We are pleased to introduce Cubik Electronic Product Support (EPS). This strategic expansion offers expert support in compliance testing, certification, and electronic product development.
We are pleased to introduce Cubik Electronic Product Support (EPS). This strategic expansion offers expert support in compliance testing, certification, and electronic product development.
Discover key factors to consider when choosing an electronics manufacturing partner. Learn how Cubik Innovation’s expertise, quality, and flexibility can help bring your product to life on time and within budget.
We catch up with our Apprentice Production Engineer, Jake, to talk about his journey, the challenges he's faced and what he's learned along the way.
Kiwa's Hot Swage Joint Analyser, a critical tool used to measure corrosion and ensure the structural safety of streetlight columns, relied on outdated parts and components that were no longer available.
EarSwitch is a wearable device for people with severe neurological conditions like MND. It detects ear movements, enabling users to control devices and communicate despite limited motor skills.
The Virt is a cutting-edge two-way camera IoT device that delivers a new era of connectivity for darts players and fans alike.
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Cyber Essentials Plus certification for a sixth year, demonstrating our commitment to cyber security.
Speed to market is critical to the success of a product. We look at how you can develop a product with market readiness in mind to avoid delays and loss of a competitive edge.
Cubik Innovation is delighted to announce that Sam Beard has been appointed as Operations Director.
Kiwa are leaders in testing, inspection, certification and data services to a global customer base across a variety of market segments, including construction, utilities and public safety. Their hot swage joint analyser is used to measure the level of corrosion at the swage joint area of a streetlight column to determine its structural safety.
Kiwa approached Cubik for help with an existing product that was at risk of becoming unmanufacturable. Originally designed in the 1990’s, their hot swage joint analyser called for parts and components that had become obsolete since its inception.
Their objectives were to update the design to create a modern, handheld version and manufacture five new units, complete with full data pack including electronic design files and a software source file.
It was vital that the new design measured and calculated results in the same way as the existing device so that historic testing data could be inherited by the new instrument, without having to define new safety classifications.
The process began with reverse engineering the circuit and sourcing alternative components for the obsolete ones. We ran tests to understand how the device measured, inferring the method of operation and calculating results to fit those produced by the existing device. We then built a prototype breadboard version that allowed us to recreate the device’s operation and generate measurable results.
Using the output from our investigations, we created a custom PCB design and developed software to manage the system and record and present results via a digital display. Finally, we benchmarked the results against the existing device to ensure the results were consistent.
The hot swage joint analyser is one of the main tools used by Kiwa’s technicians to annually inspect and assess the structural integrity of over 130,000 lighting columns across the UK and Ireland, helping to ensure the safety of the public. As well as offering amore modern and functional aesthetic, the new design eliminates the immediate risk of obsolescence and creates a platform for further units to be built to support the scaling of the business.
Dr. Nick Gompertz created EarSwitch a wearable device that has the capability to change the lives of people with severe neurological conditions such as Motor Neuron Disease (MND). This in-ear innovation detects motion from one of the smallest muscles in the body, the tensor tympani, giving users the power to communicate and control their environment.
The Earswitch system comprises of an in-ear sensor and a processing unit that translates the information collected by the sensor and generates Bluetooth or USB data that is sent to the user's device. Nick and his team needed a multi-disciplinary team to help them develop their revolutionary device into a commercially viable product that satisfies strict medical regulations.
Throughout the project we worked collaboratively with several stakeholders including our colleagues in The Product Partnership. This enabled us to support Nick and the team from initial concept through to prototyping and into low volume manufacture for field trials.
For our part, we designed and developed a system architecture for the in-ear module and interface whilst keeping manufacturability in mind. The design was technically challenging and required miniaturisation of the in-ear module to ensure it fit the compact device, without compromising on quality and precision.
Once the device was ready, we assisted with regulatory approval including Electromagnetic Capability (EMC) and Medical Device Safety EN 60601-1.
EarSwitch is ground-breaking medical technology that will change the lives of people suffering with neurological impairments. It offers a transformational opportunity for people with the most severe communication restrictions to have a voice, take control of their environment and choose how to live their lives.
EarSwitch has been recognised innovative technology, winning numerous awards and securing significant investment.
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.
Cubik Innovation are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work on brilliant projects with very interesting customers.
Recently one of the team was invited to help with a new art installation by artist Luke Jerram at the Chrylser Museum of Art Commissions, Virginia, USA.
