The TC-2 development team
The Research & Development Department of Tronrud Engineering has around 10 employees, plus periodically research students. In addition to office space, they have a prototyping lab.
The Department periodically is supplemented with specialists from other departments within Tronrud Engineering (Contruction and Software engineers.).
A wide range of external companies and individuals have been involved in sourcing materials, facilitate prototyping and optimizing for production.
The reason why I dedicate space to present you to our R&D team, is to make you understand that the TC-2 project has been a gigantic effort for us: These guys normally work with customers within the photovaltaic industry, oil drilling industries, air & space industries, medical industries and infocom industries. In short; industries that need smart solutions, and who pay whaterver it costs to get it on time.
It makes me proud that the TC-2 project is treated with the same dedication and creativity as products for those powerful industrial customers!
Geir-Atle, Head of the R & D Department
Keeping the team focused and on track!
Rune, Dr. Scient. Cybernetics
Mathematical modelling / virtual prototypes
Bjørn Haavard, mathematical modelling, mechanical engineering
Pneumatic parts, renderings
Bjørn
Electronics, communication
Eivind
Electronics, new components
Ole Christian
Design of the tiny valves and mechanics for moving the warp threads
Anders
Warp advancing / reversing system, beams and moe
Bjørn E.
TC-2 loom frame, mechanics and incorporation of all other elements
Jan, software
Loom and Computer 'talking to each other'. Vast improvements to the user interface in the Loom Control program!
The externals that were involved the most were:
3 designers from 360 grader in Oslo: http://www.360grader.no/prosjekt.asp?m=7394&s=&did=129 They made a study on the design aesthetics for the TC-2: The new loom should be visually related to the TC-1, but with a distinct new identity caused by added functions, new materials and new production methods.
Moss Jern og Stansefabrikk in Moss - a subsidiary of Tronrud Engineering that works with sheet metal processing. They made prototypes for the TC-2, with special attention to simplicity in erecting and adjusting the loom frame.
Our R&D team analyzed components not only based on price and performance, but also according to how labor-intensive they would be to assemble, maintain and service.
The TC-1 loom contains several thousand parts (including washers, o-rings, screws, pistons, valves). The number of parts for the TC-2 either had to be substancially reduced, or they would have to be a lot easier to produce, or they had to be faster to assemble. Peferably all three!
