PRESS RELEASE
Q5D continues revolutionising wire harness production with new investment
Bristol, 26th January 2023 – Q5D, a leading innovator in wire harness automation, has secured critical investment from technology innovation catalyst CPI, to continue revolutionising the production of wire harnesses. The investment from Enterprises, CPI’s private investor engagement and ventures arm, will enable Q5D to advance its innovative additive technology, helping maximise resilience, productivity, and sustainability in the wire harness supply chain.
Wire harnesses are critical to many applications, from electric vehicles and aircraft and white goods and consumer electronics. Yet, the production of these essential components remains predominantly manual and labour-intensive. This approach to manufacturing is time-consuming and inefficient in meeting the rising demand for wiring, driven by e-mobility, the Internet of Things (IoT), and industry 4.0. In addition, supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, the war in Ukraine are putting the current production methods to the test.
Q5D’s unique approach to automation has the potential to transform the wiring industry. The company leverages additive manufacturing and 5-axis robotics to optimise process quality, eliminate human error, increase production speed and simplify supply chains. Q5D’s technology also minimises wiring waste and weight while enabling a re-localisation of production, which can help reduce transport emissions.
The partnership between Q5D and CPI has granted access to world-class facilities and expertise to enable the next stage of development. CPI is a social enterprise and innovation catalyst for the adoption of advanced tech and manufacturing solutions that benefit people, places and our planet. As a founding member of the UK Government’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, CPI partners with industry, academia, government, entrepreneurs, and the investment community to deliver healthcare and sustainability innovations.
“The collaborative force of Q5D and CPI has advanced the prospect of addressing the challenges faced by the wire harnessing supply chain through additive manufacturing and a newly sophisticated disruptive ‘loom automation’ concept,” comments Tony Jackson, Formulation Business Unit Director at CPI. “In demonstrating the technology’s higher operating efficiency and cost-saving scalability, this project will prove crucial in addressing the manual challenges faced in the aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics industries.”
In partnering with CPI, Q5D received technical and developmental support to refine their product development and manufacturing processes. Through testing, analysis and process engineering development, CPI and Q5D have worked collaboratively to fine-tune the manufacturing formulation and technology development.
“Working with CPI is allowing for a smoother and faster development of our new product” said Stephen Bennington, CEO and Co-Founder of Q5D. “Our technology empowers engineers to rethink wire harnesses for a safe, sustainable, and reliable all-electric, connected future.”
Q5D will continue to focus on helping original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) maximise productivity with a reduced manufacturing footprint while optimizing the manufacturing process quality, leading to better products and more profitability. Additionally, supporting OEMs to become more innovative and sustainable by adding functionality to new products with a significantly reduced environmental footprint.
Notes to the Editor
About Q5D
Q5D is a technology company developing automation for the production of wiring loom harnesses, using robotic additive manufacturing, for the consumer electronics, automotive, and aerospace markets. Using this unique technology allows integration with existing cosmetic or structural parts already in the assembly, removing fasteners and features that are needed to keep the wire in the correct locations, reducing weight, and assembly time, and giving greater design freedom. For more information visit https://q5dtechnology.com/.
About CPI
We catalyse the adoption of advanced technologies and manufacturing solutions to benefit people, places and our planet.
CPI connects the dots within the innovation ecosystem to make great ideas and inventions a reality to benefit people, places and our planet. We’re a pioneering social enterprise that accelerates the development, scale-up and commercialisation of deep tech and sustainable manufacturing solutions. Through our incredible innovation experts and infrastructure, we look beyond the obvious to transform healthcare and drive towards a sustainable future.
As a trusted partner of industry, founders, academia, government, and the investment community, we’re the catalyst for delivering smart AgriFoodTech, energy storage, HealthTech, materials, and pharma innovations. We believe by working together we can build a better collective future, and as part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, we facilitate access to world-class organisations to deliver transformation across industries.
Creating lasting global impact from the North of England and Scotland, we invest in people and disruptive technologies to invigorate economies, create circular supply chains and make our world a better place.
Let’s innovate together: uk-cpi.com
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Company Contact:
Q5D
Simon Baggott
Chief Marketing Officer