AllScope Projects are proud to have been working with UK assisted living design and manufacturer Kingkraft for over 17 years.
Specialising in the provision of innovative bathing, changing and washing equipment for people with disabilities, Kingkraft have built an enviable reputation within their industry.
Kingkraft are synonymous for quality, expertise and the ability to work closely with their clients to best understand the needs of both the end user and health care professionals.
In our latest joint project, Kingkraft were once again looking to lead their marketplace with a new multipurpose, lightweight bathing tray, with folding safety arm barrier, water discharge system, weight bearing capability of minimum 400kg and connectivity to electrically powered height-adjustable and folding functionality.
In a competitive marketplace, Kingkraft must be able to move swiftly through the process of needs validation, design, prototype, adaptions, costing, mass manufacture and distribution. It is vital they work with closely and trust in their supply chain.
Kingkraft Managing Director, Thomas Harrison explained. “As ever AllScope Projects understand our objectives and the tight deadline constraints. They have formed a great working relationship with our design and innovation teams to provide critical feedback, solutions and ultimately, the finished product through a more cost effective prototype process.”
The importance and benefits of prototyping
As the typical trade show calendar has been massively disrupted due to Covid19 lockdowns, Kingkraft needed a prototype producing in a short time frame in order to display at a revised trade show date. The ability to display a prototype enables Kingkraft to gain prospective customer feedback in order to tailor and adapt the design before final production. This gives confidence, is cost effective and demonstrates their ability to work with their marketplace to create industry leading, in demand products.
Using GRP composite material prototyping provides a very quick and low cost, low risk solution. Prototyping enables you to test your concepts first, then change designs based on testing and consultation / feedback sessions.
Many AllScope Projects prototype clients utilise GRP prototyping when working towards strict safety compliance regulations and standards. Seeing and touching a prototype brings the project alive and can highlight elements of a design that cannot be identified on paper.
GRP Prototype to Manufacture Process
AllScope Projects received the initial designs and a wooden mock up of the prospective tray. We then worked with Kingkraft design teams to add our expertise in GRP prototype and manufacture, creating CAD modelling in order to finesse to final design before prototype production.
The prototype was created within 4 weeks in order to meet the deadline and feedback was gained from the AllScope manufacturing team and at the trade show by industry leaders and prospective customers.
For example, through prototype production process, it was determined shape modifications were required to support the laminating process. At the show it was determined the bathing tray should be slimmer than originally designed.
Practical considerations to manufacturability were perfected and all adjustments could be made before the final design was achieved, ready for pilot prototype production.
Pilot prototype production means the product has been produced to the perceived final specification in order to then be industry compliance checked. We were then given final approval ready for final mould creation and mass manufacture.
For this specific tray, the unit was finished with a super white gel coat to provide a shiny look and being non-porous, meant the unit was practical, easy to maintain and clean.
AllScope assemble the bathing tray including the folding arm safety barrier connection brackets and BigHead fasteners to fasten the backrest and the lifting/folding mechanism, before delivering to Kingkraft, who then fit it to the lifting/folding mechanism and complete the assembly with the folding arm safety barrier and backrest.
Kingkraft Jan Wdowczyk, Digital Marketing Manager said “Kingkraft always like to be ahead of the curve when researching our ever changing customer requirements. Our fantastic working relationship with AllScope Projects enabled the quick turnaround of a brilliant prototype enabling us to test the water and obtain further feedback before putting the product into production”.
To find out more about GRP and prototyping for your next project have a look at more case studies on our website at https://grp.allscope.co.uk/
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