Heron 2NM All Round Navigation Lamp.
Client: Hella New Zealand Ltd / Hella Marine Ltd.
The aims of this project included reducing product size, component cost and assembly time. An expensive metal heat sink component was completely eliminated and multiple soldering assembly steps were reduced to a single joint by using connectors between stacked circuit boards. The multi-stage gluing process was reduced to a single robot pass which maintained the IP67 sealing rating with less opportunity for rejects.
Fitting in all the components within the small space while staying under the thermal target was a challenge, as was designing an installation method which had completely concealed fasteners within the minimal footprint. Due to the potential weight of hanging cables from the top of a mast, excellent cable retention was also provided.
First-off components lit up to check fit and function.
The lamp was designed to run on any voltage from 9V to 33V DC while meeting (and exceeding) the functional requirements for a 2 Nautical Mile navigation lamp. This was achieved while keeping the power consumption under 1 watt.
Concealed fasteners, bayonet assembly and cable retention.
Compact and clean simple lines.
Role: Lead product designer.
Tasks: Project management, product design, tooling liaison, internal test plan and environmental, photometric and mechanical testing, alpha build and certification submission support.