Designing for assembly and serviceability
Services
- Design engineering
- Manufacturing support
- Performance testing
- Industrial Design
- Rapid prototyping
- Interface design
- Aesthetic refinement
- 3D modelling
- Aesthetic models
- Functional prototyping
- Concept generation
- User testing
Sector
- industrial
Client
Website
https://mikrofill.com/Great industrial design isn't just about how a product looks, it's about how efficiently it can be built, how easily it can be serviced and how well it performs throughout its entire lifecycle.
Working with Mikrofill, part of Fluid Water Group, OPD delivered a complete product redesign of the Mikrofill 3 Pro using Design for Manufacture, Assembly and Serviceability principles to create a product that delivers measurable improvements for manufacturing, installers, service engineers and end users.
OPD partnered with the Mikrofill team as an extension of its in-house engineering capability, bringing together industrial design, mechanical engineering and rapid prototyping expertise to accelerate the development process from initial concept through to production-ready tooling.
Throughout the project, multiple design iterations were developed and evaluated with installers, service engineers, production operators and end users.
This collaborative approach ensured every design decision was driven by real-world feedback, resulting in a product that delivers tangible benefits across its entire lifecycle.
The redesigned Mikrofill 3 Pro delivers improvements for every stakeholder involved in the product journey.
A significantly reduced part count and improved product architecture streamline assembly, delivering faster, more consistent and more cost-effective manufacturing in the UK.
A layered internal layout provides quick access to critical components, enabling faster maintenance, reducing engineer time on site and minimising disruption for customers.
A simpler, more robust architecture reduces assembly complexity while improving long-term product durability and consistency.
The new industrial design establishes a contemporary visual language that aligns with the wider Mikrofill product family, strengthening brand recognition and providing a platform for future product development.
All of these improvements were achieved within the existing installation footprint, allowing the new Mikrofill 3 Pro to retrofit seamlessly into existing systems without additional cost or installation complexity.
The redesigned Mikrofill 3 Pro delivers improvements for every stakeholder involved in the product journey.
Delivering More Than a Product Refresh
The Mikrofill 3 Pro project demonstrates how effective industrial design can create value well beyond aesthetics. By combining engineering, user insight and manufacturing expertise, OPD helped deliver a next-generation product that improves the experience for production teams, installers, service engineers and end users alike.
The result is a product that is simpler to build, easier to maintain, more consistent to manufacture and designed to support Mikrofill's continued growth in the commercial heating and pressurisation market.
This project was about solving real engineering challenges within tight constraints. By working closely with the Mikrofill team and focusing on assembly, serviceability and manufacturability, we helped deliver a design that works both on the production line and in the field.
