GX Group to sponsor the Judges Award at MediWales Innovation Awards 2014

03 December 2014

Renowned for their design of innovative products, the GX Group has been asked by the life science network for Wales, MediWales, to sponsor one of the award categories at the medical industry’s forthcoming Innovation Awards due to be held on December 10th.

This year’s gala event will be held at the National Museum of Wales and attended by over three hundred guests who have come together to acknowledge the achievements within the NHS as well as the medical and life science industry.

GX Group has a long association of working alongside MediWales whose members include Welsh academics, business and clinicians to promote the life science sector. GX Group is one of the key MediWales sponsors and was delighted to be offered the opportunity to further engage with the Welsh medical sector by sponsoring an Innovation Award.

“MediWales’ gala event is one of the highlights of the year,” commented managing director of GX Group Mark Helmich. “We are delighted to have been asked to sponsor the Judges Award which embodies the spirit of the awards seeking a company who has partnered with the NHS and can demonstrate improving patient care and reducing costs.”

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GX Group Celebrates with the winner of the MediWales Innovations Judges Award

18 December 2014

As sponsors of the NHS Judges Award at this year’s MediWales Innovations Award GX Group’s managing director Mark Helmich was delighted to learn that E2L, a Monmouthshire company that they also work with was among the collaborators on the winning project.

GX Group and E2L are frequently called upon for their expertise in developing conceptual prototypes for medical products, which is what fellow winners, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board enlisted E2L’s help for. Their award winning project focused on developing a wearable device to allow patients who have a tracheostomy to lead a more active life.

Pictured in the front, with the award, are the winning team from Cardiff & Vale (l-r) Martyn Davies, John Maisey and Alice Richards, then GX Group's managing director, Mark Helmich, next to collaborators E2L represented by Lynden Owen and Maurice Thompson and David Ford from Swansea University.

 

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The GX Group - challenging conventional power

04 November 2014

Electricity is something we all take for granted – in fact our modern lives completely depend upon it, to power everything from the heating, a mobile phone, computer, the list is endless. Given the recent grim warning that the National Grid faces a seven year low of spare capacity this winter, looking at alternative power sources is something the GX Group has been exploring.

The search for an alternative power source to electricity was originally sparked by a client suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity, a condition whereby people cannot tolerate being near anything that generates an electrical or magnetic field. For sufferers even using a conventional wireless keyboard or mouse is not a solution since these emit EMF’s by using WiFi. The Welsh based company GX Design Engineers, set about harnessing air to capture minute air pressure differences produced by movement of the mouse and depression of the keys to develop a keyboard and mouse that did not need electricity.

The keyboard is attached to an electronic box housed safely up to 5 metres away, even in a different room, which senses the microscopic pulses of air and is able to translate these to a standard computer. For sufferers of this rare condition using a keyboard and mouse can help them to stay in touch with the modern world.

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GX Group takes their place at Medica 2014

10 November 2014

With over 25 years of knowledge of how to turn an idea into commercially viable product for the medical and scientific sector the GX Group will be taking their place together with the Welsh Government in Hall 16, Stand F32 at Medica 2014 in Dusseldorf from 12-15th November.

To demonstrate their breadth of knowledge in this competitive sector the product design consultancy division, GX Design Engineers led by Claire Banks, will be showcasing how they turned an ultrasound training simulator into a commercially viable product which is helping doctors and sonographers perfect their scanning skills. The team will also be displaying a low cost cartridge which collects samples from to help with forensic analysis and DNA profiling, alongside a web based asset tracking solution using RFID tags to track assets.

GX Design Engineer’s business development manager, Claire Banks, who this year will be joined by Elizabeth Fall, is hoping to build on previous successes at Medica. “We always receive a warm welcome from the many trade visitors who attend this international medical trade fair,” comments Claire, “In fact it has become one of the key business strategies and we are looking forward to helping companies translate their ideas into commercial realities.

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GX Group develops their electronics skills with another NICEIC Registered Competent Person

21 November 2014

Richard Bebbington, who joined GX Group in 1996 as an electrical engineer, has recently qualified as a Registered Competent Person – Electrical following a rigorous assessment of his skills by the government approved body, NICEIC.

Richard is primarily responsible for electronics needed by the product development team at GX Design Engineers, working on the design and build of prototype circuits, complex machines, as well as writing and testing software and pneumatics.

