CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
17 June 2009
Company News
MAGNET Wins Managing Automation 2009 Progressive Manufacturing And Innovation Mastery Awards
The Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET) announced that it received Managing Automation 2009 Progressive Manufacturing 100 Award and the High Achiever award in Innovation Mastery. The Progressive Manufacturing (PM) award recognizes 100 projects that have achieved distinction in at least one of the eight core disciplines defined as critical to business success in the years ahead. In addition, the Progressive Manufacturing High Achiever award is given to eight manufacturers that demonstrate the highest-level mastery of individual PM mastery categories and Magnet was the Innovation Mastery category winner.
MAGNET won the awards for developing the anti-leak toilet flapper, Siphon Flush, for American Innovative Products. Designed with Invention Machine’s innovation software, Siphon Flush eliminates water leakage in toilets, is impervious to harsh chemicals found in most water and cleaning solutions, and has a lifespan 20 times that of existing flappers. The toilet flapper is available today and can be purchased from American Innovative Products for $27.95.
MAGNET helps manufacturing and technology-based companies and entrepreneurs excel and grow through understanding, adopting, and implementing innovative methods and technologies. Its business incubator for manufacturing and technology-based companies is the only one of its kind in the region.
“The Progressive Manufacturing awards raises the bar for MAGNET and we look forward to working with more local entrepreneurs’ and making their dreams a reality,” said Dave Pierson, sr. design engineer, MAGNET. “We also share this honor with entrepreneur Wally Berry for coming up with the idea of combating water leaks and Invention Machine for its innovation software that empowers us to design such breakthrough products.”
Wally Berry, CEO of American Innovative Products received a $600 water bill for his unoccupied vacation home. He quickly realized that the bill was due to faulty toilet flappers. Research indicates that more than 85 percent of water leakage in residential plumbing systems is found in the toilet and a majority of toilet leaks are caused by faulty or worn flappers. A silent leak in a toilet can waste 500 gallons of water a day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Armed with this information, Berry approached MAGNET to see if the engineers could help solve the problem. The engineers used Invention Machine Goldfire to identify the root cause of water leakage, analyze technology trends and materials, play out the consequences of design features to ensure the validity of the concept and anticipate future failure points. Goldfire helped create Siphon Flush’s design that not only eliminates water-leakage, but uses 50 percent fewer parts than the standard flush mechanism technology. Goldfire also accelerated time to market by 30 percent.
“Magnet and Invention Machine turned my idea into a revolutionary new product and cut development cost by more than 56 percent,” said Wally Berry, CEO, American Innovative Products. “Within six months, we received more than 17,000 orders from different municipalities and companies around the world.”
About MAGNET
MAGNET is the region’s “one-stop shop” for manufacturers and manufacturing related companies seeking resources to become or remain globally competitive. MAGNET has assisted thousands of manufacturers through its Edison Technology Center programs, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) services and its business incubation programs. For more information, please visit http://www.magnetwork.org
About American Innovative Products
Independently and in conjunction with other organizations, such as universities and manufacturing firms, American Innovative Products, Inc. develops and brings to market cutting edge products. Siphon Flush, Inc., a subsidiary of American Innovative Products, manufactures and distributes the non-leak toilet flapper, Siphon Flush. For more information please visit www.SiphonFlush.com.
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