Project Summary
Product: NObreath® FeNO Device
Services: Product Development and Design, Plastic Injection Moulding, Metal Pressings, Prototyping, Tooling, Component Manufacturing
Requirement: Redesign the existing NObreath® FeNO device to improve usability, integrate the latest sensor and touchscreen technologies, and eliminate lengthy Return-to-Depot servicing through a fast, user-serviceable maintenance solution.
Outcome: A redesigned product incorporating click-and-fit, user-serviceable cartridge components that reduced maintenance downtime from several weeks to under a minute, lowered servicing costs and simplified assembly and manufacturing processes.
Project Benefits
- Reduced servicing downtime from 4–6 weeks to under a minute
- Eliminated the need for Return-to-Depot replacement of serviceable components
- Improved ergonomics and handling
- Integrated the latest sensor and touchscreen technologies
- Simplified build and maintenance procedures
- Reduced assembly time and manufacturing complexity
Background
Bedfont Scientific wanted to modernise its established NObreath® FeNO device, improving both the user experience and long-term serviceability while integrating the latest sensing technologies.
Although the existing product had proven successful in the field, servicing and maintenance remained a significant challenge. Certain serviceable components could only be replaced by returning the device to a service depot, requiring partial disassembly and resulting in four to six weeks of downtime. This increased servicing costs, reduced equipment availability and created unnecessary disruption for healthcare providers.
Alongside improving serviceability, the redesigned product needed to incorporate updated sensor technology, a touchscreen interface and a more modern ergonomic design, while maintaining the performance and reliability expected from a medical diagnostic device.
Requirement
A key objective was to reduce the time and cost associated with Return-to-Depot servicing without compromising the clinical performance or reliability of the NObreath® FeNO device.
The redesigned product needed to enable routine serviceable components to be replaced quickly and easily in the field, reducing reliance on depot-based maintenance, minimising disruption for users and improving equipment availability.
Alongside improving serviceability, the redesigned NObreath® FeNO device also needed to:
- Integrate updated sensor technologies.
- Incorporate a modern touchscreen user interface.
- Improve ergonomics and everyday handling.
- Optimise the internal routing of airflow tubing and electronic components whilst maintaining measurement performance.
- Ensure compatibility between plastic injection mouldings and precision metal assemblies.
- Support repeatable manufacture, efficient assembly and long-term production.
SolutionÂ
Delivering these improvements required far more than updating the external appearance of the product. DTI undertook a complete redesign of the NObreath® FeNO device, balancing serviceability, product performance and manufacturability within a tightly constrained product envelope.
A key innovation was the development of a click-and-fit cartridge system for routine serviceable components. This allowed users to replace key parts in under a minute without specialist tools or technical support, eliminating the need for routine Return-to-Depot servicing and dramatically improving equipment availability.
Integrating this new servicing solution alongside updated sensors, electronics and a touchscreen interface required the internal architecture to be carefully engineered. Airflow tubing, electronic assemblies and sensing components all had to be accommodated within the available space whilst avoiding restrictions that could affect measurement performance. Particular attention was given to component positioning, accessibility and overall product balance to ensure the device remained comfortable and intuitive to use.
To support efficient manufacture, plastic injection mouldings and precision metal pressings were developed in parallel to ensure compatibility between assemblies. The moulded components incorporated threaded inserts and antibacterial additives for healthcare applications, while laser-welded metal pressings provided the dimensional stability required for reliable, repeatable assembly.
Prototype units were produced throughout development to evaluate ergonomics, serviceability, material performance and assembly processes. Testing and user feedback informed a series of design refinements before production tooling was commissioned, helping to ensure the final design could be manufactured efficiently while delivering the performance Bedfont required.
Outcome
The redesigned NObreath® FeNO device successfully combined improved usability, enhanced serviceability and modern technology within a product designed for efficient manufacture and long-term support.
Routine servicing that had previously taken four to six weeks could now be completed in under a minute through the introduction of user-serviceable cartridge components. By eliminating routine Return-to-Depot maintenance, Bedfont significantly reduced equipment downtime, lowered servicing costs and improved product availability for healthcare providers.
The redesigned architecture also simplified assembly procedures and reduced manufacturing complexity, delivering efficiencies during production while supporting ongoing product maintenance throughout its lifecycle.
The project demonstrates DTI’s ability to combine industrial design, mechanical engineering and manufacturing expertise to solve real-world product challenges. By considering serviceability, manufacture and user experience from the outset, DTI helped Bedfont Scientific modernise an established medical device while creating a more cost-effective and scalable solution for the future.
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