One of Wales’ top research and development facilities has helped a Flintshire-based start-up accelerate production of equipment that will help save the lives of military dogs.
The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru, part of the University of Sheffield, has worked closely with design consultancy Dylunio Solutions, which was seeking to develop a respiratory system to protect canines from toxic fumes while on active duty.
The product is now undergoing testing in the United States with the end customer who commissioned the project.
The key milestone has been reached quicker thanks to the work of AMRC Cymru’s Accelerating Decarbonisation and Productivity Technology and Skills (ADAPTS) scheme.
Selected by Flintshire County Council to receive funding from its allocation of the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), ADAPTS offers organisations specialist knowledge, advanced technology, and decarbonisation strategies.
For Ewloe-based Dylunio Solutions, the team at AMRC Cymru in Broughton developed a smart workbench to streamline the design and development phases.
Sensors flagged up any incorrect actions, ensuring users could not progress to the next stage of the production process, significantly reducing wasted time and resources.
Crucially, the smart workbench’s capabilities allowed for enhanced quality control, which played a critical role in the product reaching the testing phase.
Design director Graham Wilson at Dylunio Solutions, which specialises in product design, electronic engineering, and design for manufacture, said: “As a small business, AMRC Cymru has been fantastic in tailoring its support to our challenges.
“We are passionate about developing products that make a positive impact, and this respiratory device has the potential to save the lives of military dogs.
“The real-time learnings provided by the smart workbench were invaluable and played a key role in the team meeting the required quality standards.
“The workbench has sped up the entire process, and to send the device to America for testing is an amazing achievement, and we are excited to see how it performs.”
The ADAPTS scheme has supported 32 Flintshire-based organisations across a range of industries thanks to the UKSPF money.
AMRC Cymru project manager Natalie Jones said: “The ADAPTS team’s work with Dylunio Solutions is just one of the amazing stories of our partnerships with SMEs in Flintshire.
“Without the smart workbench, Dylunio Solutions would have required a huge amount of space to facilitate multiple workstations, which would not have been possible in their offices.
“We’re thrilled that it has been able to get the much-needed product to testing earlier than anticipated thanks to the collaborative efforts of all involved and the financial support from the UKSPF.”
Councillor David Healey, cabinet member for climate change and economy, said: “This project is a shining example of the impact of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
“To have two Flintshire organisations work together to develop a world-first product is incredible, and I look forward to hearing how the testing goes.”
