Industry
Instrumentation
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Business Situation
Ralston Instruments needed engineering expertise to expand and upgrade its current line of instrumentation products.
Technological Situation
The instrumentation had to be rated IP67 and be intrinsically safe to satisfy oil and gas industry requirements.
Solution
Occam Technology Group worked with Ralston Instruments to design and mechanically engineer its highly technical line of instrumentation products. Our job was to develop the product and use simulation to ensure success.
Benefits
We used simulation and design engineering tools to deliver an outstanding product that passed regulatory requirements.
Benefits
- Design Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Material Engineering
Precision Instrumentation is a Multi-Disciplinary Project
Ralston Instruments was founded in 1969. Its creation was a direct response to the demand for an accurate and convenient method of calibrating pressure. The company had its first success with the development of the hand held pneumatic pump in 1969. Later, in 1970, the first hydraulic hand pump was created. Since then, Ralston Instruments has continued to create user-friendly, secure, and time-saving products. The company is known for its hand pumps, adapters, compressed gas control devices, hoses, and complete calibration kits—all of which are made in the USA.
Ralston Instruments had industrial designers and electrical engineers at its disposal; however, what the company lacked in house—engineering expertise—it sought out in Occam Technology Group. We were approached by Griffin Ralston of Ralston Instruments to help integrate specific ideas and technology into one small package, while still meeting all of the rigorous regulatory standards. We agreed to develop the product, design it, and simulate testing of a digital prototype, as well as a 3D model, to ensure the product’s complete success.
We created a digital prototype, which allowed us to simulate dropping the device from 3 feet onto a concrete floor. When it failed, we knew that we had to make a drastic change. The Occam team worked with a plastic supplier to develop new type of plastic—a carbon fiber nylon material—which is used for the main body of the device. The carbon fiber impregnated nylon is stronger than some aluminum and has incredible strength numbers.
Ralston had very exacting standards. These standards were never lowered, and Ralston continued to pursue them throughout the project. We were able to come up with the perfect solution, so that all of the industrial design and electrical components could fit into such a tiny package and do all the things they needed done.