Our aim is to support Irish companies build profitable & sustainable business in domestic and international markets. We offer a unique mix of services and expertise, including: market research & insight, systematic innovation, engineering R&D and turnkey product design.
We work with clients from a range of industry sectors, including: food & beverage, medical devices, professional services, and precision optics. Our core markets are Ireland, UK, Germany, France and the US. However, our network extends to other major EU markets, such as Scandinavia and the Benelux.
Shibumi applies a staged multi-phase approach to R&D projects of significant complexity and/or which are undertaken on behalf of clients operating in highly regulated sectors. This limits commercial and technical risk.
Discovery Stage – Market Research and Systematic Innovation
Research is an integral part of our NPD process and informs innovation and product development projects at every step. During the Discovery phase we have a range of proven tools to draw from, including quantitative and qualitative market research, patent landscaping studies & analysis of freedom to operate, engineering desk research, reverse-engineering, TRIZ & Design Thinking that help us identify the right problem to solve, and to then find the most ideal solutions.
Our preference is to work jointly with our clients, typically in multi-disciplinary idea generation workshops, as our experience has shown that this approach to innovation achieves the best results.
Concept Focus & Refinement Stage
In this phase, in consultation with our client, we develop an agreed number of distinct conceptual solutions to a sufficient level of detail to allow strengths and weaknesses of each to be seen clearly. We use 3D CAD design, structural thermal and fluid flow simulation tools, and construct simple proof-of-principle models for testing, to allow the physical principles of a concept to be explored and demonstrated. Normally a single concept will ultimately be chosen for further development.
Engineering Development Stage
Our focus at this stage is to add detail and depth to one chosen concept, culminating in the delivery of a Specification for Pilot Manufacture. Typically, we co-develop product and manufacturing process, and involving endurance and life testing, overseeing regulatory testing and supporting the client to achieve certification. Our CNC machining, precision 3D scanning, wide range of test instrumentation and large format 3D printing facilities allow Shibumi to undertake prototype and test rig construction in-house, generally much faster than is otherwise possible.
Export Planning & Growth
We support clients in developing the optimum market entry/export strategy to build sustainable & profitable export business, with a particular focus on Germanic Europe. This includes: selection of suitable export market(s) & route(s) to market; product specification (including development if required); packaging design & branding; consumer testing in-market through focus groups and mystery shopping, ensuring compliance with relevant standards & regulations, etc.
Facilities and capabilities in our R&D Centre include:
• Computer-aided design of products, instruments and machinery in PTC Creo and SolidWorks
• Structural and thermal simulation studies – drop tests, strength margin, stiffness, behaviour of flexures, creep and plasticity effects
• Multiphysics and computational fluid dynamics studies including fluid-structure interactions and gas combustion studies
• Design of ray-based optical systems, optomechanical design, sourcing lens prototypes, interferometric testing of components, system assembly and Shack-Hartmann testing of image-forming optical assemblies
• High resolution 3D scanning to 20um accuracy, CAD-to-scan deviation reports, reverse-engineering from 3D scans to CAD models. Validation of injection mouldings to print.
• FDM 3D printing of parts up to Ø400 x 600mm high, in various engineering resins
• Manual and CNC machining of parts and assemblies for R&D purposes
• Material characterisation via micro-indentation, DMA-TTS and environmental testing. Moldflow studies of the mouldability of injection-moulded parts
• Test rig design, build and empirical testing, including multi-axis motion control.
• High-resolution thermographic videography and analysis
