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Analyser, a critical tool used to measure corrosion and ensure the structural safety of streetlight columns, relied on outdated parts and components that were no longer available.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.
On Sunday 14 October, one of Cubik’s graduate design engineers took part in Rough Runner, a challenging 10K obstacle course. As if that wasn’t tough enough it was made even tougher by the difficult weather conditions.
In 2017, Shannon sadly lost her brother aged just 28 years old and wanted to raise money in for mental health charity, Mind, in his memory.
Shannon completed the course in 1 hr and 27 mins and raised a whopping £640.00. Below are some photos of Shannon in action and we’re proud to see that she’s still got a smile on her face - even at the end. Or maybe she was just pleased it was over!
From everyone at Cubik, well done Shannon – we are so proud of you!
If you’d like to sponsor Shannon and raise money for Mind, you can donate via her fundraising page.
On 28 September, Cubik joined in with the Macmillan Coffee Morning. To fuel the team for a busy day ahead, Paul brought in some breakfast treats for everyone.
As the rest of our Cubites arrived, the table quickly filled with lots of lovely treats, including some international recipes.
We were delighted to have raised £214.00 for such a fantastic cause.
Over the past year, we’ve been joined by Jean-Paul Astal-Stain as an Electronics Design Engineer Intern for the 2017-18 academic year. During his time with Cubik, Jean-Paul made a big impact on the company with his bubbly nature and enlightening with his unique perspective on things, both inside and outside of work. Since completing his internship, returned to Cubik on a part time basis as an engineer during his final year at the University of Bath.
My time at Cubik
From the very start of my internship, it was clear to see that university offers just a snapshot of the many different areas of electronic engineering. During my time at Cubik, I’ve been exposed to a vast number of technologies and have learnt how an idea can go from a set of drawings on paper to a fully manufacturable product – an invaluable experience. Cubik is an amazing place to work with lovely people, interesting work, and a solid work ethos.
How I feel about my Internship
Comparing my internship with other students doing the same course, it was clear to see that Cubik was very different to the traditional internships offered by large corporations. Instead of being sat at a desk going through Excel spreadsheets for 8 hours of my day, I’m engaged in a variety of different projects that challenge me intellectually without being too stressful. I can honestly say that during my time here, I’ve been treated as a member of the team and haven’t been given easy work just because I’m a student.
I was very happy with how Cubik showed a genuine interest in my development, specifically asking what areas I wanted to improve on and giving me the possibility of doing so. This was often brought up in our one-to-one meetings with management where my progress was monitored and the question of “what can Cubik do for you” was asked repeatedly.
What I have learned
Problem solving was certainly one area in which I feel I’ve progressed tenfold. Being given a new project that you’ve never seen before, learning how it should work and then being tasked with figuring it out why it’s not. Project management is another area in which I feel I’ve developed my skillset including keeping to deadlines, sticking to a product specification, and communicating with the customer. All skills that I’ll benefit from when I go back to university and in any job I have afterwards. As well as this, my technical skills have improved massively which I attribute to being surrounded by lots of intelligent people who are always willing to give a helping hand.
Going forward
Cubik have deepened my interest into the subject and made me a lot more confident as a design engineer. This sort of reassurance that the industry is right for you is invaluable and has allowed me to pick a specific area of electronics to target for my career. I’m extremely grateful for being given the opportunity to work for a company such as Cubik and can only sing it’s praises to anyone who is thinking of applying for an internship here.
Operating in the lively technology sector within Bristol, Cubik Innovation sits in a prime position to enable us to be aware of grant funds. We have found the below funds which we would like to share with our customers:
Funding A:
Funding B:
If any of the above are of interest to you and you would like to discuss, please give us a call on 0117 244 3000 and we can get you on track to achieve your funding.
This month, we’re looking at what life is like in our Production department.
Overview
Production is always producing a noise! Whether it’s the tape gun sealing a box, the ultrasonic cleaning PCBs and 3D parts, or the sound of two pick and place machines placing 1000s of components an hour. And if for some strange reason none of that is happening, you can always count on the radio belting out a tune!
All manufacturing at Cubik Innovation is carried out within our ESD safe environment by one of our IPC certified specialist production engineers and always in line with our ISO 9001:2015 systems and IPC-A-610E standards. Our production team have a vast set of disciplines under their belts, each of them with a specific skillset and learning from one another through our in-house training programme.
Ordering and booking in
In a typical month, production will order and book in 1000’s of unique parts. The parts are marked up with designators and put into a kit or carousel ready for our production engineers to start the build.