Having assisted on the development of a modification to his kinetic sculptures based at Cubik HQ, an extra pair of hands were needed to make sure the installation went smoothly. This project focussed on finding an electronic solution to low light levels to allow the installation to function. A key priority was that it would not be intrusive to the gallery viewer.
Due to our extensive knowledge and skills, Cubik can help on a project at any stage of development and successfully resolved this problem with creativity and skill.
It was a privilege to be able to help our client in the final phase of work and see the finished sculpture in its new location.
If you would like to read more about the development of the project and its installation, look at our case studies.
As the business continues to grow, we have taken up additional office space at the Bristol and Bath Science Park.
Returning to our former office within the building, the team have been hard at work creating a fully functioning laboratory space. With new environmental testing capabilities and additional pick and place, re-flow oven and AOI equipment, this self-contained lab will be dedicated to one single project and four new production team members. It will allow total control of the production line to ESD and IPC standards. At just 18 months old, this most recent expansion at Cubik goes to show that electronics manufacture in the UK is thriving.
Cubik previously assisted several clients who opted to re-shore their manufacturing projects back to the UK after running into difficulties with other suppliers overseas.
We believe in bringing manufacture back to the UK as it means clients remain hands on with their product and allows revenue to remain in the local economy.
In the coming months, we look forward to developing and manufacturing products on site and shipping directly from the Bristol and Bath Science Park.
Paul will be one of three technical specialists talking about different areas of technology or business which can help small and medium enterprises.
Tech Talks #10 – Bringing Business and Technology Together
When: Wednesday, May 14, 2014 from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Armada House, Bristol
Registration: Free
Paul Mullen: Creative Manufacture in the UK
With over 20 years hands on experience in the electronic product manufacturing industry, Paul Mullen decided to embrace a new challenge eighteen months ago setting up Cubik Innovation. The business is solely focussed on helping inventors, entrepreneurs and SMEs bring their electronic products to market.
Established just as many electronics manufacturers in the region were closing, the business has grown from just one employee to over twelve in the past 18 months. During this session, Paul tells us why UK manufacture isn’t the future, but how it is happening right now and how it’s a game changer.
This summer our industry celebrated National Women in Engineering Day which champions the work women do within the industry as well as promoting the excellent career prospects available.
To celebrate, the Engineering Innovation South-West Network launched a Dragon’s Den inspired competition ‘Women with Bright Ideas 2014’. Seven finalists were tasked with creating a commercial and manufactural concept to pitch to panel members and investors and ask for help with the development of their idea.
Paul Mullen was selected to join the panel team to judge and scrutinise the ideas brought to the table by the budding entrepreneurs. The team comprised of industry leads included Jessica Bent(Withy King Solicitors), Angela Hobbs (Triteq), Peter Stirling (Stirling Dynamics), Ali Hadavizadeh (University of Bath), Lynn Elvins (Design Wales),Ian Weston (NT CAD CAM) and Haydn Earl (EI-SW).
After a series of pitches, and careful consideration by the panel, it was agreed that two of the designs were of equal quality and innovation resulting in a joint first place.
Catherine Dodd and Rose Phelps of Doddl Cutlery pioneered a revolutionary, ergonomic set of children’s cutlery which is designed to make mealtimes a stress free experience by giving children tools that allow them to eat more independently and progress to using adult cutlery quicker.
Also sharing first place is Chloe Meinick, a brilliant designer and inventor based in the Pervasive Media studio at Bristol’s Watershed Centre. A recent graduate, with an impressive CV of awards and appointments, Chloe has been developing her ‘Musical Memory Box’ aimed at helping Dementia sufferers. The beautifully upholstered box involves objects that are placed into the box, triggering a pre-assigned audio which is then played back to the user. This unique product incorporates a striking design, innovative electronic design, and a genuine mindfulness of user experience.
The competition process was valuable to all who attended. As a business, we took great pleasure in being involved in such an important event for our industry and the women who make it great and are excited by the possibility of assisting with the development of some of finalist’s projects.
In 2013, we visited the University of the West of England (UWE) to attend Venturefest South West, a trade show for technology start-ups, entrepreneurs and inventors to showcase their innovations, encouraging business growth and collaboration. Armed with our manufacturing equipment and a few of our own creations, we built a stand hoping to expand the growing network of connections and collaborators we’ve built within the South-West technology hub. There, we met Joel Gibbard from Open Bionics.
