the initial research on all products and investigate how the project would be approached. I then costed and documented the different solutions that were possible and met with the customers to discuss the possibilities. I have also been involved with the design work and developing proof of concepts. No two days working at Cubik Innovation were ever the same. On occasions I would be writing software, typing reports, breadboarding circuits and talking with suppliers all in the same day.
What are the benefits of doing a placement with another organisation?
Working with Cubik has been an opportunity to focus purely on my electronic knowledge and experience, taking lessons learned back to my day job. It has been a great chance to see how customer requirements are received by industry, highlighting the difficulties faced and work required to deliver complex systems. Completion of the placement will allow me to become an ‘intelligent customer’ in the procurement of future systems. I now have 6 months experience working at Cubik Innovation, winners of the Best Engineering & Manufacturing Award 2019, which I can add to my CV and use while working towards my incorporated/chartered status within my current role.
What have you learned whilst working at Cubik? Have you gained any new skills?
I have learned how to adapt quickly to new challenges and make use of limited resources to understand complex problems. I have gained confidence in the work I am delivering and how to present myself when dealing with customers. In terms of engineering skills, I learned how to select and make use of electrical components bringing them all together in a system to solve real world problems. I have also gained a significant understanding of Linux based systems and developed my software skills. Given more time I would have liked to learn more about the design software’s used at Cubik, like Altium.
Have you come up against any challenges? If so, how did you tackle them?
Many of the projects at Cubik deal with new and emerging technology, therefore it is unlikely that you will have the knowledge or full skill set required to tackle the problem. Cubik Innovation are excellent at identifying this and allow staff to develop as they tackle the problem. If there is a gap in knowledge, someone else within the office is always able to assist. This level of teamwork allows for projects to be designed, manufactured and delivered to the high standards achieved by Cubik. The team at Cubik Innovation are incredibly agile, willing to take on jobs outside of their usual role. The benefits of this were clearly observable and I will try to carry this quality with me throughout my career.
What has been your favourite thing about working at Cubik?
The staff and engineers at Cubik Innovation are all incredibly clever individuals and it has been a pleasure to work alongside them. Whilst working at Cubik I can honestly say I have learned something new every day. I was given responsibility and trust from day one, representing the business in several different scenarios. When I have needed help and guidance it has always been given to me in what I can only describe as above and beyond by all members of the team. Finally, I would like to mention how great it was to work in a company with standard processes for all tasks.
Speaking about Callum's contribution tot he design team, Design Manager, Phil Potter said:
“Callum has proved to be a very valuable member of the team. He has shown willingness to pick up new tasks and challenges, working on project types which are completely new to him.
Skills he has brought to the team include expertise in coding for the Raspberry Pi, as well as showing a great ability to go and research new subjects and produce research documents for our clients.
He has been a popular member of the team, with a friendly attitude, integrating well and coping well if projects are under pressure.”
Like us, you will be aware of the developing situation with COVID-19.
We don’t know what to expect over the next couple of months, but we have started thinking about what we can do to minimise our risk. Our aim is to continue to operate to the best of our ability, whilst maintaining the safety of our customers, suppliers, staff and their families.
For now, it’s business as usual at Cubik HQ. We are taking each day as it comes and are closely monitoring the advice given by the NHS, Department of Health and the Government.
If anything changes, we’ll be in touch. Keep informed and stay safe.
All the best
Paul, Sam and the Cubik Team
After scooping the award for Best Manufacturing or Engineering Business at last year’s ceremony, we are delighted to announce that we will be back this year as sponsors for this category.
The Business Awards are a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to showcase their achievements to a regional, or national audience regardless of size or industry. It’s a celebration of thriving businesses and business people within the South West region and has become a much anticipated event in the South West business calendar.
Our association with the awards began in 2015 when a young Cubik was awarded Best Start-Up after just 3 years of being in business. Over the years that followed, we quickly became a success story earning praise amongst the local engineering community. Our move from the Bristol and Bath Science Park to Verona House, Fishponds enabled the business to double the size of its manufacturing facility.
In 2019, we were over the moon to return to the awards as category sponsors for Best Tech Business won by local ecommerce specialist, The Pixel. But the highlight of the evening was scooping the Best Manufacturing or Engineering Award firmly placing us as a key player amongst local manufacturers too.