The NICEIC is a government approved body which has been regulating the electrical contracting industry for the past 50 years. Approved contractors must undergo a process before they are added to the national register and allowed to display the assuring logo.

Commenting upon the award, technical director Jeremy Saunders said; “Richard has worked with the GX Group for over twenty years and we are extremely proud of his recent certification. Richard’s drive to continually improve his capabilities within the field he works is impressive and we are pleased to celebrate his recent success.”

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GX Group hopes to continue their success at Medica 2014 by adding to the £650,000 of business enquiries from last year

09 October 2014

The Welsh based technology and innovation company the GX Group has once again been invited to join the Welsh Government’s trade delegation to Medica 2014. Attending the world’s largest medical conference, Medica, due to be held in Dusseldorf over three days from November 12-15th has become one of the key components of the GX Group’s sales strategy.

For the past nine years they have been one of a number of companies exhibiting on the Welsh Government’s stand. Over this time the GX Group has met companies from all over the world including Germany, Italy, America and Canada, all of whom have shown interest in their product design knowledge within the life science sector.

“Attending the show gives us an international platform to showcase our extensive knowledge of product design and development in healthcare and to demonstrate our web based tracking and management solutions,” comments Claire Banks, the business development manager for the groups product development company GX Design Engineers. 

“It is the only way we are able to meet and talk to so many researchers and developers from different countries. Last year as a direct result of attending Medica we had enquiries from seven countries including Turkey, Ireland, France, Australia, USA, Germany as well as the UK for business estimated to be worth over £650,000.

Of these enquiries we successfully secured three key contracts amounting to £150,000 of business with companies who we may never have been introduced to had it not been for Medica.”

Claire will be joined by Liz Fall, one of the new designers at GX Group. They will be based in Hall 16 on Stand F32 where they will be demonstrating the breadth of the company’s experience in developing innovative products for the medical sector.

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GX Design Engineers perfect solution to keeping warm scoops two awards in the 2014 Monmouthshire Business Awards

20 October 2014

The Monmouthshire Business Awards, now in their third year, were developed to acknowledge the innovation, talent and enterprise of local businesses within the area. At their award ceremony held at the Marriott St Pierre Hotel & Country Club on 10 October, an Usk based company, Homeglow whose innovative B-Warm Heated Seated was designed by GX Design Engineers, beat 25 other companies to win two awards.

Homeglow’s founder, Martin Lewis was recognised at ‘the Most Promising Start Up’ and thanks to product development team at GX Design Engineers; his low energy heated seat cover ensured he won ‘the Innovation in Business Award’.

Commenting on the win, GX Design Engineers’ managing director, Mark Helmich said, “When Martin first approached us for our help in designing a portable heat source we spent a considerable amount of time researching similar products to ensure we developed a point of differentiation into the B-Warm seat cover. It’s gratifying to see this commercial approach to product development has helped Martin win two of the Monmouthshire Business Awards.”

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GX Design Engineer’s bike maintenance stand to go on sale at the Cycle Show

12 September 2014

Launched just three months ago and designed by GX Design Engineers, a wooden bicycle maintenance stand, the Hooky, will be amongst big brands like Trek, Moda and Rocky Mountain exhibiting at the UK’s largest forthcoming Cycle Show at the NEC from 26-28 September. Consumers will be able to buy this simple product on stand J150.

Cycling has become big business; the number of people owning a bicycle continues to grow as does the mileage cycled in the UK which grew by 20 per cent in just 15 years to 5.1 billion kilometres. Entrepreneur, Harry Butterworth realised that this increase meant more people having to maintain and clean their bikes so approached Welsh based GX Group for their help to design a simple device to sit on top of a wheelie bin to allow essential bike maintenance.

“Working with entrepreneurs like Harry can be very rewarding”, notes GX Group’s managing director Mark Helmich. “Whilst we work with the research and development departments for large multinational medical companies we equally work with individuals helping them to bring their ideas to life. Frequently individuals spot a gap in the market and approach us with products to design that will enhance other’s lives, such as a heated seat cover or a device to dry out diving suits for example.”

