Collaborate on the development of a new product line

Sanovo is known for their high-quality and advanced egg graders. The GraderPro series is one of Sanovo's most advanced graders. The graders have a very high capacity and are used by large egg grading centers. Sanovo plans to update the current product line to ensure that the graders even better meet the needs of the target market.

The new modified product line has a lower capacity making it suitable for smaller sorting centers. Sanovo had insufficient manpower for this project and could use additional support in the area of mechanical engineering. QING was already familiar with Sanovo's methods through a previous collaboration. It was a logical choice for Sanovo to appoint QING as a suitable cooperation partner for this project. "For both short and long-term projects, we can turn to QING for additional engineering capacity," says Jan-willem Pennings, Manager R&D at Sanovo.

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Approach

QING provided access to experienced engineers and knowledge about applying different technologies. "Because our machines are very specific and complex, outsourcing a design job with minimal involvement is not an option. Good communication and ownership of knowledge is essential for us," continued Jan-Willem. With access to additional knowledge and expertise, Sanovo aims to strengthen its market position.

Together the parties had the same goals in mind and worked together a lot to achieve the desired result. At the beginning of the project, Sanovo expressed its wishes and expectations to the engineers and an action list was drawn up. The project was divided into several phases. Each phase consisted of developing a particular part of the machine.

Proof-of-concept tests were conducted to evaluate new component technologies. Proof-of-concept testing is a key part of the development process, allowing us to verify the functionality of new principles and identify potential risks. During the development phase, we built two prototypes in QING’s Development Lab.

Weekly, Sanovo and QING were in contact to discuss progress. "The communication with QING went well. A lead engineer from QING was designated as the contact person, with whom we could discuss both substantive and practical issues," Jan-Willem said. In the weekly meetings, tasks performed were discussed and follow-up steps were considered. "The contact lines are short and, if necessary, urgent matters can be dealt with quickly," he adds.

Ensuring hygiene and safety with
a beautiful design

QING contributed to the development of several modules, including the machines' housing. Many challenges were overcome while designing the housing. Much attention was paid to the design of the machines, which not only had to be beautiful, but also had to meet hygiene and safety guidelines. The machines had to be easy to clean and should not have horizontal surfaces where dirt could remain on them or pockets where dirt or water could remain.

Sanovo and QING collaborated throughout all phases of the project, from the concept phase through to styling, 3D design, and prototype construction. The successful collaboration is partly due to the involvement of QING’s engineers in every phase of the project. “The strength of our collaboration lies in our joint contribution of expertise to achieve the desired result,” says Jan-Willem. In addition to mechanical engineering, the two companies also collaborated in the areas of Digital Twin and software development.

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