Molecule™ - Atmospheric Water Generator
Lab to Marketplace Breathrough Harvesting Drinking Water From Air
An Inside Glimpse Into the R&D Exploration and Product Development of Molecule's Innovation Material
Product Design Requirements
California-based R&D Thinktank, Molecule chose Design 1st to transform a revolutionary desiccant nanomaterial developed by the University of Limerick into a commercial prototype that absorbs moisture from air.
- Design multiple experiments and prototypes to test the properties of the material for commercial use.
- Create an air-to-water generation prototype in under nine months from commercial proof-of-concept testing.
- Exploration and prototype testing of novel dehumidification techniques that best utilize the material.
Design and Engineering Challenges
Taking a groundbreaking nanomaterial from lab to commercially viable prototype presented a maze of design engineering challenges the teams worked through:
- How to integrate the nanomaterial into standard dessicant wheel manufacturing processes, with enough robustness to withstand corrugation and bonding.
- Maintain operation and robustness from 5°C to 60°C and not have the material interact with the water.
- Convert the nano-material powder into various medias, such as flat sheets, reels, filters, and pellets, for real-world testing and commercial applications.
Molecule Product Results
Molecule’s R&D exploration to transform an innovative nano-material into a commercially viable product was a success. The fully functional prototype worked, and multiple commercial applications for the unique material were developed, transforming Molecule into a global leader in the water technology industry.
- Acquired in 2023 by Genesis Systems, a leader in the water tech industry.
- "Innovation of the Year" - Irish Laboratory Awards
- Outperformed the industry-standard dehumidification material by 350% in benchmark testing.
- Purchase order from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Deepest bench of technical engineering and design talent
“I did a lot of due diligence while selecting a product development company, and Design 1st had the deepest bench for technical capability. They worked on such a broad range of products with successful commercialization. Design 1st’s early efforts in prototype development helped us move from a powder substrate into a commercial product for testing.”
Kurt Francis
CTO and Co-Founder, Molecule