This year, our story continues but this time we are sponsoring the very award that we won. Speaking about Cubik’s continued support of the awards, Paul Mullen said:
“We are delighted to be involved with the Business Awards again this year. It’s a fantastic event that recognises the achievements of some of the very best businesses and businesspeople in the South West. After winning the Best Manufacturing or Engineering Award last year, we are looking forward to passing over the baton to the next worthy winner at this year’s ceremony.”
Business of the Year
Arthur David
Lifetime Achievement Award
Paul Brown – MHI
Family Business of the Year
Arthur David
Best Tech Business
The Pixel
Best Creative Business
Sparkol
Environmental Award
Solarsense
Best Engineering or Manufacturing Award
Cubik Innovation
Best SME (Under £15M turnover)
Inside Asia Tours
International Trade Award
British Corner Shop
Contribution to the Community Award
Womble Bond Dickinson
Young Businessperson of the Year Award (Under 35 years old)
Yasmin Keetley of Made by Yasmin
Retailer of the Year
Rare Meat Ltd
Employer of the Year
Thornbury Community Services
Find out more about the 2020 business awards, this year’s categories and available sponsorship opportunities.
This week is National Apprenticeships Week, so we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane with Cubik’s first apprentice. Shannon Cribb began her career at Cubik Innovation after convincing Paul that what the business really needed, was an apprentice. Five years later, Shannon is a fully qualified Design Engineer working across a wide range of complex and innovative projects.
Shannon talks about her experience and why she thinks apprenticeships are a great way to start your career.
How did you hear about the apprenticeship?
I was working at Cleve Rugby Club at the time and a friend asked me what I wanted to do when I finished school. I explained that I was interested in electrical engineering and she suggested that I speak with her partner, Cubik Managing Director, Paul Mullen.
I met with Paul at the Bristol & Bath Science Park where Cubik was originally based. The meeting went well, and we hit it off, but he told me that he wasn’t looking to take on any apprentices. I wasn’t taking no for an answer, so I asked if I could do a week’s work experience with Cubik in addition to the week I did with my school. I spent the week working alongside the engineers in their day to day activities which included soldering and research; and shadowed a design engineer completing a PCB layout. A week or so later, Paul emailed me to say he had reconsidered and offered me an apprenticeship.
What made you want to do an apprenticeship?
I wasn’t keen on going to university. I liked the idea that I could combine classroom learning with on the job training to get to where I wanted to be. And get paid each month!
What did your apprenticeship entail?
I attended Wiltshire College (Chippenham Campus) one day a week and spent the remaining four days at Cubik HQ working in the Production department. The classroom based element gave me an opportunity to learn and develop my understanding alongside my peers and I’d put my newfound knowledge into practice on my office based days. I also had to do a lot of independent learning outside of work and college.
Which course did you study and what qualification does that give you?
For the first two years, I studied for the Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. After completing that, I moved on to the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering which took a further year to complete.
I also did several NVQ units. So, I have an NVQ Level 4 Extended Diploma in Engineering Manufacture (15 units) and Level 2 Award in Personal Learning and Thinking Skills for New Entrants into the Science Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors (6 units).
Did you have to take any exams or assessments?
The course was all coursework based. There were several assignments for each unit, across a few different subjects. For the NVQ units, I had to write about the work I was involved in at Cubik. An assessor from the college came to visit me at Cubik HQ every 4-6 weeks to check my progress with the NVQ units and touch base on how things were going in my work environment.
What kind of work did you get involved in on your office based days?
I spent three days a week working in the Production department which involved hand soldering, operating the Pick & Place machine, testing and any required re-work and mechanical assembly. I spent the other day in Design, shadowing one of the Design Engineers to broaden my knowledge as I knew that was where I wanted to end up.
What happened once you were qualified?
Once I completed my apprenticeship, I became a full-time member of Team Cubik. I continued working in Production doing the same sort of things I had during my apprenticeship. I then began to integrate over to Design, splitting my week between departments. One year on and I am now a full time Design Engineer (yay!).
What do you think the benefits of doing an apprenticeship are?
The best thing about doing an apprenticeship is being paid to learn whilst working. There is no student finance debt and you get a secured job at the end of the course. Not to mention – no exams! You also don’t pick up any bad habits. Sometimes what is taught in theory doesn’t always transfer over practically, so you can improve technique and best practice on your office-based days.
