Summary
This article highlights Round Peg’s approach to the development of a packaging solution for air-shipping an Aveillant holographic radar.
Round Peg’s innovation extended beyond conventional ideas, implementing a redesign that allowed existing frame components to be reused as a self-contained stillage and cradle support for the radar and the frame, facilitating safer transportation and easier assembly.
The result exceeded expectations, providing a cost-effective and efficient solution.
The Challenge
Aveillant’s ‘Gamekeeper’ 3D holographic radar has been a game-changer in radar technology, most notably in the detection and tracking of drones and other unmanned air systems (UAS).
For scenarios requiring quick installation, the Gamekeeper is mounted on top of a shipping container. This traditionally involves transporting the container on a lorry, with the radar and frame shipped separately. However, an urgent order from New Zealand necessitated air freight and a critical reassessment of the radar frame design to reduce overall volume and the significant additional costs.
Given their successful collaborations on prior projects, Aveillant turned to Round Peg for a creative solution.
Thinking Outside the Box
Round Peg saw an opportunity to do more than just the initial suggestions to segment the mounting frame for a smaller footprint.
Instead, they envisioned a redesign that would allow the frame to disassemble and reassemble as a cradle, securely holding the Gamekeeper during transit. This approach not only addressed the immediate shipping challenge but also set the stage for a transformative solution.
The “Flat-Pack” Solution Emerges
The redesigned frame became more than just a one-off solution. It evolved during development into a self-contained stillage mounted on castor wheels, allowing it to be effortlessly rolled on and off the shipping container.
The ingenuity of the design lay in its simplicity – all elements needed for construction and attachment to the container could be flat-packed and bolted into the same cradle. When reassembled at the destination, the only remnants were the four wheels.
Results Beyond Expectations
While initially conceived to meet an urgent shipping need, the “flat-pack” design has become a cost-effective and efficient solution. With parts costing only slightly more than the fixed radar version, it can be safely shipped anywhere globally at significantly reduced shipping cost.
Aveillant’s Operations Director, Bob Wade, commended Round Peg’s capability:
“What Round Peg is really good at is interpreting what we want, understanding what we’re trying to achieve, and then delivering more than we’ve asked for in a very elegant way”.
The implementation of the “flat-pack” showcases Round Peg’s commitment to straightforward innovation and effective design, ensuring the seamless global deployment of Aveillant’s cutting-edge radar technology.
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