Made in the Midlands members, PP Control & Automation are working with Aston University School of Optometry to bring tele-optometry solutions to market. The eMap™ product will be the world's first edge to edge, fully digitised, remotely accessible lens analysis system. This Midlands partnership will be vital for helping meet global demand.
The leading strategic manufacturing outsourcing specialists are helping EYOTO™, a spinout from Aston University’s School of Optometry one of the leading and best-known Optometry programs in the world, are working together to bring lenses to life at a click of a button. Along with incredibly advanced surface inspection and full-colour power maps in just 55 seconds.
The first machines will go into production by the end of 2020 and have already received huge interest.
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Garry Myatt, Sales Director at PP C&A, commented: “EYOTO had been let down badly and needed a partner they could trust to pick things up and put in place a full manufacturing line that would deliver substantial quantities within the first six months.
“Our ability to have the right skills available in engineering competence, cable preparation and creation, electro-mechanical build and assembly meant we had the majority of what we needed under one roof and then it was simply a case of designing the build process.
“One of the key things we did was to invest over £150,000 into a new dedicated Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and Complex Box Build manufacturing area specifically for eMap™ and similar products going forward.”
He continued: “This ensures that the customer requirements and legal compliance to the recognised standards are met and involves the installation of special flooring, benches and test equipment - all grounded to earth to ensure that life of the electronics is protected from potential electrostatic discharge.”
A joint ‘Design for Manufacturing’ exercise undertaken during the first few machines builds, quickly identified a number of aesthetic improvements and functional changes behind the enclosure covers.
All deadlines have been met on schedule and production improvements have been incorporated to make it easier to manufacture going forward – this is vital when scaling up and targeting global retailers who demand products swiftly.
Claire Mchaddan, Vice President of Product Development at EYOTO explains:
“We went from being in a very difficult position with no manufacturing partner to meeting all of our forward production targets…better still, we now have a dedicated cell to help us scale up eMap™ volumes and embed future technology launches.
She continued: “This is just the start. We have a major technology roadmap in place that will involve the regular introduction of new products, especially with Covid-19 increasing the importance and need for remote ophthalmic equipment.
“We are confident that PP C&A has the capacity, skills and design for manufacturing expertise to play a crucial role in all of these new product introductions.”
EYOTO is already well on the way to launching its next tele-optometry solution, this time bringing one of the eyecare sector’s most traditional pieces of equipment into the 21st century.
The first product in the tele-optometry platform will allow an Eye Care Practitioner (ECP) to conduct an eye examination from a remote location – from a different room to a different continent. This will be followed by a complementary pipeline of remote and mobile technology offers.