Service &
Competence
THE EKER PROCESS
Developed through 35 years of experience, ‘The Eker Process’ is our blueprint for designing a variety of products in different market segments. The process model is highly adaptable and caters for small companies to large enterprises. Continuously evolving markets demands products have a shorter time in development in order to seize market opportunities. The Eker Process model meets this demand. By using the right tools, having the right engagement and efficiency, we save time and cost!
Research & Insight
The first step to a successful product is understanding the market and its future users. Our ability to understand user needs in correlation with market opportunities translates into our vision for the project at hand.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
The foundation for a successful product is cemented in the research and insight phase. For the world-renowned cross-country skier Petter Northug, it was no different. Developing Northug Multisport Eyewear, it was established that for the glasses to work in all conditions and promote multi-sport, it was important for the user to be able to easily change the lens if needed. This is also a feature allowing the eyewear to grow with the user and increase sales of lenses. SwiftClick ™ became a crucial feature of the final product.
Concept & Design
With a clear vision for the project’s success, early concepts are developed to verify the projects original idea and value proposition. Proof of concept enables us to continue to development with confidence and efficiency. Concepts also receive a preliminary evaluation of materials and production processes suitable for the defined market and user.
USING VR TO TEST AND UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS
In our Virtual Reality Lab the designers, engineers, and clients can experience the product in real size and in the right environment already in the concept phase.We have created our own software for visualizing the design and try out practical functions and space in the Eker Virtual Reality lab. We have added functions and functionality to provide a solid experience and to provide a powerful tool for the development team and the customers. The VR user gets a realistic experience and triggers immediate feedback useful for the ongoing product development process.
DEVELOPMENT
We use 3D surfacing and digital sketching to ensure optimal control over design and a safe, fast design process. Good product design requires full control over internal mechanics with 3D CAD, this way we can build and test concepts and their mechanics in our extensive in-house prototyping facilities. Our team of designers creates and refines the right DNA and design philosophy for the product. Values are assigned for user interaction, physical dimensions and everything in between, to ensure that the product design is aesthetic, functional and robust.
See the Hydrolift
X-32 milling process
Our CNC milling machines create parts with high finish and high tolerance demands. Plugs and molds for parts in materials such as carbon- and glass- fiber can be manufactured directly.
COMPOSITES
We specialize in the development and production of composite products. This venture reflects our commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology with our renowned design and manufacturing expertise.
SIMULATING PERFORMANCE
The insight and information simulations bring can make or break a design process. It enables us to gain efficiency and help optimize products with high-performance weight and strength requirements. Throughout the development process to make sure that we deliver highly competitive products. We utilize Ansys, Numeca, Solidworks Simulation & simFlow.
DOCUMENTATION
Producing technical documentation in-house is crucial. We have the necessary understanding of the product and the component production to ensure the highest level of precision and quality. Our engineers cooperate with producers around the world to set up the item specifications and achieve the optimal tolerances to meet the required component price target. Our technical writers and design-engineers are involved throughout the process to maintain a high level of consistency in all technical documentation. Userguides, assembly-instructions, brochures and service manuals are all developed in-house through the development phase and released in the industrialization phase.
RENDERING & ANIMATION
Rendered 3D models and animations are developed from the early concepts, to the product development phases, and through to the product market launch. In the conceptual phase we visualize several concept models, and in the development phase we visualize the product for internal use, for use in web, marketing and PR related material. The Animations are often used in technical, or sales presentations of the mechanical solutions as well as the esthetical design.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Our visual identity team creates seamless brand integration. Platform optimized and tailor-made solutions carefully crafted to highlight the essence and qualities of the product or company. The visual identity team benefits from the unique possibility to follow the product development process from start to launch. We believe that this makes for a better understanding of whats needed for the ultimate visual support, and to further promote the product in the best way possible.
industrialization
To ensure that the product will be approved and manufactured according to the required quality level we cooperate with testing institutes and manufacturing sites around the world to ensure the product approval process. We set up test routines, do trials and part approvals, and we define golden samples and do the final quality agreements with the suppliers and manufacturing sites. In parallel with the industrialization activities, our marketing, and brand management team finalize the commercial launch plan and media strategy, as well as all visual identity collateral for the product. Doing these steps in parallel removes the risk of late or incomplete commercial launches.