Prototype filter for a parasitic infection device
Parasitic infection device
Telenostic is a spin-off from Kilkenny based animal feed supplement manufacturer CF Pharma. The start-up has been set up specifically to bring a parasitic infection device to market in which Irish scientists have developed an image recognition algorithm that will save vets and farmers considerable time and money in identifying parasites in their herds.
The parasitic infection device was designed to allow images to be captured digitally with possible infections quickly identified via image-recognition technology. Normally, it takes specialists in labs to separate material from faecal matter where they can count the eggs and then looking through microscopes, they can recognise parasites.
Two-stage filter stack
Telenostic Ltd had a two-stage filter stack designed to work with their new device that could separate sample material to the required stage, but it was stand-alone product which was too complicated, not user friendly and needed to be redesigned to work with a regular size off the shelf beaker that is currently available to veterinary practices.
Design+ examined the existing filter stack design that Telenostic Ltd had and how it could be redesigned to work with off the shelf beakers that were readily available in a veterinary office. In order for the any new design to work, Design+ first had to look at the existing different stage filter mesh and their function with the current filter stack design. These multistage filter meshes were just hand cut from sheets to fit the old filter stack design. After initial research, Design+ realised a new design of filter rings would be more effective and cost efficient. The new filter screen rings were designed and made from metal with the different stage filter material build into the centre of the metal rings. When we received the new manufactured filter rings, we were then able to re-design the filter stack so they could snap-fit together with the two stage filter rings in between. This would give Telenostic Ltd a very functional product that is intuitive, functional and easily used and cleaned by the vet.
At the first testing stage, we were able to manufacture draft components using our high precision SLA 3D printer. The biggest issue was the mesh in the filter rings needed to be taut for them to be most effective while the faecal sample was passing through it. After a few prototypes from our 3D printer and extensive testing from Telenostic Ltd, a design was produced that was able to pull the mesh in the rings taut evenly as it snap-fitted together. This was key and worked perfectly. The new product was also designed to work seamlessly with the preferred manufacturing process, injection moulding. It could now easily be mass produced to accompany their new state of the art parasitic infection device.
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startup
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Kilkenny based company
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filter stack prototype
“Having a facility like Design+ has made all the difference to Telenostic as a start up with a lot of design requirements. They have delivered us the full solution from design to iterative prototyping all within 30 minutes from our door and at very competitive prices. I couldn’t recommend Billy and the team at Design+ enough, their expertise in designing, the availability of state-of-the-art equipment to product prototypes and efficient and accommodating manner ensured that we produced a prototype filter within budget and on time that we will now go to market with. We will definitely use them again.“
Trish McOwan
Product Development Director, Telenostic Ltd
The Telenostic Ltd & Design+ Technology Gateway partnership
The overall project with the gateway was very successful and Telenostic Ltd has returned to get smaller versions of the filter stack designed to fit smaller beakers. Telenostic Ltd were able to bring the prototypes to their manufacture to get the products produced to work with their parasitic infection device.