Paragon Design

Paragon Design provide innovative, practical and cost effective design solutions tailored to the client and project whether that is a one-off piece of equipment or volume sales item which allows clients both large and small to realize all their product development requirements. The company objective is to provide a timely and cost effective design service and proven products that exceed expectations and meet cost requirements so the client maximises profitability with the minimum payback period.

Paragon Design has a growing group of clients located throughout the UK and products designed by the company include original equipment used by Daimler Chrysler, aftermarket products used on all major manufacturers commercial vehicles, equipment used by the Ministry of Defence, products used in UK supermarket chains including Morrison's, Tesco and Sainsbury and medical equipment for the Sahlgrenska Institute in Sweden.

Mechanical Design

T’ Range Steps for AVS Steps

The product…

The required product was an electrically operated access step and control unit for AVS Steps and their customer BMC Trucks (UK). It’s function to improve the accessibility to the rear cab of the BMC Crew Cab Chassis so that they could expand their sales into the roadside recovery vehicle market.

The project...

The design was easy to define as the dimensional properties of the finished product were dictated by those of the specific vehicle and the objective of the project – improving pedestrian access to the cab of the vehicle.

Another important aim was to use as many materials, methods and components from other AVS Steps' products. This was to keep tool cost to a minimum, allow the new product to be assembled with existing production equipment and ensure it would be similar in appearance to the company’s other products.

The solution...

Following detailed measurement and analysis of the vehicle it was apparent that the distance between the ground and floor of the cab ideally needed four steps for comfort and to ensure that someone less able could use them.

The proven and accepted method for a multi-tier folding step is a series of linked mechanical parallelograms, however only three tiered versions had yet proven successful.  Therefore it was decided that the first three tiers from the ground up would be on a series of linked mechanical parallelograms mounted to a rolling chassis which had the fourth tier mounted to it and deployed from a second chassis mounted to the vehicle.

The final product successfully used many materials and methods from other AVS Steps' products, the new bespoke parts that were required were either machined parts or sheet metal fabrications that required no specialist tooling.

Mechanical Design

Product Development

The product…

The client was developing a range of low energy high output LED Light tubes to be marketed as environmentally friendly replacements for conventional fluorescent units, mainly for use in the harsh supermarket freezer case and cold room environments.

Their concept was based on high efficiency Z-Led LED, their own innovative power supply circuit design and a clever PCB design which enables multiples of a single item to be used in a modular way for assembly of all T5 and T8 variants.

The project...

Paragon Design was responsible for developing and designing all the necessary mechanical parts that together formed the enclosure of the LED Tube and the interconnection between this and the internal electronics.

The final product needed to be durable, aesthetically pleasing and straightforward to assemble; components needed to be common between all variants and cost effective to tool and procure.

The solution...

The final design met all of the client’s requirements and used a relatively small number of bespoke parts: -

  • Polycarbonate extruded tube
  • Aluminium extruded PCB carrier
  • Machined terminal
  • 2 x pressed terminals
  • Injection moulded ABS end cap
  • Injection moulded ABS end cover

Tooling and parts were sourced inexpensively from Chinese suppliers identified by Paragon Design. Final assembly is undertaken by one of Guardian Controls International's own Chinese suppliers using methods, equipment and documentation developed by Paragon Design.

Product Development

Product Design

The product…

A Rotary Tactile Stimulator is a small robotic device the function of which is to stroke the skin of a human subject at a known application force and velocity.

Used in neurological research this is one of only a few such devices throughout the world. It is being designed and assembled for Dancer Design in the UK and is destined for the Sahlgrenska Institute in Sweden who plan to use it in studies of a newly discovered class of touch receptors in the skin.

The project...

Paragon Design has been employed to develop, design and assemble the complete unit. In addition to fairly specific functional requirements it needs to be as small and light as possible for ease of use and positioning on body sites. Also for there to be easy access to all the key components enabling local technicians to undertake maintenance and updates without Dancer Design having to visit the site or the unit having to be returned to the UK.

The solution...

A small number of the components will be proprietary, a servo motor, translation stage and load cells; the rigid chassis around which the unit is based uses modular aluminium parts.

The majority of the other components will also be aluminium, a combination of sheet metal fabrications and machined parts; particular attention has been paid to their design to ensure that for their production no specialist tooling is required - not feasible for what is initially a one off build.

Product Design

Product Design & Development

The product…

Invariably electronic assemblies require some form of enclosure. In some instances their design is either tailored to a proprietary enclosure that is modified to suit, a solution that may be less than ideal and expensive. In other instances the enclosure is a fabricated component that whilst suitable may also be quite costly.

The project…

At Paragon Design we can develop a bespoke solution, for new projects we can work with you to develop mechanical components that maximise the potential of your product; for existing products it is likely that we can provide alternative mechanical components interchangeable with those currently used.

The solution…

In the majority of cases the ideal solution will be the development and design of bespoke plastic injection moulded components and tooling. Reliable but inexpensive Far-East sources mean that this alternative can be cost effective for surprisingly small volumes and finite quantity builds.

You will benefit from eliminating any compromise from the design of your electronics, improved aesthetics, functionality, production methodology and cost savings.

Product Design & Development

Engineering Product Development

Client Testimonials

Having been searching for some time for a mechanical engineering company who could take a set of specifications and a "back of the envelope" drawing and turn it into a working device, it was great to find Paragon Design. I run a small business making equipment to customers' specifications; the devices I make are often one-offs, and financial and time constraints don't allow trial runs and failed prototypes - it has to be right first time.

The outline of the design for the first project was thrashed out over a very pleasant lunch with Simon, Paragon's design engineer. Out of that meeting came a very elegant, compact and beautifully designed robotic device. He didn't even need the drawing!

Value for money is excellent, especially considering the quality of work and attention to detail and personal service you get. I would have no hesitation recommending Paragon to anyone looking for a bespoke engineering design service.

Chris Dancer, Dancer Design

In all the projects in which we have used Paragon Design the results have exceeded our expectations, costs have met budget and delivery has been on time.

Without fail the components they have designed have been innovative, accurate and on some occasions had elegance where none was expected particularly in the case of our GC45 and MU10 enclosures.

I am particularly impressed with the parts they designed for our Guardian Infinity Lighting product range. I would not hesitate to recommend them to others.

Mike Murphy, Guardian Controls International Ltd

Engineering Product Development

Paragon Design Overview

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