Speaking about the benefits that apprenticeships bring to small businesses, Paul Mullen said:
“Shannon is a very valued member of the team at Cubik. I had not considered apprenticeships in the past, for small companies the information available is scant and the route is unclear. The effort required to get the process running was quite high, but it was clear that Shannon had the drive and focus to make the effort worthwhile. From the company viewpoint and that of Shannon, apprenticeships are a huge win. She has no loan and we have a deeply embedded member of the team.”
Cubik are currently considering applications for further apprentices in the Production Department as a Production Engineer and the Business Department as a Project Administrator. For more information, get in touch.
Find out more about apprenticeships and how they work on the gov.ukwebsite
On Wednesday 19 June, Cubik Innovation will join over 250 businesses to exhibit at the Business Showcase South West held at Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol. The biannual B2B event is the largest free business event in the South West and expects to welcome thousands of visitors across the two days.
Delegates will have an opportunity to meet and get to know other businesses from across the region, attend networking events and seminars, and hear from keynote speakers, including:
There is also a series workshops offering help and advice from leading industry experts.
Register for your free ticket
Visit Us
Get a glimpse into the world of electronics. Find us at stand D12 in the Dolman hall where you’ll get a chance to see our trusty pick and place machine in action – it’s quite something! Our experts will also be on hand to talk you through the wide range of services and expertise we offer.
If you’ve got a specific project that you would like to discuss, why not book an appointment with a member of the team?
Keep up to date with us at the Business Showcase South West @CubikInnovation and on LinkedIn.
We are delighted to announce that Cubik Innovation will sponsor the Best Tech Business Award at the BristolLive & Bristol Post Business Awards 2019.
Cubik Innovation was established in 2012 by Managing Director, Paul Mullen. At the time, Paul was in the wake of selling his successful first business, Panik Technology, and was on the lookout for his next venture. Keen to develop a unique one-stop-shop for the inventor and small company looking to develop electronic products, Paul created Cubik Innovation.
After visiting the Bristol & Bath Science Park, he took on a small room in the Innovation Centre and began to tender for projects. He recruited two members of staff, a Design & Software Engineer and an Accounts Contractor, and they started to approach new customers. Over the next three years, the team expanded to 17 permanent members of staff, a mix of design and operational, and boasted a wide range of technical skills and expertise. By then, we were winning bigger contracts and were looking to move premises to accommodate a new manufacturing facility.
In 2015, at just 3 years old, we were thrilled to be awarded Start-Up Business of the Year, amongst a group of successful and talented young businesses. Since then, Cubik has gone from strength to strength and we are delighted to be returning to this year’s awards as category sponsors.
Get involved this year
The BristolLive Business Awards are a great opportunity for local businesses to showcase their achievements to a regional and national audience, regardless of size or industry. There are a wide range of categories suitable for any successful company from entrepreneurs and start-ups through to large private and public organisations.
The Best Tech Business Award recognises an outstanding tech business that produces cutting edge-technology and who has made a big splash in the industry. Entrants will be judged on skill, creativity and innovation in the development of a unique product. Judges will also be looking for a business with a clear business strategy, a strong leader and a motivated team.
Our very own Paul Mullen will sit on the judging panel:
“As a company that is passionate about the design and production of electronic products, technology is at the core of everything we do. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about local businesses in our industry and hear about their successes”.
The deadline for entries is Tuesday 7 May 2019. The awards will be held on Wednesday 26 June 2019 at Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol.
Prototyping is a critical feature of any design process. When it comes to electronics there are many occasions when you might need a prototype, each with a different set of criteria, driving separate rationale. In this article, we explain what prototypes are and explore the different types that we use and what they are used for.
What is a prototype?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines Prototype as: “A first or preliminary version of a device or vehicle from which other forms are developed.”
Wiki describes prototype as: “A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.”
We believe that both definitions are correct. A prototype is an early version of a product that is used to test a concept and forms part of the development process. However, it’s not a terribly useful definition as it essentially describes everything that we do from initial concept through to the product design is signed off and production-ready. We therefore use other terms to help describe what we are looking to do at different stages of the process.
Lash-up prototype
Early in a project we might be interested in testing a concept that has never been tested before. To do so, we need to get something working very quickly and at a low cost and time-spend. We call this type of prototype a lash-up. It is a one-off and is likely to be constructed on prototyping board such as stripboard or plugboard. If mechanical aspects are involved it might also include odds and ends from the junk lab.