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GX Group working with Go Wales help Wales’s design engineers of the future through the Graduate Academy Scheme

25 September 2014

The GX Group rightly has a reputation as one of the UK leading technology and innovations companies, and has a long tradition of employing young graduates to bolster their multidisciplinary team.  This year the company has teamed up with Go Wales to give three degree students from Welsh universities the opportunity to gain an insight into the industry and much needed practical experience. 

GX Group is pleased to welcome Elizabeth, Sam and Yvette to their team at their headquarters in Usk, Wales.  Building on her degree in Creative Product Design, Elizabeth will be working on product development with GX Design Engineers. Whilst GX Environmental and GX Systems will be benefiting from the extensive software skills that Sam and Yvette have spent the past three years studying.  

Elizabeth Fall

After studying Creative Product Design at the University of the West of England, I wanted to build upon the knowledge gained during my degree straight away. This opportunity a six month internship at GX Group through the Go Wales scheme will give me practical knowledge about product development and also the chance to gain a Level Four City and Guilds Award whilst on placement. I plan to gain as much experience as possible to benefit my future in design whilst at GX Group and hope that in turn I can give something back to the business.

Yvette Guerrier

Having recently graduated in Computing (BSC (Hons) from the University of South Wales in Newport, I was keen to gain experience within a business environment and utilise the programming skills I had learnt.  My course focused heavily on procedural programming and C++ during which I would like to pursue as a career in software programming.

Sam Pearson

I graduated with a degree in Theoretical Physics from Swansea University in July 2013. During my course I took a couple of software modules that I found really interesting. This experience with developing software gave me a good idea of the path I would to take with my career.

The Graduate Opportunities Wales (GO Wales) project began in 2003 as a service dedicated to helping graduates make the best start to their careers in Wales.

Managed by HEFCW and delivered by all the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Wales, GO Wales builds relationships with local employers, students and graduates to offer high quality work placements, jobs, work experience and training academies.

“The GX Group is pleased to work with Go Wales, supporting their quest to give local graduates the best start in their career,” notes Mark Helmich, Managing Director.  “Over the years a number of our employees have joined GX following their graduation from university, we are keen to continue to help nurture their ‘fresh ideas’ and help show them the many different aspects to design engineering be it developing industrial products, designing mechanical components, or resolving how products function correctly through electronics or software programming.”

 

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GX Group welcome a new member of staff

04 August 2014

GX Group is pleased to welcome Eve to the Administration Team.

Eve Bowen recently joined the team at Welsh based design engineering GX Group as administration assistant having completed her studies in Business Management and Law at Pontypool College.  GX felt that Eve would be a great asset to their ever expanding team since she holds a BTEC National Diploma in Business Management and Law Level 3, as well as completing a NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration. 

After completing her studies at Pontypool College, Eve gained her invaluable insight into the everyday running of a busy office by working in the Work Based Learning department at the College.

Commenting upon Eve’s recent appointment, Mark Helmich Managing Director said; ’We have close ties with the College as it is near our offices in Usk and have been successfully recruited candidates from there previously.  Since joining us Eve has quickly grasped the challenges of supporting the diverse team of designers and engineers based here and proved herself to be an excellent addition to the GX Group.”

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GX Group light up silent disco’s with new wireless headphones with integrated light band technology

28 August 2014

Wales based GX Group has helped enhance festival goer’s music experience by harnessing technology to develop a unique wireless headphone designed for use at a silent disco.

Working with the leading silent disco provider Silent Arena, who are headquartered in Cardiff, GX Group has designed from concept to production coloured light emitting headphones that indicate to fellow dancers which DJ and which music they are dancing to. They also create a dynamic light show on the dance floor.

Silent discos are a new and revolutionary concept where people can choose what music to listen pumped out by competing DJ’s via their wireless headphones. SilentArena wanted to develop this concept and encourage people to flick between up to three channels.

They approached the GX Group for their help to develop a set of headphones that visually showed which channel someone was listening to. Since silent discos have become a staple of many international and national festivals SilentArena also needed GX Group to consider a cost effective way of mass producing headphones.

The team at GX Group worked closely with SilentArena to design and engineer an optical band to change colour according to the choice of music, as well as reducing manufacturing costs. GX produced a number of prototype designs to establish the optimum optical performance using a minimum number of LEDs, encased in a design with a low tooling and manufacture cost. The selection of plastic for the light emitting headband was a particular challenge due to the restrictions on manufacturing costs; the team needed to find something that combined optimum optical with a high degree of multiple flexures in service that would not break or craze. To ensure the product design was easy to use and well received members of the GX Group team even attended events trialling the prototype prior to final launch at the Reading Festival last week.

