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CASE: VT900A/VT650 NPI

Where: Fluke Biomedical
When: Launched January 2018

VT900A medical device plugged into a Vapor accessory. The screen of the VT900A is lit up and shows various number readings.

VT900A with Vapor accessory
image owned by Fluke Corporation

The VT900A and VT650 are high accuracy Gas Flow Analyzers that are used to calibrate and test respiratory medical equipment in a variety of settings. Additionally, the VT900A can be paired with the Vapor accessory for testing anesthesia machines.

As the sole manufacturing engineer for Fluke Biomedical, I managed the manufacturing aspect of any new product introduction (NPI). This required close communication with every department through all stages of development from initial idea through manufacturing and launch.

I collaborated with the design team to ensure that the device would be easy to manufacture and avoid any known quality issues around certain types of parts or plastic design. I also had the responsibility to design and build an assembly cell that would allow for the device to be built, tested and packed out in a small footprint of the factory -- working with test engineers, facility employees and the future assemblers

This NPI had a particular challenge of having similar but different models which required small and easily missed assembly differences. It was vital that work instructions and part labeling was clear so that the assembler could quickly do their job while also incorporating checks to catch any mistakes prior to buttoning up the unit.

The Vapor accessory and VT900A model was also added part way through the assembly cell build which required a very quick pivot in both cell design and various part manufacturing including labels and displays.

I managed the entire manufacturing project side of the new product and ensured that all team members were meeting their deadlines. I was involved in every aspect of the product becoming manufacturable from administrative tasks like filing the product to be included on the company price list to ensuring that the plastic mold would arrive from the overseas supplier on time.

NPIs are one of the most complex projects that I had the opportunity to manage but one of the most rewarding. I got to see the product go from vague idea all the way to shipping off to the customer.

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