The Definition of Design`s "hidden champion" is a small team in the Netherlands

We talked to Rudy Daams, Manager in the Engineering department, and owner Bernard van der Poel about their work and how engineers and designers manage to collaborate the best.

First of all, what is your company doing precisely?

Bernard: We specialize in engineering and manufacturing 3D sheet metal components in small to medium-sized series. Our unique technique, originally developed for the aviation industry, is called rubber pad forming. This method enables us to create 3D-shaped sheet metal parts with remarkable precision. Essentially, we’re a first-tier supplier converting sheet metal into 3D products using this innovative technology, which relies on a single tool and a rubber pad. This technology serves as an alternative to deep drawing, making it particularly suitable for small and medium-sized series due to the low investment in tooling. To give you an idea: we handle product series ranging from 250 to 12,000 pieces per year. We collaborate with clients across various industries, e.g. agricultural machinery, construction machinery, trucks, the food industry, medical equipment, and material handling.

Your sheets have been used in several award-winning products and tools, including some that have won major design awards like the iF DESIGN AWARD. Can you tell us more about that?

Rudy: Yes, the most recent iF DESIGN AWARD was this year for the ROSA coffee machine by De Jong Duke, where our unique metal plates were used. In 2022, we were involved in three products that won awards: the ERE225i Electric Pallet Truck, the ECE 225 Forklift Truck by Jungheinrich AG and the Dopper Water Tap.

Can you elaborate on your contributions to these projects?

Bernard: We engineer and manufacture specific metal parts for the final product. For example, for Jungheinrich, we produce the yellow front cover of the ECE models and the yellow side cover of the ERE models. For De Jong Duke, we manufacture the metal front cover of the ROSA coffee machine.

Rudy: To give more context, in the case of De Jong Duke, a design agency called Scope Design created a concept for the machine. They approached us to discuss how to make the front cover feasible for manufacturing using rubber pad forming. We typically provide feedback on necessary design adjustments, like modifying sharp corners or radii, to ensure manufacturability. By using simulation software, we can judge whether a design will be feasible, which helps reduce the lead time for the first prototype to just six weeks. Sometimes clients want to adapt an existing product to use rubber pad forming. In such cases, we optimize the design, often by adjusting edges or steepness, as we did for Jungheinrich.

It seems that many outstanding designs benefit from your techniques and metal sheets. How do collaborations with companies and designers usually come about?

Rudy: Sometimes, we’re surprised at how clients find us (laughs). But honestly, we are quite well-known in our niche, having over 25 years of experience in rubber pad forming. However, we remain a relatively small team of 45 FTEs.

Bernard: Many of our clients know exactly why they come to us, which has helped us build a solid reputation, even among product designers.

What sets you apart from other companies in the metal sheet market?

Rudy: We often find that designers and engineers are limited in creating 3D-shaped metal products in small series due to the high tooling costs associated with deep drawing. As a result, they may opt for plastic or complex conventional bending and welding assemblies, without realizing there’s an alternative.

Bernard: That alternative is rubber pad forming: it’s like deep drawing, but suitable for small to medium series. This allows designers to work with metals like stainless steel, steel, and aluminum in a way that offers great design freedom and cost efficiency, resulting in products that excel in both design and quality.

How does the process of creating products or designs usually unfold?

Rudy: Ideally, we’re involved early in the product development stage, when companies or designers/engineers approach us with a design for a new product and seek to produce various parts in 3D sheet metal. Sometimes the client comes to us with just a sketch on paper, and other times they have a fully developed design. The diversity of markets we serve makes our work very varied. We work with different clients from different countries every week. By being involved early in the process, we can collaboratively create optimal product designs that are technically sound and aesthetically pleasing.

Bernard: Product design greatly benefits from discussions between engineers and designers. The challenge is to create a design that meets the client’s aesthetic expectations while being manufacturable for us. Therefore, it’s crucial for our engineers to work closely with designers to find a solution. Some projects are easier than others, but we always find a way to make them successful. The wide variety of clients and markets we serve keeps our work exciting.

Rudy: We are never bored!