“My disco days might be behind me,” noted managing director Mark Helmich, “thankfully several of our younger design engineers revelled in this challenge and enjoyed developing a sturdy, state of the art wireless headphone that festival goers could use. Apparently it was quite something to see over 3000 different coloured headsets lighting up the Red Camp at ReadingFestival!

www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/festival-goers-dancing-beat-technology-7690414

 

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GX Group continues as an approved electrical contractor under NICEIC Standards

02 July 2014

The NICEIC is a government approved body which has been regulating the electrical contracting industry for the past 50 years. Approved contractors must undergo a rigorous assessment process before they are added to the national register and allowed to display the assuring logo.

Allan Trebble who joined GX Group in October 2013 as an electrical engineer was recently qualified as a registered Competent Person – Electrical for the company. His work is largely for GX Environmental where he is responsible for all the planned and any reactive maintenance needed on the water loggers that the company administer.

Commenting upon the award, technical director Jeremy Saunders said; “Allan has become an indispensible member of the team and we are extremely proud that we will be amongst the first to display their new logo as Allan has been approved under the Register of Competent Person scheme.”

An official launch of NICEIC’S new mark and register takes place on the 2nd July in the Palace of Westminster.

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GX Group helps prevent diabetes

11 July 2014

Type 2 Diabetes, which is brought on through lifestyle factors such as being overweight or having high blood pressure, has risen dramatically over the past five years. It is estimated that now one in three adults in England alone have ‘prediabetes’, which is also known as borderline diabetes.

The GX Group has been helping health professionals throughout the world try and win the war against diabetes for nearly 20 years with their advanced design urine analysis devices. Work initially began back in 1995 when the GX Group was approached by Bayer Healthcare to develop a product capable to detecting important markers from a urine sample.

During the product development process the GX Group incorporated a blue LED light into the configuration of the Clinitek Status to detect glucose and to ensure a highly accurate reading. This work resulted in the award of a number of patents. The original Bayer Clinitek Status was completed and entered production in 2002.

Since this initial medical device was developed, Clinitek Status has become a Siemens product and has continued to be built in large numbers. The Clinitek Status Plus is the current model used worldwide, which is an upgrade of the original GX Group design with the addition of a docking station.

Gary Ross, who is one of the inventors of the original medical device design, noted that; “Treatment of diabetes is costing the NHS billions each year, figures suggest that this will rise from £9.8 billion to £16.9 billion within 25 years. Urinalysis is just one of the ways to help combat this rise so we are delighted that our initial design has stood the test of time and continues to help detect diabetes.”

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GX Group embraces environmental sustainability and is awarded IS0 14001

15 July 2014

Welsh based GX Group decided to take a positive step towards lessening their impact on the environment by implementing the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System working with an ISO certification company, QMS.

Before companies can be awarded their certification, they must implement a four stage process including developing a manual for the company and adopting ways that the whole company can save energy, waste and water.

Commenting on the award, managing director Mark Helmich said; “As a design engineering group we deal with a huge variety of raw materials and felt that we wanted to lessen our environmental impact by adopting a companywide policy of environmental management. By conforming to the ISO 14001 guidelines we have developed a better system of disposing of any waste effectively plus looked at ways to save energy across the company.

“It’s been a good process to go through and I believe that the measures that we now have in place will also help us to improve efficiency and even in the long run help reduce our operating costs.”

Pictured receiving the IS0 14001 award is (l-r) Nick Broad, operations manager, GX Group, Mark Helmich, managing director, GX Group, with Barbara Johnson the QMS Auditor.

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GX Group reveals why good manufacturing practices matter and some of the standards in design engineering

02 June 2014

A unique look behind the scenes with Claire Banks, the business development manager at GX Design Engineers, part of the GX Group, as she talks more about the some of the standards that govern product development.

“In design engineering there is no one overriding standard,” says Claire, “rather each product depending upon how and where it will be used has standards governing practical guidelines.

As design engineers for the medical sector we would always adhere to ISO 13485 when designing a medical product; this is an international standard governing the design and manufacture of medical devices. By following the standards laid down in ISO 13485 guidelines we know that whatever we design it will pass the European medical device directives.”