Joel had a well developed idea and a venture that was already underway. He had pioneered a revolutionary, world first; a prototype of a prosthetic arm with a robotic hand that had been manufactured almost entirely using 3D printing and scanning. The product is completely unprecedented in terms of technology. The Open Hand project is largely financed via Indie Go-Go crowd-funding and uses open source information to allow for key collaboration and to ensure a reasonable cost when the finished product eventually goes to market.
We were so delighted by the prospect of assisting on a project of this nature, which not only uses new technology, but has a profound mission to make a difference, we awarded Joel with a £1000 voucher worth to use towards design consultation and PCB manufacture services with Cubik.
Shortly after, Joel arrived at Cubik HQ with stacks of electronic designs and layouts for the team to unpack and examine. After hours of planning and deliberating, two design reviews and several pots of coffee, we were ready to manufacture. Joel was impressed with the design and the resulting PCBs, saying:
“Without Cubik’s advice we would never have had a design anywhere near the quality it is. The experts at Cubik gave us a really clear idea of our electronic hardware options and their design consultation enabled us to create reliable and high quality PCBs.”
Everyone involved was delighted to play their part in the project. Cubik’s Giles Sanders said:
“Being involved in a project that is so ground breaking, with the potential to change the lives of hundreds of people was an honour and a privilege. Joel’s creation and design is inspiring.”
A few months later, Joel and the Open Hand project team were ready to carry out their first physical test which took place at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory.
Daniel Melville, 23 who was born without a right hand, was the first person to be fitted with the robotic hand prosthetic. Having seen Joel’s crowd funding campaign, Daniel was sold on the idea of robot prosthetics and contacted Joel. From an early age, Daniel he’d been attempting to park the less functional, cosmetic prosthetic and wished he’d had a “cool” robot hand. Daniel said:
“It would have been amazing when I was younger. I would have loved a 3D printed ‘Power Ranger’ hand - it would have made me feel a lot better about being different.”
Within twenty minutes, Daniel’s arm had been scanned with a 3D sensor to create a mesh. A 3D printer was then used to create the hand. The socket which took forty hours to print perfectly fitted first time.
Olly Mcbride, a Robotics student at UWE, who has been helping Joel with programming, said:
“The best part was seeing the excitement on Dan’s face as he went round trying to pick up everything he could. The whole process was heart warming.”
Joel and his team are delighted with the results but have vowed to create the ‘perfect solution’ aiming for the end product to be even more “light-weight, low-cost and creative” and available on the prosthetic market by the end of 2015. Open Bionics plan to stick to their original mission and open source all information on completion of their product, making it open to further developments.
Open Bionics went on to gain further success achieving the runners up position at the ‘Intel’s Make it Wearable’ competition and winning $200,000 to support further development of bionic hands. Joel and teammate, Sammy Payne visited California where they consulted with University of California, Berkeley and top Intel Business mentors. Giving his reaction to receiving the prize, Joel said:
“We believe this money will help revolutionise the prosthetics industry with the use of 3D scanning and 3D printing technology.”
We were honoured to be able to play a small but vital part in the process and continue to be inspired by the Open Bionics team who are focused and committed to their goal of delivering innovative, low cost technology as well as revolutionising the lives of amputees and differently abled people.
Speaking about Cubik, Joel said:
“Working with Cubik was invaluable to the initial successes we’ve had. They assisted us in creating our first run of electronics control boards for our robotic hand prototype.”
If you have a design in its early stages, an established idea or an existing project which needs mapping and is in either electronic design or production phases, please contact us to organise a telephone or face to face consultation. We specialise in helping inventors, entrepreneurs and organisations take their concept all the way to production and are always looking for exciting projects to work on.
For more information on Open Bionics and the development of their products please visit www.openbionics.com
In the engineering sector, a summer shut down, or at least a slowdown is a regular thing. The kids are on their holidays, projects are simmering away slowly, conferences are on hold and funding rounds at this time of year are few and far between.
At Cubik it has been anything but a shut down. It has been so busy that there hasn’t been much time to make a cup of tea! Okay, so maybe there has been time to make tea, but just what have we been up to? It’s been all change!
We have taken on our first apprentice, Shannon Cribb. After joining us for work experience last summer, Shannon decided that upon completing her A Levels she would like to start her career (and the allure of Cubik was of course too much!). She’s only been here a matter of weeks, but the team is already impressed with her enthusiasm and soldering skills.
Shannon will study a 3-year course in HNC in Electronics and Electrical Engineering at Wiltshire College and University Centre where she will have access to cutting edge laboratory facilities, equipment, and teachers. She will integrate the practical element of her course with her work at Cubik, gaining first hand experience in all areas of electronics before consolidating her learning into a formal qualification.
