PROJECT OF THE MONTH - JULY 2006

The project of the month for July 2006 is awarded to Innovation in Design Lab (iDLab) in the Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.

Project description

"The iDLab was approached by Doug Bragg Enterprises to develop a new controller for their blueberry harvester at short notice. An alpha prototype of the new controller had to be ready for testing on a harvester for the summer 2006 harvest.

The new, alpha-prototype controller can be mounted in a number of tractors and is very easy to operate. It has a touchscreen display and a number of tactile switches to display and control the various functions of the harvester. The high level of function integration, the extensive function interlocks and the ease of use of the controller permit the blueberry harvester to be operated safely by one person.

The iDLab creates highly inventive, practical solutions to real, multidisciplinary problems. Using advanced, agile design methods, and relentless prototyping and testing, we get to better answers faster. In the last five years, the iDLab has worked with over 20 companies on more than 30 projects. Of these, 6 projects have resulted in products or processes that have been marketed successfully world-wide."
- Matt d'Entremont

The Protocase experience

"The iDLab approached Protocase to fabricate the enclosure because they could provide rapid turn-around of a high-quality, custom-designed, attractive product suitable both for enclosing the electronics and display, and for mounting in a variety of tractors. We needed a case with a screen at 110 degrees to the switch panel, with welded seams to keep out water and dust and with a custom finish. They delivered in excess of our expectations.

The iDLab has found Protocase to be its supplier of choice for custom cabinets. Working with Protocase has been highly productive and extremely pleasant. Their knowledgeable and helpful personnel walked us through the case-design process, resulting in a distinctive design that meets challenging design constraints. Protocase's design tools made the process rapid and easy. All parts of our project fit into the case properly on the first pass.

While we didn't use custom labelling of the case, we did require a custom textured paint and a most unusual case design. Protocase's design tools allowed us to optimize the product shape and size so that we can better address the needs of our client and their customers. Protocase allowed us to have an alpha prototype controller that is nearly pre-production quality so that our field tests are all the more realistic. Protocase: Highly recommended"
- Matt d'Entremont

Project pictures