Design consultancies like the Welsh based GX Group which includes GX Design Engineers; know there are a plethora of the standards which they must incorporate into their concepts. Keeping abreast of these changing standards and understanding the implications of each of them is an extensive job. When commencing on a new product design whether it is for a medical product or for the car industry the team at GX Design Engineers ensures that they adhere to current standard guidelines, where possible they even design a product to more than exceed requirements.

“At GX Design Engineers to ensure we are one step ahead of the guidelines we have always adopted ‘good manufacturing practices’ as a matter of course, often even when products have no standards to pass. We believe any good design should be a quality product, and be fit for purpose,” notes Claire.

“Where products have to comply with several standards, like the new product that we developed for Bayer Diagnostics the Clinitek Status, our design development team will ensure that all the material selection and the products functionality meet all the guidelines.”

There are even guidelines governing packaging for products sold with the European Community. For example, the European Parliament and Council Directive, 94/62/EC, brought into force back in December 1994, encourages the minimisation of waste material by asking manufacturers to prominently display the recycling options for the product along with the recognised recycling icon.

“Ultimately standards are put in place to safeguard the public,” concedes Claire. “When dealing with products that are destined to be used within the medical and scientific sector we are highly aware that they must be safe both for the user and where appropriate the patient.”

If you have an idea that you would like to explore with GX Group please contact Claire Banks on Claire.banks@gxgroup.com.

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GX Group recruits two new members of staff to the design team

13 June 2014

GX Group has recently expanded their Industrial and Mechanical Team following the addition of two new graduates Alex Blondek and Santi Martinez Núñez.

For Alex this is his first job having recently finished his final year in Product Design (MDes) at University of Leeds, where he achieved at High 2:1 in his 3rd year. During his time at University Alex took part and won a number of Awards, namely University Best Major Project 2013 and Major Project at New Designers 2013.

Santi, who is from Pamplona, Spain, initially started working under the guidance of Gary Ross, Design Director and Andrew Seddon, Design Engineer as part of a three month work placement scheme after graduating from University of Navarre. The team at GX were impressed with Santi’s drive and attention to detail so much that they decided to offer him full time employment.

Commenting upon these appointments, Gary Ross said: “Alex and Santi’s skills are great additions to the Industrial and Mechanical team. Alex has a unique perception and understanding of conceptual design, whilst Santi’s understanding of complex engineering mechanisms has helped us on several projects already.”

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GX Group design a new cleaning and maintenance solution for bikes - The Hooky

17 June 2014

Whether you enjoy road biking or the ups and downs of mountain biking, whatever your preference, the end result will always be the same - a dirty bike in need of maintenance. Cleaning and maintaining your bike on a regular basis can increase its longevity as grease, dirt and grit wear and damage bike parts, proving costly in the long term.

To help solve this problem Harry Butterworth turned to the GX Group to turn his ‘idea’ into a commercial reality. He had devised a revolutionary but simple product to aid cleaning and maintaining your bike that simply hooked over the rear handles of a standard wheelie bin raising the bike off the floor allowing easy access for cleaning and routine maintenance.

 

As a result of product development by the team at GX Design Engineers his invention - the Hooky has a patent pending and can now be purchased online through www.ebay.co.uk, under ‘the hooky cycle maintenance aid’.

The Hooky is a wooden self-assembly frame designed to fit the most common wheelie bins with a maximum front to rear dimension of 74cm-29 inches. It arrives flat packed and users simply connect four simple components made from British sustainably sourced Birch faced exterior grade plywood. The wooden frame is supplied untreated and can be left so if stored indoors or treated accordingly.

Commenting on the product design development, managing director Mark Helmich said; “Several members of the product design team are keen mountain bikers so could appreciate the need to design a simple bike maintenance stand. Before agreeing upon the final product design our team showed Mr Butterworth several prototypes before settling on this final design.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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GX Group keeping Cardiff NIAC on track

25 June 2014

For athletes to perform at their best they practice and maintain a healthy lifestyle; what of the track that they use? The NIAC (National Indoor Athletics Centre) at Cardiff Metropolitan University was the first purpose built indoor athletics track in the UK. This specialised running track has bends that can be raised and lowered according to the race, all of which must be regularly maintained. This highly technical track is looked after and maintained by Welsh based GX Systems, part of the GX Group. 