Dan Morgan joined us on placement from University of Plymouth where he is studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Dan was immediately put to work on one of our bigger projects and has been busy getting stuck in.
We have a long-standing relationship with University of Plymouth with several of our previous interns and team members having achieved their qualifications there. Each year we attend the end of year show and are always impressed with the projects they have been working on.
We were also joined by Ben Ezard who joined us for a summer internship. We met through a talk given by Paul at the University of the West of England (UWE) where Ben is studying a Computer Science and Creative Technologies course. Although not with us for long, Ben became a valued member of the team. We wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his studies and future career.
Sadly, Bhavin will be leaving us to study for a MSc in Digital Systems Engineering at the University of York. Bhavin joined us as a Graduate Electronics Engineer, and we will be sad to see him leave but suffice to say he is very excited about his next adventure!
We continually seek to integrate ourselves with the academic community and believe that to gain the best employees, delivering first-hand industry knowledge is key.
It’s been a year since our last birthday post and, wow – what a year it’s been!
Over the past year, we’ve grown from a team of 8 to a team of 14. We have moved to a larger design office and acquired a new laboratory space to accommodate our customers’ growing manufacturing requirements. We passed our external ISO 9001 audit with flying colours and acquired a new Slimline Environmental Testing Chamber which allows us to test products to temperatures between - 40°c to 180°c.
So how did the team celebrate this brilliant year and its second birthday? With a caterpillar cake of course! Oh, and balloons, lot of balloons. Steve was crowned winner of the balloon competition (heavily protected by Sam), before heading outside for an impromptu team photo.
Cubik’s MD, Paul Mullen, expressed his delight on the company’s second birthday:
“It has been a brilliant year for Cubik. The input from the team has been fantastic, they are a credit to themselves. We have been very fortunate to have been awarded the level of project work that we have and without our outstanding team this growth would not have been possible.”
Looking ahead to the next year there are some exciting and even more ambitious projects on the horizon.
We are looking for a new Senior Hardware Engineer and Office Coordinator to join the team. If you’re looking for an exciting new challenge do let us know.
At Cubik Innovation we are fortunate to have some exceptionally talented team members with brilliant personalities.
We often pop to the pub for a pint but last week it was agreed we should have our first Cubik day trip. So, where do 12 electronic engineers and designers go? Bletchley Park of course!
Having squashed into a minibus for a couple of hours we arrived at Bletchley Park on a lovely sunny day and headed straight for the enigma machines and the Alan Turing exhibition.
A truly fascinating exhibition it certainly stoked our inner spies and the team were eager to head off to the much-anticipated Colossus Computer.
Developed by code breakers during the Second World War, the Colossus Computer is the world’s first programmable computer designed to decrypt messages sent by enemy machines. Ten machines were built in total and were later dismantled with many parts destroyed after the war. Having the opportunity to see the machine working was something quite special.
Next, we were taken on a special tour of The National Museum of Computing. The museum staff talked us through the various computing technologies, beginning with the Harwell Dekatron (WITCH), through Mainframes to Sinclairs and Amstrads right up to present day computers, with a fascinating and entertaining take on emerging and colliding technologies.
Cubik’s director, Paul Mullen, gave a lecture to Computer Science and Creative Technologies students at The University of the West of England (UWE) this month. Invited by Associate Head of Department, Dr John Hunt, Paul spoke to students about his first hand experiences of running a start-up, as well as working for one.
Several of the students currently studying all levels of the course within the Faculty of Environment and Technology requested a local speaker to talk about the logistics of setting up, running, and maintaining the business through its start-up phase.
Cubik has seen a dramatic increase of inventors and entrepreneurs looking to develop electronic products, primarily due to easier market access provided by online crowd funding platforms. The talk was the perfect opportunity to address not only the highs of setting out on your own, but also the associated pit falls which can help shape the development of the business.
Paul summarised the value of running your own business beyond the day-to-day management:
‘Setting up on your own is daunting, it involves juggling a lot of balls in the air, but it is hugely rewarding. It can go beyond being just financially profitable into being a very gratifying lifestyle business.’
There were several questions posed by the students in attendance at the end of the lecture which not only demonstrate how engaged they are in their current studies, but also their forward-thinking attitude towards business.
It is hoped that one day Cubik Innovation will be able to do business with these future entrepreneurs.
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