Build
We build batches of boards on our pick and place machines. First, they are pasted on our stencil printer before being put on the pick and place machine where the surface mount components are placed. The PCB is then re-flowed in a reflow oven. Once complete, the surface mount components are inspected, and the through-hole components are added. Each PCB is subjected to rigorous testing and inspection before being packaged and dispatched to our customer.
Final inspection
All PCB’s that we build get a full inspection before they are dispatched. For smaller quantities, our production engineers carry out a thorough manual inspection under a microscope. For larger quantities we use an A.O.I (automated optical inspection) machine.
Testing, quality assurance and shipping
All PCBs are subjected to several semi-automated tests by our test engineers who have a passion for programming, testing and fault finding. For peace of mind, we quality assure every item before it is shipped to ensure nothing has been damaged during the manufacturing process. The PCB is then carefully packaged into either the PCB enclosure or into a static shielding bag. Only then can the boards leave our ESD safe area.
Contact with the customer
Whilst our Production team have limited interaction with customers some of our customers prefer a hands-on approach and collect their finished product in person. We often get customers popping in to see our facility and check progress throughout the build process.
On Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 October, Cubik Innovation were one of many exhibitors who attended the South Gloucestershire Business Show 2018, held at Bristol & Bath Science Park.
A wide range of companies from the local area attended the event. On the agenda, were a series of workshops and live talks that gave business leaders an opportunity to share knowledge and visitors and opportunity to have their say.
Our very own Paul Mullen (Managing Director) and Matthew Weatherburn (Project Manager) took to the floor throughout the exhibition to deliver words of wisdom to an engaged and enthusiastic audience.
With striking green graphics, our stand certainly stood out from the crowd and created quite the buzz amongst the delegates. Many visited to see our Pick and Place machine in action, and to pick up an electronic Cubik business card, which added a competitive element to the day.
We hope to make an appearance at many more trade shows so please look out for us and be sure to come and say hello.
Tom Holloway and Daniel Lloyd joined Cubik Innovation for their one week work experience from Colston’s School in Bristol. They were set the challenge of designing and building an unusual object that contained functioning electronics. The result was two fantastic 3D printed rockets that lit up.
Here is their diary from a fun filled week:
Monday
To start the first day of my work experience Tom and I had a quick tour of the office and met some of the staff. At 10am we joined the Monday Morning Meeting where the team discuss what they can improve on, project progress, upcoming projects and new staff and promotions. After the meeting we did some research on the business' past projects such as the Close Air Solutions. After lunch we met with Russell, who showed us a project of a steel lock that was wireless and could be unlocked with a keypad.
Tuesday
Tuesday started with CAD Solid Works. First, we made a hollow cylinder and a cone shape. Tom and I decided to apply both shapes together and try and create a rocket. We made it by remaking the cone on top as the head, a cylinder for the body and three fins above the bottom engine, that should help the rocket stand. We decided to further this rocket and add a window, detail on the booster engine and a Cubik Innovation logo. After lunch, Paul asked us to research the part for a circuit for an embedded system for a safety flash.
Wednesday
Today we worked with Charlie to make a circuit in a plug board for our project. We made an LED circuit that flickers to go under our rocket. In the plug board we used four LEDs - mine were green - and sexy cables that were used to link the resistors with Positive and Negative charge. We programmed the Microchip with the program called C to light the LEDs at different speeds and different delays. After we finished the programming, we started to plan how we will solder each component on the circuit.
Thursday
On Thursday, we started the day by trying to print the first prototype rocket, but it came out too small and wasn’t the right size for what we wanted. After we printed the prototype, we increased the scale to 1.8 so the inside will be big enough to hold the circuit and button.
Once we got the second rocket printing, we started to solder the components onto the variable board. We had to make sure that all the LEDs were the same direction, and all the flying wires were connected properly.
Friday
When I came into the office my 3D printed rocket was finished. The next step was to remove all the unwanted support and make the edges smoother. Due to complications after I had finished my variable board, my LEDs didn’t turn on because of the lack of space on the board for the wires to connect to. Shannon helped me redo my variable board and flying wires. My project was finally finished, and my rocket lit up at the touch of a button.
Monday
On the first day of work experience, we started the day with a tour of the office and an introduction to staff. Then at 10am all the staff had a meeting where we got an insight into previous case studies and looked at current and future projects. Promotions and new staff were also announced during the meeting. After the meeting, we then used the PC to study more case studies to understand what the business works on and produces. Later in the day, we worked with one of the members of the design team called Russell who showed us some of the projects he had worked on such as a wireless lock. Finally, to end the day we had an attempt at using 3D SolidWorks.