As the Glasgow 2014 XX Commonwealth Games near, training has stepped up for those keen to compete, so NIAC is being used on a regular basis by the Welsh Athletic Team the Welsh Netball Association (WNA). To ensure that the track reaches its full potential GX Systems has just undertaken routine maintenance of the track. 

The trained engineers from GX Systems spent time inspecting the electrical panels and hydraulic systems for wear and tear and to guarantee the correct operation. This maintenance also included the calibration of the bend position in the down (zero) position, earth bonding and earth leakage tests, voltage levels and a check for any oil leaks along the whole hydraulic system. 

GX Group is proud of their association with NIAC and to be supporting our athletes in achieving their sporting ambitions; we wish all the Welsh team the very best.

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GX Group helps to combat global water contamination

15 May 2014

Modern Water, a British based company who supplies advanced systems for water monitoring, approached the GX Group for their help to develop an online analytical toxicity instrument using bioluminescent technology to monitor water contamination.

The design team at GX Design Engineers worked closely with Modern Water to design the Microtox® CTM to ensure that it had low manufacturing costs which would keep the unit price down and therefore appeal to worldwide markets. From producing six initial machines for customers of Modern Water, GX Design Engineers will be building a further 20 units, most of which are destined for use in the Far East for clients who need to monitor water contamination.

The Microtox CTM is a standalone instrument which can be controlled and monitored via a colour touchscreen, or even remotely via the internet. The instrument gives a continuous indication of water quality through the use of bioluminescent bacteria by mixing samples of bacteria and water, then monitoring the amount of light emitted by the bacteria to measure their health.

Commenting upon the project, managing director Mark Helmich said; “Bioluminescent technology is still a relatively new process, but one that GX Design Engineers previously successfully harnessed to produce a diagnostic monitor. We were able to utilise this knowledge and combine it with our multidisciplinary approach to collaborate on this ground breaking project with Modern Water.”

 

 

 

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GX Group and Metrasens Ferroguard - Advancing MRI Safety

01 April 2014

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GX Group sponsor local Under 11’s Rugby Team

04 April 2014

Welsh based GX Group is hoping their sponsorship of the Newport Schools Rugby Under 11’s Team might just ‘make it possible’ for Wales to one day lift the crown again! 

GX Group has worked in the product design industry for over 25 years developing products for consumer use such as innovative light bulbs and baby feeding ranges through to new and pioneering products to aid a healthier lifestyle. 

Commenting on their sponsorship, managing director, Mark Helmich said; “We have designed many products over the years that have been destined to improve people’s lives; we wanted to take this one stage further and help youngsters develop a love for our national game.”

http://www.mountpleasantprimary.co.uk/index.php?page=37

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GX Group discuss what challenges ‘you’ the customer are faced with when turning your idea into a commercial reality.

15 April 2014

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
Joshua J. Marine

Claire Banks, the business development manager at award winning product designers GX Design Engineers, part of the GX Group, discusses the range of choices customers are faced with when growing an idea from inception to commercial reality.

“The product design lifecycle has several key development stages all of which throw up a host of choices, each with its own cost implications,” advises Claire.  “The role of a design agency like GX Design Engineers to is to guide you through those choices from advising on the choice of key materials through to how best to prototype the product, before finally agreeing the manufacturing process.”

To illustrate this point Claire discusses the process GX Design Engineers went through when developing a scientific instrument to replicate the physical properties of the human stomach – the Dynamic Gastric Model (DGM).

Material selection

The main consideration when choosing materials to use in product development is to minimise the cost whilst meeting product specifications.  In the case of the DGM having to replicate how a human stomach digested meant using materials which would not be corroded by all the chemicals needed to simulate stomach acids.  Working alongside the client, the team at GX Design Engineers chose a flexible polyurethane material that was acid resistant and which also closely resembled the physical properties of the human stomach.  Using such a flexible material additionally helped with keeping manufacturing costs low since inexpensive silicon moulds could be used to build this section. 

Manufacturing

Appreciating how the product will be used or marketed frequently influences which manufacturing process the design team considers.  Some clients want their product mass produced; in which case GX Design Engineers ensure the design can be economically manufactured.  Whilst other clients need a more bespoke product, this is frequently the case for the medical and scientific clients that GX Design Engineers work with.  

