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Armstrong Pumps
Re-imagining a family of commercial fluid flow products for a global brand
Learn how an 80-year global enterprise refreshed a family of intelligent fluid flow systems and products by collaborating with a product design company
Background & Design Requirements
Armstrong came to Design 1st wanting to refresh the entire product-line of industrial pumps to match their historic brand and add new connected functionality:
- Refresh visual language of all equipment while maintaining engineering integrity of products.
- Develop multiple concepts to convey the new Armstrong brand across the line-up of products.
- Support manufacturing teams by helping design new look to reduce production costs.
- Re-design collar adapter method to remove bolts, improving look and reducing costs.
Engineering Challenges
Tackling an entire product family for design revisions while maintaining product quality and reducing manufacturing costs is a massive challenge that was overcome through several activities.
- Help Armstrong retrofit existing equipment with a new 'design envelope pump controller" (DEPC) solution.
- Optimize Armstrong's 'foam casting' design of common parts to reduce production costs.
- Build virtual models for prototype simulations using CFD analysis to understand performance of new concepts.
- Build pre-production prototype of new pump equipment parts prior to volume manufacturing.
Product Results
Following a twelve-month product design program, the first new Armstrong pump equipment products began rolling off the production line garnishing strong results, including:
- Revolutionizing the 100-year old method of pump collar connections with an innovative new design.
- Significantly reducing overall 'foam casting' production costs of multiple parts.
- Won 'smart product of the year' at the Pump Industry Awards in 2021.
- Maintained leading fluid flow company status growing to over 1200 employees with eight manufacturing facilities.
Revolutionizing the 100-year old method of pump collar connection
“Design 1st should be commended for contributing to
the overall vision of all lines of Armstrong product. The
parabolic whiplash shape is coherent, innovative and
embedded in the idea of science versus design”
Neil Halverson,
Design Strategist, Armstrong Fluid Technology Inc.
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