Tuesday
Today, we continued using 3D SolidWorks and made a cylinder and a cone. We decided to combine the shapes we made to started to construct a rocket using the software we created the body using a cylinder and added a cone to the top. We then designed three wings and engraved a window as swell as adding an engine shape to the bottom. Finally, we hollowed out the inside of the rocket so that we could add a circuit inside later in the week. After lunch, we worked with Paul researching a previous case study to learn and try out how the business solved problems when a customer comes to them with a product idea.
Wednesday
We started the day building circuits with intern Charlie. The circuits contained LED’s and resistors and gave us a view into how the electrical devices around us are wired up. Charlie then showed us the coding of a semiconductor chip to make the LED’s switch on and off making them flicker at different speeds. We applied this knowledge and had a go at coding our chips for our rockets light’s. We ended the day by planning our variable boards for our rockets with Charlie so we had a clear plan for Thursday on how the inside circuit of our rocket would be wired up.
Thursday
On Thursday, we went back to 3D SolidWorks and printed off our rocket design as to get an idea of sizing and scale. When the printing finished, we realized our design was far too small for us to fit a variable board inside; therefore, we scaled our rocket by an increase of 2 and started the printing process all over again. Whilst the rocket was printing, Charlie showed us how to solder the components off our circuits onto our variable boards. It was then time for us to have a go soldering some components onto the variable board.
Friday
We picked up where we left off Thursday and continued soldering components onto our variable boards. Also, the first rocket was finished printing, so it was time to print off mine. During this time, I finished soldering my components onto my variable board. When my rocket was finished printing, I removed all the unwanted support. Then, I attached a battery to the variable board and slotted a button to the hole we made in the back and soldered it to the variable circuit. The circuit was not complete, and I placed it inside my rocket and superglued the LED’S to the hole in the bottom of the engine giving the effect of flames coming from the bottom of the rocket and now it was finally finished.
After registering for The Gloucestershire Business Show as an exhibitor, we had a sudden panic - how can we make electronics fun, exciting and appealing to other people?
After a few cups of tea and emptying the biscuit tin (twice), we settled on doing something different - manufacturing our electronic business cards live on the stand. Little did we know how popular they’d be.
On Tuesday 16 May, we headed to Cheltenham Racecourse and began setting up our stand and noticed that our stand was drawing attention from other exhibitors. Once set up, we were eager to see what the delegates thought the next morning.
The first morning of the trade show was hectic as our production manager struggled to keep up with the demand for our electronic business card game. We had accounted for around 150 business card games over the two-day event but by lunch time on day one we had already given out over half.
The second day began with beautiful sunshine and one less member of our team. Paul Mullen, travelled south to the University of Plymouth’s Project Showcase where he met last year's intern Ryan and his fellow cohort.
The remaining team took to the stand, building and handing out more business cards and making new connections. We even made it into the Gloucestershire Business Show’s official video.
Throughout the two-day event, we met some fantastic people and made lots of new connections in and around the South West region.
Looking ahead, we’ll be setting up our stand at the South Gloucestershire Business Show at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in October 2017. We look forward to seeing you there!
We’ve had a busy start to the month as the trade show rollercoaster began with a visit to the South Glos Expo at the Bristol and Bath Science Park. The event is designed to provide businesses in South Gloucester with a forum to network, discuss problems and share ideas.
The team got stuck into the day by attending the ‘Hands Up! If you want more customers’ seminar by Barry Horne (sponsored by Innovecom) who specialises in Information Assurance. The seminar gave a great insight into IoT technologies and the risks that can be associated with connected devices.
The following day we were on the road again heading to the Midlands for Made in Britain’s ‘Marketing for Manufactures Workshop’ in Dudley, hosted by Thomas Dudley Ltd. The aim of the event was for UK manufactures to meet and share ideas.
Made in Britain is a not-for-profit campaign that supports and promotes British manufacturing, enabling buyers and consumers, at home and abroad to identify British made products. The idea for a universal marque to identify products made in Britain was conceived by Stoves, the Preston-based cooker manufacturer.
As a business that is passionate about manufacturing in the UK, we were delighted to join the Made in Britain campaign as a member in 2016.
Coming up, we will be taking our production line to the Gloucester Business Show at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse on 17 and 18 May. Why not pay us a visit on stand GD11 to see how we can help you and take away one of our electronic business cards.
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