“In the case of the DGM the client only wanted a low volume made so did not need to explore the costs for mass production.” Claire recalls. “This greatly affected our choice of manufacturing processes and we had to seek companies that were capable of machining the specialist materials required. We also needed to be mindful that ultimately this particular product would be used to assess absorption rates for drugs and for food research, so whilst we were not bound by medical standards, we felt it was important to work with medically approved grades of materials.”

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GX Group client Ultra Electronics ID at ISC West in Las Vegas

24 April 2014

Ultra Electronics – Magicard manufacture ID Card printers which print, amongst others, data-encoded and biometric cards.   

GX Group were asked to design and develop a mid to high range competitively priced range of printers and laminators that would secure Ultra Electronics – Magicard as a key player  in the world of  ID Card printers.

To ensure a competitive cost advantage, GX completely re-designed the original metal chassis printers produced by Ultra Electronics and moved to an all-plastic chassis design.

GX created a strong visual identity across the new product family, with effective empathy for Ultra’s brand values.

Current Magicard  Products designed by GX are :-

Pronto

Enduro+

Rio Pro

http://www.ultramagicard.com/

 

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GX Group attend the Med–Tech Innovation Conference in Coventry

19 March 2014

GX Group will be exhibiting at the Med-Tech Conference at Ricoh Centre in Coventry.  

2014 is the first year that GX will be represented at this prestigious show and Claire Banks – Business Development Manager and Mark Helmich – Managing Director will be showcasing GX’s latest innovation in LED technology. 

We look forward to seeing you there.

http://www.mtiexpo-uk.com/home

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=57d20d227673af5aab5156385&id=0e8c423757&e=4a4a825b47

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GX Group are now members of Design Business Association, a trade association for Design in the UK

20 March 2014

GX Group is pleased to announce they are now members of the DBA (Design Business Association).

The DBA is a community of over 400 design agencies and design-led businesses who share a set of values and beliefs.

By belonging to the UK’s trade association for the design industry, members demonstrate their commitment to:

• The highest professional standards for creative businesses.

• The belief that design should be treated as an investment.

• Delivering a return on that investment.

http://www.dba.org.uk/

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GX Group cites ‘listening’ at the heart of good design

26 March 2014

All design starts with an idea – but turning this into a commercially viable product is where GX Design Engineers come in. Listening to the client and knowing how to extract the right information to take a product forward is an art in itself.

“We work with a wide range of clients from individual entrepreneurs to the product development teams from large pharmaceutical companies,” says Mark Helmich, GX Group’s managing director. “No matter who the client is, we apply the same initial process – sit down and take time to learn and understand what their idea is and how they perceive the product being used.”

Click here to learn more about how GX Design Engineers take a holistic approach to design in New Design’s Yearbook entry.

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GX Group discusses the importance of an innovative approach to design to ensure successful product development

13 February 2014

“I have no idols. I admire work, dedication and competence.”
Ayrton Senna

Claire Banks, GX Group’s business development manager investigates why you need a specialist design engineering consultancy that is renowned for their innovative approach to product design, like their division, GX Design Engineers.

“We have built a reputation for being able to deliver the seemingly impossible,” remarks Claire. “Many clients have turned to us since they know our dedicated design team, GX Design Engineers, adopts a multidisciplinary and holistic approach able to deliver results; whether it is to value engineer an existing product, or incorporate pioneering technologies and materials to produce cutting edge design.

The course of product design frequently does not run smoothly, during the life of a project the design team is often faced with the seemingly impossible, but being part of a larger group can help problem solve. As Claire Banks notes, the need to overcome a particular issue frequently leads to a new technology or employing new emerging materials often as a result of crossover ideas from other divisions within the group.

Through their other divisions GX Group can adopt a multidiscipline approach to product development, this is one of the key reasons clients consistently use them for product design engineering. When Bayer needed a machine developed to read urine strips they turned to the team at GX Group. The key criteria were to ensure absolute accuracy of reading and the ability to detect a range of patient problems. By using multiple wavelength LEDs combined with plastic lenses, light guides and a CCD array, GX Group employed elements of spectrometry and reflectometry to allow the instrument to give fast accurate readings at a vastly reduced cost.

Having previously developed one product using light technology, GX Group applied this technology to value engineer a product for another client, Energist. They needed a compact, manoeuvrable machine to produce a particular wavelength of light to help people with skin problems.

