We treat development as a process of reducing uncertainty in defined steps. Each stage has an input, an output and a condition that has to be met before the next one starts.
At the start of a project we write down what is unknown. The purpose of every step after that is to remove one item from the list.
This gives two things. We can say where a project stands at any point without guessing, and we find out early when a route is a dead end, rather than after most of the budget has gone.
Work is structured using design of experiments. Instead of testing one variable at a time, we use matrices that show how factors interact with each other. That produces more information from fewer trials, which matters when each trial involves preparing and conditioning samples.
There are gates between the stages. We do not move forward until the technical criterion has been met and you have approved it.
Service temperature, chemical exposure, mechanical load, expected life and applicable regulation. The cost ceiling and production volume are agreed here too, because they narrow the material options immediately.
How the problem has been solved elsewhere, and whether there are patents in the way. This step regularly saves months of trial work.
A candidate list is built and reduced through fast screening tests. At the end of this stage you receive a technical route, a timeline and a cost, and can decide whether to continue.
Iterative work using design of experiments. Mechanical, thermal and rheological characterisation is run each round and the results go into a comparison matrix.
The selected formulation is produced at pilot scale under real process conditions. The difference between laboratory and line shows up here, and is resolved here.
Recipe card, process parameter set, quality control plan and supplier list. We support the first production runs on site.
Sometimes the requirement is a full development programme and sometimes it is the answer to one question. We work in three ways.
A project run end to end by us against an agreed target. Intellectual property in the output belongs to the customer.
A mixed team with your engineers. Risk, cost and output are shared on terms set out in the contract. Suited to longer term work.
One question answered: a root cause investigation, a raw material substitution, a specification review or a second opinion.
Customer work is confidential, so these are described without names. They are the problem types we see most often and the route we usually take.
Problem: An engine mount cracking in service earlier than the design life.
Route: Fracture surface examination on returned parts, accelerated fatigue testing, and redesign of the antioxidant system in the rubber compound.
Problem: A cable sheathing compound has to leave a halogenated system, and mechanical properties drop when it does.
Route: Design of experiments on mineral filler loading and surface treatment chemistry, mapping the trade-off between elongation at break and burn performance.
Problem: A barrier pack performs well but cannot be recycled because of its layer structure.
Route: Barrier layer design within one polymer family, widening the heat seal window, and shelf life verification on the new structure.
Problem: An injection line is the bottleneck in the plant and scrap is higher than it should be.
Route: Mould cooling analysis, trials with flow modifying additives, and a statistical redefinition of the process window.
Problem: A customer specification now requires a minimum share of recycled material.
Route: Characterisation of the regrind, selection of compatibiliser and chain extender, and building batch variation into the quality plan.
Problem: An additive has become unavailable and production is at risk.
Route: Definition of equivalence criteria, comparative testing of alternative supplier samples, and preparation of a fast approval file.
A mutual non-disclosure agreement before the first technical meeting. Once the scope is clear, a development agreement setting out the objectives, stage criteria, timeline, fee and the ownership of results.
Not for customer funded work. Exclusivity in the application field defined in the contract belongs to the customer. The methods and know-how Novera brought into the project beforehand sit outside that scope and remain with us, which is stated explicitly rather than left implied.
Each project is given a reference number. Samples are labelled and stored in locked cabinets, and data sits in directories restricted to the project team. At the end of a project samples are returned or disposed of against a written record, whichever you prefer.
We prepare the technical content of the invention disclosure and advise on claim drafting alongside your patent attorney. Filing and prosecution are handled by the attorney you appoint.
Whether you have a full development brief or a single production problem, the starting point is the same. Send us the application conditions and we will tell you what is realistic.
