Vision
Vision is the first stage – grasping your idea and taking it through the first critical steps towards becoming a viable entity.
Many challenges can be resolved here; initial visualisation, refinement, early engineering and design. Primary materials and likely methods of manufacture will be established leading to indicative costings and starting to shape which further stages will be required. If applicable, pre-patent information can be prepared for searches at this stage.
Intelligence
With networked manufacture links, in-depth knowledge of a vast array of materials, and industry leading software to hand we can undertake virtual development and simulation long before any physical commitments. Our approach can minimise risk, time and expense exposures associated with traditional development phases and one-off production settings.
Allying with our extensive experience and diverse skill sets will push your product forwards. Building on an existing product or product variant, or one that has been through the Vision stage with us, we can prototype both product and production methods, research available technologies; adapt, refine or innovate for or with you.
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Research and Development of any idea, product or solution can be a costly, daunting and lengthy process.
But it needn’t be with the right help and advice.
Each situation is unique but will generally follow a logical pathway from conception to delivery. At VNF we see the process as three key stages and we have core skillsets for each – Vision, Intelligence and Consulting.
Consulting
Typically a review and optimisation of Design For Manufacture (DFM) and it’s related cost/profit centres – Use, DFMU; Service, DFMS and so on – can generate useful additional profit from reducing cost bases.
The illustration to the right represents consulting within an R&D package, but our entire skillsets are of course available separately!
We can provide consulting on products, tools and equipment; production efficiencies, Design, Materials, as well as capacity to produce detailed CAD models, FEA analyses and drawings to British and international Standards.
Our ISO 9001 status provides you with the confidence that our service and deliveries will to be a standard that exceeds your expectations.
Consulting within the R&D framework helps to monitor, analyse and further improve on your maturing process or product. It is a source of continual improvement and highlights every available opportunity for efficiency, profitability and sustainability.
Many years of experience with many different products and processes have endowed us with a wealth of experience and from many different stages in product lifecycles and the host of different steps and stages involved.
Working with the returning data from the initial marketing of the product or process we can develop market information into a clear and coherent strategy, then help you to deploy to maximum effect.
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So the question is how can we help you?
For some clients there can be rigid internal structures to follow, where a swift, free-flowing and dynamic response is required so outsourcing can be the most time and resource efficient solution. For others there can be skills or knowledge gaps, or perhaps recognition that a feasibility study and/or assessment programme before instigating CapEx, investment or full funding is the best approach.
The honest answer is that only you really know but discussing what you need, in the comfort of confidentiality, will yield the answers. Offering an any-point service is our key to providing the services you need, where and when you need them.