Claire would always encourage people to look for breadth of experience when choosing a design engineering company who offer a variety of skills and have worked in a number of different sectors. “For GX Group it is the cross fertilisation of ideas that really helps clients by allowing them access to a range of brilliant minds and services!” Claire points out. “We thrive on a challenge and are able to apply knowledge from one sector to help solve problems in another. We are unique in offering electronics alongside so many services under one roof which really does help to apply a cohesive approach to product design and development.”

Collaboration and client input is another vital component to the GX Group design process, just as the commercial reality of the product is. When designing a product using cutting edge technology, GX Group always considers the product’s point of differentiation and production techniques. As Claire advises, “At the outset of new product development, we explore manufacturing opportunities for viable and cost effective manufacture. Employing new technologies or materials may solve one part of the problem, but equally knowing how to mass produce is a key part of the development process.”

The development of an artificial lung, which a patient could wear externally, encouraged the team at GX Group to devise a revolutionary way of using polymer technology to stack fibre mats in a curve, following the lines of the wearer’s body. Alongside this the team also developed a production technique to ensure it could be a viable product.

“Our innovative, creative and relevant solutions have turned many brilliant ideas into a commercial reality for so many clients in a wide number of sectors including medical and scientific, security and defence as well as automotive clients and individual developers,” concludes Claire.

 

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GX Group and Teer Coating announce the new generation of PVD Coating

27 February 2014

Recently launched by Teer Coatings ( Part of the Miba Group) The PlasMag CF-800 is the new generation of PVD Coating equipment.  Teer Coatings Ltd. (TCL) develops individual coating solutions for components and is also a leader in the building of coating machines, they specialise in Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD)coatings and have one of the world’s most comprehensive coatings portfolios.

 The PlasMag CF-800 incorporates a completely new control system based on Siemens PLC with integrated safety and utilising a customer designed touch screen LabVIEW user interface for ease of operation.  Standard equipment includes Turbomolecular pump, DC/Pulsed DC sputtering, integrated magnetron handling and RF compatible chamber and shielding.

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call us on +44 (0)1291 673437

GX Group outlines considerations that are imperative to a successful product development process

24 January 2014

Having worked in the product design industry for many years, GX Design Engineers is best placed to offer both advice and support to their customers.  The answers to the initial considerations below, will determine the final outcome and success of your product and ensure the journey in getting there is an enjoyable one. Seeing your product reach the market is the continuation of the journey.

 “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” 

― Ernest Hemingway

 

Collaboration

“Most projects at some stage go through similar problems from obtaining finance to lack of ideas,” comments Claire Banks, business development manager for GX Design Engineers. “We would always recommend harnessing everyone’s input from different disciplines at the outset.”

Whilst R&D departments know and appreciate who the end customer is and how they may utilise a product, they can sometimes be too close to a problem. Using an external design engineering company, like the GX Group, can allow a different perspective.

GX Group takes a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to working with their customers using in-house specialists who have expertise in the key disciplines including mechanical, industrial, electronics, software and optronics. This has often led to a cross fertilisation of ideas and consequently ensured commercial success for many clients including AssayMetric and their Fluorescence Plate Reader.GX Group outlines considerations that are imperative to a successful product development process

 

Being a Stakeholder

At the heart of GX Group’s collaborative approach is to ensure that the client becomes involved in the project by making them a stakeholder.  They are seen as integral to the team as development partners early on in the project’s life.  

 

Feasibility Studies

Product development is not a case of ‘build it and they may come’; rather early on in the process spend time and money investing in feasibility studies to understand where the product you would like to develop would sit in the market place. GX Group offers a fresh perspective and invests a considerable amount of time researching the market thoroughly to ensure a product has a point of differentiation. Quite often good products build on the platform where others have failed once a need has been identified.

 

Finance

Looking for a partner early on to share the costs of your product development can be a benefit; as can be exploring the funding available via the grants such as Horizon 2020 as an example. Keeping a handle on costs is vital, product development is by its nature expensive and in many cases can be a leap of faith. Choosing the right company is half the battle, look for one that has a history of delivering viable projects on time. GX Group has an enviable reputation in the medical and scientific industry of turning innovative ideas into commercial reality.

 

for more information
call us on +44 (0)1291 673437