Technology demonstrator prototype
A technology demonstrator is more advanced than a lash up and aims to showcase the main feature-set of a proposed product without fully resolving the product. To build it, we might use off the shelf parts such as development boards or opensource software modules but it’s unlikely that the electronics would be encased. The technology demonstrator is often larger than the final product. Some of the features will be omitted, for example, specific aesthetics or well-trodden aspects such as data posting to a cloud service.
Product prototype
This is a fully resolved version of the product with all, or nearly all, of the features included or attempted. It is aimed at the target market and is used to carry out field trials and collect detailed information about usability which is fed into the development prior to manufacture. The product prototype is likely to have the fit and form intended in the final product and is manufactured using similar techniques. If software is involved it might be a subset of the final version but the product prototype will be used to help develop that software over time.
What is not a prototype?
As we’ve discussed, a prototype is simply an early version of a product that is used to test a concept or theory. Essentially, it’s role is to determine if an idea ‘has legs’. Once that product is built to a specification, using predefined methods, tests and measurements, it is no longer a prototype, even if it is manufactured in very low volume.
Find out more about our flexible and comprehensive prototyping service.
Is additive manufacturing or 3D printing new technology? Not really. Paul Mullen (Managing Director) has been using this ‘new technology’ during product development since the 1990’s. In recent years, the cost point of the equipment has reduced to a level where it’s possible to have a 3D printer at home, but is this type of equipment suitable for commercial use?
Over the past 5 years or so, many hobbyist or semi-professional machines have come onto the market, mostly based on the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) process. FDM is a process where a filament of material (usually PLA) is extruded onto a plate in layers to build up the shape of the model being produced. This technology is great, its low cost to run and to own and often can result in great quality output but the final product often has limited use beyond the product development.
Five years ago, we purchased a Tier time UPBOX printer which uses this technology, and it has worked hard ever since, often being used to produce internal components, ‘looks like’ models and production test fixtures. The downside is strength and accuracy. We have also used this printer to produce parts on ABS so that we get the impression of an injection moulded enclosure. However, because of the manufacturing process, any prints always end up with striations, which is not great from an aesthetic viewpoint.
In our latest investment round, we have increased our 3D capability by adding in 2 machines – Stratasys Objet which uses a polyjet process and a Markforged Mark 2 which is a Continuous Filament Fabrication (CFF) process. These two additions offer a wealth of options for both prototyping and production due to their radically differing printing approaches.
The polyjet machine gives very high accuracy, repeatable, real-world parts which can be used in low volume manufacture straight from the printer. The Mark2 on the other hand offers the ability to produce carbon fibre or glass fibre reinforced parts which are great when traditionally you might design a metal, fabricated part. Parts using this technology are unbelievably strong and ideal for use in prototype applications.
To find out more about our capability, get in touch.
In January, we received an unusual enquiry through our website. Rather than an enquiry for product render, EMC consultancy or schematic design; it was a request from Mayor Marvin Rees asking to meet with our Managing Director, Paul Mullen, and all Cubik employees. He wanted to understand the work that we are doing and hear about our priorities and challenges. It was also an opportunity for the team to learn more about Marvin’s vision for the city and for our staff to speak with him about any topics, either directly related to their work or wider Bristol issues.
On the Thursday 28 February, Cubik Innovation hosted Mayor Rees for a whistle stop tour.
Paul and Sam sat down with Mayor Rees and Simon Cowley (Mayoral Policy Manager) to give introductions. Discussions then moved on to what the mayoral office could do to assist Cubik and other small businesses, in making business within Bristol, the UK, Europe and the world, easier and more viable. One concern raised by Cubik was the removal of small grants handed out to entrepreneurs and inventors, early in a product life cycle. After some discussion a potential route forward was proposed.
Mayor Rees was then given the opportunity to tour our facility and get hands on with some of our technology, followed by a Q&A with the team. The Bristol Mayor was questioned on everything from Bristol as a design and engineering hub of Europe, Brexit, the inner-city arena, gender equality in the workplace, paid parking at the workplace to commute transport within the city boundaries. The conversation was a fierce but fair one leaving most satisfied with the justification of the council actions as well as future plans.
This was a great opportunity for both parties to learn how decisions are made, whether it be at a local business level, or local council level. Ideas were exchanged, justifications for actions provided and it has led to an on-going discussion from both sides. From everyone at Cubik, thanks for your time, Mayor Rees and watch this space.
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